Does anyone know the history of the Banana Bandanna Comedy Routine. That is what I call it, at least. The effect, as I have seen it, is a comedy magician comes out with an audio instructional CD that he plays. The CD instructs him to remove a bandanna from his pocket. He removes a banana, and the fun begins. He folds it in half, and in half again, it's a real side splitter. At the end of the routine, when you think he has blown the entire gig, the item magically disappears, and he regains his respect. I know this has been around a while. Does anyone know where it came from?

Oh, you're opening a can of worms that you're gonna wish you hadn't with this question...

Now, we'll have to get into whether or not Copperfield had the rights from the originator. And...Tom Ogden will hopefully chime in during this soon-to-be-heated discussion, too.

I'm just gonna sit back and watch...I mean READ.

Steve

Okay... Now I'm very interested. I recently did a version of this routine, and was told that it dated went back to vaudeville days. I decided that I should know where it comes from, if I am going to continue to do the routine. I don't know anything about the Copperfield controversy. Someone fill me in, or point me to an earlier post...

Tony,

Do a Café Quicksearch for "Banana Bandanna".

Andy

I think that it takes a lot of comedic talent to put this across. I've seen it performed three times by three different magicians to three different lay audiences, and it got nothing more than a polite chuckle. I feel that perhaps because the routine is taped, it doesn't get the respect it deserves by some who perform it.

This is an old Vaudeville or clown routine. It is definitely in the common domain realm.

Richard

The earliest reference I have to it is from Tom Yarboro's performance of it at a PCAM convention in the 1960's. This antedates Tom Ogden's performance. Yarboro was credited on the Great Wall of China episode of the Copperfield Saga.

I have a book of clown routines, titled, 'Just For Laughs', and written by Richard 'Snowflake' Snowberg.

It was published in 1985 and he describes the routine as a two-hander, with the straight man presenting the trick to the audience and the clown behind him, copying the moves. It is the guy at the back who handles the banana.

Of course the prop is easier to sell to performers as a solo item, along with the audio tape, but in my view, the two-handed presentation is likely to play better.

It is an American publication (Visual Magic), but I got it here in the U.K. from Magic Books by Post.

There is a lot of other good stuff in the book and I recommend it to anyone looking for quality 'clown' material.

The Tom Yarborough performance at PCAM was during the 1960's. So this predates the reference above.

My observation about 'Snowflake' Snowberg's book wasn't to suggest his publication was an early manifestation of the effect. In the book, he himself, says he first saw it performed by someone else, as a two-hander. He makes no reference at all to the modern solo handling currently under discussion.

I was just adding a different take on the routine because I thought it might be of interest. I have no supporting evidence but instinctively feel that the two-handed presentation probably predates the solo/C.D. version.

BTW I have very much enjoyed reading your 'Paddle' book, Bill. I have been performing paddle tricks of one kind or another for many years and it is nice to know that such a simple principle has the interesting history that it has.

Thanks for taking the trouble to write it.

You are welcome.

Too bad Magic Books by Post closed down. They were good customers of mine!!

Magic Books By Post are alive and well! Donald and Betty Wallace have retired, but the business continues!

Steve Short & Paul Cooke have bought the entire stock and have transferred it to 103, Fleetgate, Barton-on-Humber, North Lincolnshire.

You can find out all about them by logging on to the website:

http://www.magicbooksbypost.co.uk/

Tony,

If you haven't purchased it yet, but thinking about it, check out this thread on the Little Darlings:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......7&61

This new version will be out about October 15th and looks promising.

Andy

I'm glad to learn that. Thanks very much!

This has been called, "one of the top three summer camp stunts of all time" by the editors of the Klutz Press. It's a skit really and to my mind much funnier than the magic routine.

The scene opens with two kids on the phone trying to do their homework. The assignment is an arts and crafts project; to fold a bandana in a special way to make a hat. The only problem is the first kid played hooky and is confused about the whole thing and when the second kid says, "bandana" he thinks he said "banana." He starts giving instructions: "First fold it in half, then halves again. One more time. Then open it back up, smooth it all down, bring in the edges and re-fold it at the crease."

Naturally the first kid is totally grossed out but "homework is homework" so he keeps plugging away. Until the final instruction: "Now put it on your head." With a sigh, he picks up the mess and puts it on his head!

The question is how early this skit came into being. Does it predate Tom Yarborough's performance? It only takes a couple of years from a semi-public performance of a bit before it gets taken into the area of summer camps.

For example -- Tom Yarborough performs it at PCAM. Tom Ogden learns the routine and does it at Abbott's and a number of magic camps.

Copperfield performs it, crediting Tom Yarborough. Summer camps feel no need to credit anything. So it goes into their version of the public domain.