Lately I'm seeing more and more performers using the Paper Balls over the Head trick. This piece is a great bit of comedy magic, but I'm wondering if it might have become overused. A lot of videos of comedy magicians seem to include this trick as well.

The problem is that if the volunteer that's helping you has seen the trick done (I see it performed every year here at our annual street magician festival), wouldn't that ruin the trick right from the start? Almost any other trick you get a volunteer for, it doesn't matter that they may have seen it since they're about to have some fun with you adding your own personality and humor into it. But for PBOTH, the whole trick relies on the volunteer not knowing what's happening?

So, do you think this one has been performed too much?

Brian

Honestly, I haven't seen it in decades. Granted, Charlotte, NC is not a hot spot for magic acts. The most memorable time I saw it was when I was a kid, on the Ed Sullivan show, I think.

Novel Solution: Ask your assisting volunteer if they've ever seen you before.

If that's not enough security for you simply ask for the help of someone who has never seen magic in person before.

You should be covered.