I have not really found that anyone really wants to look at it, but I have handed a duplicate lemon out for examination in some shows. Switch it out under cover of grabbing a napkin, but no real need.

When working with a local comedy club company, all the comedians had to greet the audience after the show and shake hands. I have received more comments about the lemon routine than anything else. I have seen others gather around the guy and want to examine the bill, smell the bill, feel the bill and those are the ones that don't leave it as a tip.

Not a lot of juice dripping....it is all in the prep of the lemon.

For what it is worth, you can use other fruits with this gimmick. Oranges, apples, bananas, etc. I do have to say that you can use an orange without juicing it before hand.....they don't drip any juice at all.

Thanks for this detailed information Michael.

Oliver.

This version actually belongs to Steve Spill, popularized by Eason. If you can get your hands on the "10 Years of Steve Spill" DVD you can see Steve perform it. He does the routine and the dirty work better than anyone else.

BTW that DVD is hilarious, all performance but worth it

Vitamin C booklet, impromptu lemon can be randomly picked and kept by audience, but you cut the lemon yourself.

jeff

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the routine in Mark Wilsons "Cyclopedia of Magic". Excellent routine.
Chris

Carl Cloutier "Bill in Kiwi"
Dough Malloy "Lemon Game"
Scott Alexander "The Final Answer"
Cody Fisher "Bet your Bucks"
Fielding West
BTIL
Mark Wilsons "Cyclopedia of Magic"
John Carney
Michael Ammar "Easy to Master Money Miracles"
Bill Malone "On the Loose"
Manuel Muerte
Barrie Richardson "Theater of the Mind"
Rudy Hunter "Hunters Vitamin C"
Richard Sander "Close-Up Assassin"
Bill Malone "Counterfeit Money"
Doc Eason "Bill in the Lemon" (Steve Pill version)
Fielding West "Bill to Orange"
J. J. Sanvert "Card in the Lemon"
Ted Lesley "Bill in Lemon"
The last five in "The World's Greatest Magic - Bill In Lemon" DVD

All those version only by checking the two posts of the magic Café!!!! Means there must be some more versions. It's a brain twister to be able to choose one!!! Considering most of them claim or are claimed to be near the ultimate miracle. What is also disturbing is that they range from 9 dollars (Rudy Hunter) to 250 pounds (Scott Alexander)!!!

Here are some points / questions : (I am using Carl's Cloutier so it will be my point of comparison but I am not trying to revael too much so please tell me if I have gone too far)
- Cloutier's version uses a switch, need to be done wearing a jacket, needs some preparation
- Muerte's version seems to be done without a jacket (axelchen said almost naked)
- the add for Hunter's says : is impromptu, no gaff, no switch of bills, no preparation, no torn corner (only for 9 dollars!!!!)
- Alexander's version add said that it uses a gaff but also that it allows you to put the bill in the fruit in a second in front of the spectator.
- "The World's Greatest Magic - Bill In Lemon" teaches you 5 ways.

Even with the two posts in the Café I still am puzzled. Should I stick to Cloutier?? Should I learn Muerte's so I can perform without a jacket?? Should I learn Hunter's so I can perform with no preparation and impromptu?? Should I spend many money and get Alexander's, but it doesn't seem that much better than other's??

I hope your advices and comment will help on the subject although I fear I will hear off more and more versions each one having its advantages or being the best (I know what is the best for omeone is not for others). We should really do an Exel Table to be able to compare the pros and cons (with / without prep...) but I guess that would be revealing too much. (Sorry for posting something that long).

Thanks for your list lozax.
I like aswell you idea to establish an excel table with the cons and pros. What would be the criterias to take into consideration ?

- with / without preparation
- with / without special gimmick
- need / no need of special clothing (e.g. jacket)
- with / without presentation pattern
- difficulty in presenting the effect (* = easy, ** = advanced, *** = expert)

What else do you think of ?

Thanks again.

Oliver.

Once again the list is not quite mine, I just compiled the names in the two post concerning the subject (although I do have cloutier and Amar versions).
I think the excel table would be a nice idea indeed but I doubt we could make it without revealing too much. If we knew what others think of it, then maybe we could start one.
Also I think the WGM DVD is a good one cause the price is quite reasonnable and you get five ways of doing the trick.

I would add :
- price
- angles
- no switch / switch (then of the fruit or of the bill)
- spectator cutting the fruit / magician cutting the fruit
- spectator taking the bill / magician taking the bill
- fruit can be examine / fruit cannot be examine

Maybe this should be discuted in the "Secret Sessions" because this concerns technique what do you think?? But then I cannot help cause I don't have access to these forums yet.

You're right lozax,

But you could give me your input via a pm (private message) on the Café...

Oliver.

There is one more not mentioned in Lozax list.
Sam Berland bill to lemon, recently came back on the market.
TrickyRicky

Ok I'll send you an MP by the end of this weekend, but then could you send me by mail or MP the final Exel Table??

I'll try to do my best lozax !

Oliver.

Although it may not meet all of your criteria, for pure impact and entertainment value Lance Pierce's "World Famous Bowl Routine" booklet with its Bill in Lemon climax is a marvel -- what's more, Pierce's insights into human psychology and effective magical routining is exceptional.
Paul

I knew there were more versions. I'll re-edit my list after a few more.

There is other versions in : (damn this list is neverending!!)
- Professional Touch Volume 6 by Billy McComb,
- Bill to Cig from Osterlinds "Mind Mysteries" DVD set,
- Tim Ellis "Bill to..." method on Ellis In Wonderland
- Bob Fitch has in his Topit Workshop dvd set
- Sam Berland’s bill to lemon
- Ray Gismer's “Limey”. It is three signed bills to a lemon/lime that has been wrapped in plastic.
- Chance Wolf, Bill in Ice
- Berland's Bill in Lemon
- Mark Wilson

Considering our Exel Table we could do :
- signed / serial number / torned corner

I just read the text about bet your bucks by Cody Fisher,it seems to meet your requirement, you should read it :
http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/inc......tem=7858

Regarding the coastly methods, this threads are usefull :
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=109
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=109

Update list in alphabetical order: (damn this list is neverending!!)

Alexander "The Final Answer"
Ammar "Easy to Master Money Miracles"
Berland "Bill to Lemon"
Bill In Lemon Knife gimmick from HP
BTIL
Carney (John)
Cloutier "Bill in Kiwi"
Eason "Bill in the Lemon" (Steve Pill version)
Ellis "Bill to..." from "Ellis In Wonderland"
Fisher "Bet your Bucks"
Fitch from "Topit Workshop" dvd set
Gismer “Limey”, it is three signed bills to a lemon wrapped in plastic
Haydn "Teleportation device"
Hunter "Vitamin C"
Lesley "Bill in Lemon"
Malloy "Lemon Game"
Malone "On the Loose"
Malone "Counterfeit Money"
Mc Comb "Professional Touch Volume 6"
Muerte (Manuel)
Osterlind "Bill to Cig" from "Mind Mysteries" DVD set
Pierce "World Famous Bowl Routine" booklet
Potassy "Bill in Potatoe"
Richardson "Theater of the Mind"
Sander "Close-Up Assassin"
Sanvert "Card in the Lemon"
West "Bill to Orange"
Wilson "Cyclopedia of Magic"
Wolf "Bill in Ice"

We could also add :
- works with any / specific currency (in the thread Final Answer vs Bet Your Bucks someone says that FA doesn't work with English currency but some say it does)

PS : sorry I'm a bit out of the lemon (kiwi, orange, potatoe, ice, cigar...)

Considering Olivier's first question most seem to agree that the top three are :

- Alexander "The Final Answer"
- Fisher "Bet your Bucks"
- Malloy "Lemon Game"

In one of the thread I give the link to in my previous post you can check the pros and cons of each of these three.

Any info on the HP "Bill In Lemon Knife"?? Could it be in the top 3 (guess not but who knows??)???

PS : Sorry about the many posts in a row but the editing time is limited to 30 mins.

I'm a big fan of Yigal Mesika's Signed Bill In Lemon - I've been using this for 5 years.

PLAYS BIG - PACKS SMALL - Easy set-up (NO serial number shenanigans, they get their own signed bill back). You can do the setup in about a minute offstage. Only one lemon is used. (Hey, lemons cost a buck a pop these days).

Borrow ANY bill from a spectator. Ask her to sign the bill. Place the signed bill in an envelope and seal it.

Explain that you have a gift for the spectator. From your jacket pocket, pull out a closed drawstring bag and hand it to the spectator .

Light a match and set fire to the envelope. The envelope and bill burn to ashes.

Take the bag back from the spectator. Open the bag.

Inside is a lemon. Cut open the lemon. Inside is a rolled up bill . The spectator removes the bill from the lemon, unrolls it and discovers that it is her signed bill

It is the fastest and cleanest load of the signed bill into the lemon I've ever
seen.

And the lemon is inside a totally closed velvet drawstring bag! The bag can be fully examined. There are no bill switches - No special knives, etc.

You can do it with other fruits and with ANY CURRENCY.


:magicrabbit:

Seems quite nice. One more to the list.