Give the secrets away? I wouldn't even give this guy the time of day!

Seriously, DON'T.

About the best advice I'd give is to not do magic in front of him, or focus on a sucker trick or two.

There is a great routine on another forum that is entitled "Death to the Heckler" I did not cut and paste and put it here as I am not sure that it is allowed or ethical. But I do believe it would shut him up...maybe not but I think it would. You can PM me for info or just search a few of the other forums under "Death to the Heckler".

PM'd ya

I agree one hundred percent. Don't tell him the secrets: not only does he seem to have no interest in actually learning to preform the trick, he is also likely to just keep on ruining the fun anyway. By the way, I wouldn't mind learning where to find how to learn the 'stuck to the floor' trick.

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By the way, I wouldn't mind learning where to find how to learn the 'stuck to the floor' trick.
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Scroll up the page a bit...I posted a link.

I didn't find that. Did you mean this?
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=218

One more vote in favour of just cutting the guy off. I'd cut the entire family off, to be honest. There's no good way around it. If you do the trick for them, and he hears about it, and he demands that you do it for him, and you refuse, you'll look like a coward.

One thing I'd also recommend is to not necessarily look at getting new material, but instead to look at what you already have and try to find weaknesses, and eliminate them. Mastery of a routine means being able to disprove every possible non-magical method, including the one you're actually using. Being able to eliminate doubts before they arrive will make your magic a lot stronger. When you can convince them that you've not forced a card when you've forced a card, you'll know you're on another level. Incidentally, being able to do this will help you with "secret shouters", since you've already shown that the secrets they're shouting don't apply to your tricks.

By no means. Do not tell. But try taking him aside, and ask him.." Listen, I enjoy performing magic, and our family enjoys watching me perform it.. why do you expose how it's done? maybe you don't realize it but you are ruining a good experience for everyone."

If this doesn't work tell the family that you would like to perform, but that BIL makes it hard. I know what it is to show off your stuff. And a good appreciative audience is wonderful to have.

I also recommend you get something like " Heckler" by Brian Tudor, if you are into card magic that is. Most of the routine is controls and palms to different areas, and the idea is, he has no clue half the time what is coming next. It WILL require time on your part to learn the routine.. But if he wants to heckle treat him like a Heckler. You really need to get the audience on your side here... and you may need to deal with him in a manner which embarrasses him. You did ask him nicely, he refused. He should get what he has coming. He IS interfering with your enjoyment, and let's face it, family more often than not is where we practice our performance. He shouldn't be interfering with that.

On the other hand... try and see the silver lining in this dark cloud, if you ever wish to go professional, and perform in other venues, you will more than likely get heckled. This is a perfect opportunity to learn how to deal with a Heckler in a way that won't jeapordize your paycheck.

Anyway, good luck and let us know how it goes.

Here is the link to the essay, "Death to Hecklers" by non other than, well...me!

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=41

All best,

Fantastic essay Brad. Thanks for sharing it again. Well worth reading!

Mark.

I hope you don't mind Brad, I Copy and Pasted the essay to my Hard drive. For my own personal study, and so I can come back to it from time to time. I would never share it. Also, I am not sure what the policy here is about that if it is ok or not, so mentioned it.

I can't find stuck to the floor anywhere....

I would have to agree with everyone here that you should not in anyway tell him the secrets.

In addition, do your stuff and if he starts in just invite him to do some magic of his own. See if he can take the heat. If he refuses to perform then ask him to be quiet while you do something that he doesn't have the balls to do. And if he does perform act very amazed and bug him for the secrets all night.

Yea...my sister n laws mom is that way, after doing bill to lemon once I later caught her in the kitchen with the lemon tearing ti appart trying to figure it out. and there are other similar examples. some people just can't enjoy a performance for the entertainment value.

OK... I hope you cut this guy off... no magic for him, /ever/. Don't tell him jack about magic, nothing, nada, zilch, nil. He doesn't deserve it.

Me personally? I would (I am not recommending this, just telling what I would do) start pulling pranks on him with all that fun shop crap that nearly all magic stores carry. For Christmas I would get him Anti-Monkey Butt powder. Get a squirt nickel and make out like you are going to a trick. Buffalo nickel patter: "See the buffalo? Watch closely, no here get close... really look at it... Its a special buffalo... it's a WATER BUFFALO!" Monticello nickel patter: "Did you know that first historical automatic lawn sprinklers were invented by Thomas Jefferson and installed in the lawn at Monticello? Yeah! In fact look at a nickel and see for self! You got a nickel? Look on the back! You don't see the sprinklers? Give it here I will show you..." (shuttle pass) look here... no get real close... look right there..."

I would buy a book of dirty tricks... (Penn & Teller's book works fine) and start doing some of that stuff to him... Be prepared for his revenge by researching what he might try on you so you can avoid it if at all possible... and be prepared to get dinged by him and laugh it off... Most of all try to have as much fun as you possibly can at his expense.

Searched for that Stuck on the Floor effect - anyone got any idea where it is now....very interested

Don't tell him anything. if he bothers you during the performance use a hammer.

I found this very interesting blog site regarding "Stuck to the Floor". Just thought you might want to know. http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/sutra240991.php&highlight=

As for the BIL, I like the idea of handing him a deck of cards and telling him that if he knows so much, why doesn't he demonstrate his abilities? It sounds like he needs to be seriously embarrased and put in his place.

Never tell. I you have a friend like that, don't invite him to the party. It's that simple and tell him why.