I used to do a lot of programs for substance abuse treatment..including in a maximum security prison...one I liked was related to Photios


God Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change..

In a magician gone seemingly wrong(magician in trouble) I still use it..sometimes changing the last line..
The courage to...

(anyone like to feel in the next few words with a funny ending...?

Go back in time and stop gravity ?

My favorite reponse when a trick goes wrong is this: "That could have been worse. My pants could have fallen down." I read it in a book on magic and I can't remember the author unfortuneately. I had a stacked deck routine go wrong one time and I just restacked it while looking through the deck. I thought for sure I was going to get busted but apparently no one noticed much and said it was a great effect.
James

I once performed at a Renaissance Fayre where the stage was a bit creaky. I took a step onto a loose board, and went DOWN. I fell onto my back, and it knocked the wind out of me. Simultaneously, I heard the wind go out of my audience. Somehow, I quickly sat up and shouted, "LIVE FROM NEW YORK...IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!"

That flew right over the heads of the kids, but the parents got the Chevy Chase gag.

Love it! Thanks James.

After 1000's of shows, I can say that mistakes happen all the time. 99% of the time, if you don't say anything, then the audience won't notice. A few might catch on, but most will not.

If there is a huge, glaring mistake, then it is best to defuse it with a joke. One line I've used is, "I never liked that darn trick anyway." One time my head chopper totally malfunctioned and the entire audience clearly saw it. I just joked with the volunteer about their safety having her head in this piece of junk throughout the rest of the routine. The audience was in hysterics by the end of the routine because they were truly scared that it would not work (me too!).

Incidentally, I had a major potential client watching the show. I thought I blew it, but later when she booked she said that it was hilarious, and after being blown away with all the other magic, it was nice to know that there actually is a trick involved. Not that I want my audience leran magic grom my mistakes, but things happen. The way you handle it separates the amateurs from the pros.

That's hilarious!

Aldo Colombini put out some hysterical small books devoted to this subject including:

Life Saver Lines
First Aid Lines
(and many more)

I picked them up during his recent lecture at our ring and they're filled with gems for all occasions. Great deal for $10. You can find at http://www.wildcolombini.com/cart/index.php?cPath=3

jeff in san diego

Now this is what we call in the magic business "A Mistake". Good Thing this time nothing happened. Last time the entire front row of the audience turned into Frogs. Now, don't you feel lucky?

Richard S

Socalmagic, I once had a head chopper fall apart on stage. I had forgotten about that. I was performing in front of a large church group and had the pastor in it at the time. The whole "thing" fell out and onto the ground. I let the pastor out and said, "That's the last time I buy anything from magictricks.com."

It got a laugh but it was still embarrassing.

I'm mostly a juggler so we must confront our mistakes. They are so obvious. We have just enough jokes to get us through a really tough show before we run out. After one particularly rough show a guest asked me if the mistakes were on purpose, in order to tell all the jokes? I laughed and said I didn't even know.

Ted

There are 3 main causes of mistakes in my performance so I simply tell the audience the truth of which was to blame - either global warming, the Iraq war or rising fuel prices.

Destiny

"Oh !@#$." They always just love that. Even the adult shows.

bobser

C'mon...that's not what I wrote!!!!!

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

This past weekend I had mouth coils continue breaking (in two back to back shows) and it was difficult to get them started again from inside my mouth.....each time I ended up pulling the whole wad of coil from my mouth, extracting the balance of the multi-colored paper from the wad by hand while exclaiming: "That trick worked perfectly in rehearsal"....and then just moved on to the next segment of the effect. It got a laugh and since it was a small part of the overall effect, I don't think anyone thought much of it......

I sometimes use: "You folks deserve better than that" while tossing the props in my case and moving on to the next trick.

I've only had that happen once or twice in the years I've performed Mouth Coils. I've been tempted to keep a Super Mouth Coil in easy reach on my table to blow that trick away when it went wrong. But, I've mentally argued that a problem that occurs once a decade does not exactly rationalize bringing out the same prop for every show...it would probably fail due to abuse.

How about "...still ask for the check after the show is over?"

I also use a line in close up work when I drop something "You'd never know I do sleight of hand. If I don't practice it I can't do it."

Stoneunhinged, I don't see how saying "Hey that sucked" is different from the original line. I know a top performer here who says "I can explain that...I'm not very good."

Houdini wrote "Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, mistakes will happen, and that is one of them."

"That was part of the act." (the audience starts to laugh know I'm joking) "See, it made all of you laugh. That's what it was all about."

I also always liked to cover up the mic with my hand and say into it (while looking towards back stage).. "Ok Start the truck!". It always got a laugh.

Kyle

that's great I'm going to use that.