Any women mentalists here? (sorry if I missed you) And what are your thoughts on women in mentalism and psychic entertainment?

Before getting into mentalism I was already interested in Tarot cards and mysterious things like that, now I get to entertain mimicking all kinds of psychic and paranormal phenomena (though I tell people it's just entertainment). I don't perform professionally, but I do perform casually almost everyday, in all kinds of situations and venues. The reactions I get lead me to believe a woman mentalist would do very well on television, stage, and to the community in general.

Anabelle

Anabelle,

It surprises me that more response has not appeared here. Women in mentalism, mental magic, hypnotism, fortunetelling, and the paranormal were very common in the 50s and early 60s when I got my start in the entertainment industry.

Many of the more successful nightclub acts were female hypnotists. From my observation, even through the 70s they outnumbered successful male hypnotists three to one. While they seldom booked in as magicians, they also seldom made false claims to psychic powers too. (I can’t say that was true of all the male acts of the day. Television even encouraged it.) The most famous “Trump” in the entertainment industry was not Donald! And, she could also sing!

Another of my observations for a common element of successful women in that endeavor was that they were over thirty at a time when youth was considered VIP in an entertainer’s success. Perhaps they enjoy a given credibility that males may be required to earn. Also, self-employed females in those days were usually better educated than self-employed males. Educated women were powerful women. Also educated women tended to come from powerful families. That had to help.

Well this response should give you a second shot at the top of the list of topic threads.

Where are those women? Please post!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I believe that an audience would be less "suspicious" of a female performer vs a man. I'm sure that the average normal male would want to believe that she has certain powers. Years ago it was common to hear the words " a mothers instinct". That could be part of the introduction to an act.

I consider myself a mentalist as well, but I am also a magician. I suppose I missed this thread earlier, or thought I had already responded.

I agree that people are more believing in a female as the mentalist, than a man who they will more often just see as a highly clever magician--and women aren't magicians, right? Anyhow, as such, I also see an intimidation factor often present to men watching a female perform mentalism. It's a vulnerability. This is, of course, just my observation.

Females were often portrayed as hypnotists... erotic hypnotists. Hmmm. That's why hypnodommes became a click. Read that somewhere in esquire. hee.
anyway, I haven't seen a female mentalist on her act yet. any vids out there?

For!

I'm interested in "mentalism" and in more occult matters. I don't perform professionally yet (I perform but I get my income from other things), but I do think that the world of "real" magic could benefit from illusion, which is the oldest form of magic anyway.
I think that - as a woman - it could be a wise thing to take the "Gaia" witchcraft approach to this art, I certainly play it this way.
BTW, hi, Corona ! Long time since we erm... talked...

Hello Rosemary,

Good to see you here! I'm glad we ironed out our imaginary dispute.

Taoist texts were channelled by female mediums,

There have also been many female mediums behind the seats of great power, not to mention several presidents, hah!

Pull the strings Ladies,

Its all yours.

Corona.

I find being a female and a mentalist an advantage; age does not matter; accessing intuition is a buzz phrase in corporate circles -- (sort of zen and the art of finding the business edge.) They tend to believe and allow eccentricities in perception demonstrated by a woman; I often have to emphasize that it is just a performance: business people will often ask for a private reading to help their business ...I always laugh and refer them to motivational books...

In a university setting, it is amazing what can happen in a thirty minute session where people agree to suspend disbelief. Now I understand why science fiction so often predates science.

My wife is a tarot reader. We have done private 'psychic parties' together.

On a mild tangent, I performed at a hotel lounge in 1976 alongside hypnotist Ginger Corte.

I am actually a female mentalist myself.

But I am also a hypnotist (nothing erotic....just not my thing.)

However I've done card effects and sleight of hand for about five years. I have a long title, but normally just stick with the mentalist/hypnotist LOL.

Great to meet fellow mentalists out there!

Kindest Regards,

KA

It's a curious thing, but before I got into the field myself, the first mentalist I ever encountered was female. She was table hopping at a wedding reception and getting great reactions. To me, by engaging emotion and belief much more, mentalism still seems like the more "feminine", intuitive side of magic.

What has happened to Anabelle, BTW? Her avatar is gone, her profile no longer has a link to her website, and she hasn't posted in over 30 days?!? I hope she's okay.

I hope Anabelle is OK. She is a very strong and very nice person.

Peace,
Parson

I am pretty new to this forum. I)n another thread I already mentioned that I am into tarot/card readings and other divination methods for a pretty long time and lately I rediscovered the world of magic, especially the bizarre and mentalism.

In the past, I saw some magician women who did mentalism. Unfortunatly the level was low and she was bad at work. Their presentation was more magic than mentalistic ! In the other hand, I saw some psychic women (not magician, but only psychic) and this women was good. For the people, they did the "real stuff".

Dorothy Dietrich does mentalism, and is a partner in the show, "HAUNTED!" Mind Mysteries & THE Beyond.

She has done hypnosis, and all through her carreer in magic has done both handwriting analysis and palmistry for corporate events.

When she started out she was often written up as "Mistress of the Occult.

Dick