So these people want to see a show right ? When they get what they ask for they simply do not have the courtesy to close off their phone for just five minute.

I ask them nicely that they silence their phone for a short while and they say “sorry it's important” basically inferring that this performance that they ASKED FOR is thus, unimportant.

I stop the whole routine halfway and say “I am done” to them and walk off.

How do YOU handle assholistic audience ?

This was brought up in another thread.

I don't have this issue. To me, someone paying more attention to their phone than the performer, means the performer has failed to be more interesting than what's on the phone.

So the way to deal with that is to be more interesting.

XLNT advice, Doc!

Maybe I should get them to apologize to me for something...what do you think Dick ?

Go back and read WitchDocChris' post! It would appear that (again) YOU are the one who should be apologizing. I just agreed with WDC!

WitchDoctorChris: "...I don't have this issue...". --I don't have this issue either! In 50 years performing all over the USA, I played some "tough" audiences (everything from "alternative high schools, teenage drug rehabilitation schools, reform schools, mental hospitals for the criminally insane, adult state prisons, and, hard time state prison for adolescents, who had committed SERIOUS CRIMES, like MURDER.) I got laughs and applause!

BTW, you appear to like to use vocabulary that is some what vulgar ("assholistic") In trying to sound erudite, you also misuse words. You used "...basically inferring..." INFERRING is the opposite of what you meant! IMPLYING would have been the correct word. I didn't bother to reply to your comments the other day, but, I had a few minutes today.

In my experience of performing Magic for 60 years: If YOU respect your audience, THEY will respect you!

I consider it an honor and a priviledge to perform as a Magician, and audiences can almost always tell WHO you really are BY THE WAY YOU INTERACT WITH THEM.

When you're WITH THEM,,,,,,THEY KNOW IT.......and....THEY'RE WITH YOU.

You cannnot demand respect.....you can only EARN IT!

SoyMilky - I know it's frustrating not to have people jumping on the bandwagon with you. It's frustrating to hear that the mistake might be coming from ourselves, instead of someone else. Because then the fix has to come from ourselves, instead of being able to externalize it to the audience.

If there is something wrong with your show, it's up to you to figure out why it's wrong and to fix it. Doesn't matter if that show is a full evening illusions show, or 2 minutes of card magic at school. If the audience isn't putting their full focus on you, that's something wrong with the show. Why are they not paying full attention to you? In other words, why is what you are doing less interesting than what they are paying attention to?

Because that's really all we use to determine what to pay attention to - whatever is currently more interesting. If something is interesting enough, we will focus so completely on it we forget to eat and the rest of the world doesn't even ping our mental RADAR. Is what you're doing that interesting to someone who isn't you?

You didn't get the sarcasm didn't you ?
I was latching on to your constant need for NEEDING people in forums to apologize to you due to some arbitrary reason(s)/topic(s).
You ended up doing just that !

I think that joke just went over your head and you repeated the same thing [asking for apology] that I was alluding that you do often to people.

You didn't bother to reply to my comment the other day because I caught what you were doing (again) on the forum, even the people in that thread realize it and stop responding to you.

Thanks for correcting my language though, that's like the nicest thing you have said to me ever since you talk to me.

He may not have gotten the joke because it was a bad joke. Pulling things from other threads in when people are trying to help you is a good way to get ignored in the future.

I think your problem in performance is becoming quite clear.

Good luck!

This is SERIOUSLY DEEP!!!
Who you really are...

He was the one who pull things from other thread, I merely respond to it and you lashes out on me ?
So that's how it is with you.

SoyMilky:

Relax.

Some of us just aren't meant to be performers.

You posted, I responded, Dick responded to me, you pulled something irrelevant from another thread to attack Dick.

I hadn't read the other thread closely enough to know what you were trying to make a joke about. It sounded like a genuine idea to fix your issue. It wasn't funny.

You posted this thread asking advice. When given advice, you attacked another member for no reason.

In this thread, the problem is you.

Stop being so defensive, and start paying attention to the things you can learn when you're not constantly trying to prove you're the big dog.

Thanks, that is REAL supportive.

Chris...Thank you for chiming in!

Mr. Milky "threw" a snide remark at me, either in the Our New Arrivals or New To Magic. He had asked a question, about, "Who is a worker?" Mary tried to help him. I made a humorous comment to Mary, and Milky came back at me. I considered it an insult.

He tries to be erudite, and, uses phrases in an apparent effort to make himself appear highly educated, but, misspells words, and/or uses words like "infer", when he obviously should use "imply", etc. Also he uses vulgar terms. (See his first post in this thread.)

Further, his use of argumenta ad hominem, betrays his lack of much education. I think he needs an "attitude adjustment!

I've decided to ignore him. I'm too busy mentoring several serious, courteous, and, quite intelligent people, plus mailing out copies of my book and dvd to magicians around the world.

So when you make a humorous comment, you are bring funny, but when other people do it it's a "snide" ?
Dude, you need to take a chill pill too.
I bet you still remember the lady that give you the wrong change 60 years ago, it's just 20 cents dude.

And also, since nobody is on my side here, I am going to show myself out of this particular thread.

SoyMilky,
Please....grow up!!!
The answer to your first post is: it's ALL about personality, charism and attitude.
Your conclusion in your last post is "nobody is on my side'.
You encountered here the same 'problem' as in the performing situation you described in your first post.

You are right John, I will grow up.

SoyMilky:

Here's something that you might want to read:

http://images.kw.com/docs/2/1/2/212345/1......faip.pdf

EVERY PERFORMER, especially those who work in casual situations! should read Dale Carnegie's masterpiece!!!

"How To Win Friends, And Influence People" is the KEY to human relations!