"Outs, Precautions, and Challenges" is one of those little known gems. Price is right also.

Van

Ask them to help out with the next trick, and when they come up to you to help, spit on them. Just make sure that you can scrap.

If you're worried only about a spectator handling the cards, just always know what the selected cards were. Forces, peeks, etc. If they start messing with the deck, and you needed a card to be somewhere, go into a different effect, or pick up control of the card a little later down the line.

Control and peeks is the right method for me, I guess, with this type of crowd.

I just need to get my tricks modified a bit.
Also I liked Samuel's approach. Although it seems weird touching other people in such a way.

Maybe I should stick to crowd of women only? Joking.

I am not sure that Samuel meant to touch the spectators, but maybe he did. I find it useful, to do some similar things with the cards. I will have them put their right forefinger on the deck or packet, if they are holding it in their left hands. Other times I will have them sit on the cards, or make a sandwich with their two hands.

Sometimes, I tell them it is to ensure that they are not dropped, sometimes it is to make sure I don't mess with them. Anytime you ask the spectator to hold cards in a funny, but comfortable, way, you will minimize the chance they will mess with the cards.

Sometimes, if I have the spectator hold their right finger on the top of the packet, when I take the packet from them, they will leave their finger in that position for as long as a minute, until I tell them they can relax.

What really ***** me is when you are doing sponge balls, and they put them in their mouth "for a laugh". Then you have to handle it after. This has happened to me three times.

Slydini9,

Soak your sponge balls in syrup of figs. It will give them a good run for their money.

Or VV hot chili.

Paula

Slydini:

Which people do you do magic for? Seems like complete morons.

I'd just say: "Give me X$(fill in price) for new balls since you just ruined mine..."
__________________

Vago and Chris:

No, I didn't mean that you'd have to touch the spectators. Just show a cage by forming a ball with your two hands, instructing the spectator to cover the deck as in a cage.

CamelotFX:

I am glad that I could help.

I have to say I've never had a spectators put any of my props in their mouth. If they did, however, I would probably laugh with them, then say, "That's the second worse place that thing has ever been!" It's not insulting, but it puts the laugh back on them.

Difficult spectators are a real challenge. I always recommend Eugene Burger's writing on this. His attitude is harsh on the performer, but very well worth listening to.

My best advice in handling hecklers is either move on or move away. Don't let the heckler waste anyone's time by throwing you off your rhythm. It's not fair to you or to your other spectators. If you can't dismiss them gently, then finish, thank them and move away to another audience.

I realize that sometimes it is not an option to move away, then you need to gently, but firmly remind the heckler not to ruin the show for everyone else. If you can do this with humor, great. But if not, make hard eye contact with the heckler and tell them, "Please. Let's not spoil this for everyone else."

At one show, I had a spectator who wanted to examine everything. It wasn't really a problem, but it was very annoying.

After a bit, I gave him a piece of paper and a pencil. "Could you help me out?", I asked. "Please write down all your objections here and submit them to me after the show so we don't have to spend too much time on them now."

Again, it called gentle attention to the delay the heckler was causing, but did not challenge him. He actually laughed, then put the paper aside and watched the show in peace.

I think the most important thing is not to ever challenge the heckler. Despite what may seem funny at the time, there is nothing to be accomplished by trying to top the heckler. It just becomes an improvised insult war, and you'll end up looking bad.

When you are performing, you are in charge of the situation. You must treat that responsibility with dignity.

Now that was a great responce!
I'll have to

I knew you didn't. Great idea.

1) If people shout out during an effect, at first I try to ignore them and just proceed. If they continue I just move onto the next group.

2) If they don't follow instructions, the effect will fail. There are only a few effects I do where they have to follow instructions while my back is turned. So most of the time I can correct them if they don't listen. And always keep instructions as simple as possible and use laymen terms. I never say look at the card on the face of the pack. I say look at the bottom card, as an example.

3) This has never happened to me. I have had them shuffle the pack at the start of an effect, preventing me from doing what I was going to do when a stack was involved.

However, if they shuffle in the middle of an effect, ruining the planned effect try this: "Well, now that we know the deck is shuffled..." then take the pack back and tell of how "That happened to you one time in the past and the guy shuffled it face up into face down..." and do A Tipsy Trick from RRTCM. Or your favorite effect along those lines.

I am not a pro, but I thought Ricky Jay had the best move when he just told the guy, "You, get out the room."

HAHAHAHA! That IS the best solution...if you have your own off-Broadway show.

The problem with it is that you offend the spectator, and you let the other spectators see it.

I do think rude people should be stamped on hard and fast.

I did read a move somewhere which is based on misdirection. I think it was from Card College.

Ask the guy to take a deck of cards and leave the room and give the deck exactly 100 riffle shuffles. Then go on with the show. When he returns say thanks.

I love that!



I respectfully disagree. In my opinion, the appropriate course of action depends on the particular performer, the particular audience, and the particular venue. If, for example, you perform at comedy clubs or in bars (or anywhere else there's a lot of alcohol being consumed) and you aren't prepared with comebacks (used wisely), you're dead in the water in my opinion.

I disagree with those who say that you should just ignore hecklers because doing otherwise just feeds the hecklers' need for attention. The funny thing is, I've personally seen a very famous magician take hecklers head-on even though he states in his books that you should avoid them.

When I use comebacks, I start gently and when the audience is on my side I ratchet it up.

Something I sometimes use as a last resort after working through the "nicer" comebacks, and then only when the group is with me, is this: I look at the audience, nod towards the spectator, and say, "You know if ***holes were airplanes that guy would be a 747." Believe it or not, I saw that saying on a coffee mug. Use what fits your performing persona and the situation at hand!

Some comics embrace hecklers because their comebacks are part of the show. Did you know that Rodney Dangerfield actually hired a comic to sit in the audience in his shows (nobody knew that the person was a plant)? At a particular point, that person would yell out, "Hey, Rodney, what do you do for a living?", and Rodney retorted, seemingly off the top of his head, "I get dates for your sister." The audience roared because of his apparent ability to think off the top of his head and to shut up a jerk.

Larry D.

Briantwig,

Going into the Tipsy Trick is just genius.

Thanks.

A lot depends on the situation and venue where you are being heckled.
However has it dawned upon anyone here that it is possible to win over the heckler and make him your biggest booster?
There are ways you know.

Don't fight them. Make them a friend.