I like cards as much as the next guy, but all things in moderation. If I had to sit through an entire show of nothing but cards I'd go nuts.

There are those, on the other hand, who could easily sit through an entire evening show of nothing but cards and beg for more after 3 encores. More power to ya. Heck, I could do the same with cups and balls. The problem arises when either I, or the card guy, become presumptuous to the point of telling others they are somehow deficient if they disagree.

When that happens, others have every right to be rude as presumption it rude in itself.

Hey, Steve, pass the popcorn

The original question of this thread was for those women who use cards, and if they just go with the basic bicycle brand or like the myriad of deck variations out there. A post about hating cards was placed in the beginning and the discussion got off track.

Regarding the use of cards, I feel there is some one-dimensional thinking and this is a shame because there is no reason why cards should be avoided when they are used in games every day, they are used in fortune telling, and they are used successfully by magicians and mentalists all across the world to the entertaining benefit of their audiences. Don't blame the cards, blame the performer.

I could go into all the negatives of bad performance in general and so could all of you, but it has nothing to do with the use of cards.

Thank you for those who answered my original question. Here it is again. For those women who use cards, do you use regular bicycle brand or do you like the different themes and designs being manufactured today? If so which ones?

Randi,
Yer pure class in my book!

Cheers to ya!

Mick

By searching for the term "New Bicycle cards" I found this thread instead of the one actually called "New Bicycle cards".

I think it is perfectly normal that people like different things. Myself I lack the chromosome required to sit through ten seconds of "XCM".

But wouldn't it perhaps be more constructive to try and discover why women often don't appreciate typical card tricks? We already knew they were hostile to men with bad hair pieces, but there must be other reasons that could possibly be fixed.

I haven't done many card tricks for women (and who would dare to after reading this thread? ) But I know at least that a lot of women LOVE playing both Patience and other card games. At least the women I know (admittedly few as I too am a geek). So they aren't all completely allergic to cards in themselves. My mother always has a deck within reach.

And when I was in Chile there were Tarot readers on many a street corner. Nearly all their customers are women. So there is hope I think, for some sort of positive outcome for both performer and girl spectator. With the right performance. And hair.

I totally agree with Randy, in my experience women in general are not too enthusiastic about card or coins. In our act we left only one effect involving cards. When the magician begins a typical pick-a-card plot, the juggler starts to heckle and finally takes over with “that’s boring, ... pick an orange instead” and off it gos from there. It’s basically Card in Orange from Tarbell. I feel that the ladies enjoy that act, because bashing the card magician is something they wanted to do deep down in their soul, anyway. It seems so cleansing, that the even can pity the card man when the card is torn.

Nevertheless, I personally like cards and love coins. Therefore, I’m still pondering about doing card and coin effects with non-card or coin stuff. Cookies, buttons, flowers instead of coins or producing cards to alter a painting, or a bill-board …

Randi, maybe you have some ideas how to use cards and coin technique in a more interesting way for women. Maybe by altering the plot and setting or by using some card/coin-like alternatives. I would appreciated your thoughts (You could make it a less card based world out there).

Rani and everyone else, I do a lot of card tricks, girls love 'em guys love 'em. if you tell me most people think they are boring, your wrong.

Thanks.

They may be wrong from the perspective of the crowds you work, but using your audience to negate their own observations from their own experience is fallacious at best.
By the way, before categorically saying that somebody is wrong, at least make an effort to spell their name right. Makes you come off as even more pompous.

Regarding the use of cards, I feel there is some one-dimensional thinking and this is a shame because there is no reason why cards should be avoided when they are used in games every day, they are used in fortune telling, and they are used successfully by magicians and mentalists all across the world to the entertaining benefit of their audiences. Don't blame the cards, blame the performer.

I could go into all the negatives of bad performance in general and so could all of you. If your audience is less than enthusiastic about your card magic, it's probably because of your approach to the effect and your presentation, it rarely has anything to do with cards themselves.

Here's an example of a card trick that is presented as something else during the first part of this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2YoBY6ruYs I don't see how anyone can find this uninteresting.

My feeling is that cards are not always a good prop for some women.some female magicians do card tricks I don't find suitable for a woman. I think women should create thier own kind of card magic. all the books, dvd's etc. are written bij men. most tricks are more for man the for women.

the card stab is a great trick for a man. the knife the table. for a woman it to is to manly.

I once saw a female performer (forgot her name sorry) who spread the card on the table. next a man had to give her a hand to help her to get on the table. with her stilleto heels she punctured a card.

for me this is card magic the female style and I like that. women are women so why can't there be a women style of card magic.

JRob, Randy said 'card tricks are boring', she's the one that made the big statement, ok?

David I agree.

Robert, I agree, but it's the same as everyone, card stab may fit somones performance style, but it might not fit mine or a females. I agree, you should perform what your style is.

For her they are boring, you disagree. So far there is nothing wrong here, just a difference of opinion. That is not a "right" or "wrong" proposition. Except in your mind. I don't see what your problem is. I've sat in many an audience and heard, "Oh no, not cards" more times than I care to remember no matter how well executed the effects were. You might want to step out of that echo chamber once in a while. There ARE contrary valid opinions to yours.

I don't find card tricks boring, especially if you have at least 2-3 strong effects. My favorites are the Glide, do as I do and the one where the 2 black aces change to the 2 red aces in the spectators hands. Some call it the Ace Switch or Transposition. Whatever it's called, I get very good reactions.

I have a well-used, regular, boring bicycle deck in my purse, but I really like looking at the artwork people are coming up with in new card designs. I have a split aces deck and just bought a shadow masters deck (bicycle also) that I think is interesting; I like the jokers. Dan Sperry just came out with his Crimson Deck, so I'll probably get one of those because he designed them himself. I look at cards as pieces of art, so if I can get one from the person I know designed it, all the better.

For the record, I do like card effects, but I like it more for watching the dexterity of the person manipulating them. It's not so much about where the card ends up for me.

And lay off Randi for Pete's sake. Everything grinds after a while anyway. I love performing the rings, but if I had to watch an entire evening of people performing only those, I'd dig my own eye out with a grapefruit spoon.

I use bicycle cards for performing but I love to collect decks that catch my eye. I have the tragic royalty deck, various colours of bicycle decks, carnivale deck, Richard Turners deck ect. My favourites are the black/silver tallyho viper decks with red pips . I also like the look of the Jill deck, although I havent got it yet. I have Doug Higleys deck on order as well.

Personally, I like card tricks as long as they (the performer and the tricks) are interesting. A performer could easily entertain me for an hour with cards and I'd be happy with that. I think Id find it difficult to sit through an hour of linking rings or chop cup effects for example. Every person has their own preferences I guess

Not really into cards, myself. Like Robert Blake said, it's kind of a man's performance. It also doesn't help that slight of hand is harder for women because we have smaller hands, which is usually my problem when I want to do something with cards. Even basic bare hand presentations are hard because I can't fully conceal the cards before they are shown. Give me doves and parrots any day, but cards will never be my forte.

However, though I can't do much magic with cards, I can do some fun tricks with them, which I show off with now and then, and then I usually just use the Bicycle brand, or whatever is on hand.