Really I am amazed at that!!!! Phillip I normally am in line with much of what you post, but I really am suprised that he did not enjoy his time on stage. When I have done this like Kuffs I hint at hypnosis rather than a straight comedy/magic routine. Why did he not like being part of the show, I would really like to know his reasons....

I am curious also...

Read you soon...

Kuffs

Hi,
Here in the UK people do not like to be made to look a fool in public. You have to go out of your way to avoid it. Strangely or perhaps not? But the decline in popularity of Paul Daniels came at the same time as the decline in popularity of insult comedy. It used to be really popular here, you know the kind of thing "who cut your hair the council" "do they pay you to wear that shirt". Anyway the chip shop guy just felt that PD got him up there and took the p*ss. He felt he had to play along and have people laugh at him agianst his will.
Phillip

A few years ago at a California convention one of the performers presented an electric chair routine. The spectator chosen to sit in the chair was extremely uncomfortable and clearly stressed by the electric shocks. The magician continued with the routine, but the damage was done. He alienated at least half the audience. I suppose the other half laughs when a man on crutches stumbles and falls. This kind of "entertainment" deserves to die a quick death, unmourned, IMHO.

Dale

I was at that convention. The young man actually had WELTS on his posterior, and was in a great deal of pain. The performer had already alienated much of the audience, but after the way he treated this youth, a great deal MORE than half the audience absolutely HATED him! Many of the people in the audience were laymen, and virtually ALL of them hated him. And I know the kid with the sore backside did!

Magicians are always complaining about what a hard time they have getting cooperative spectators, and about the stigma (Oh, watch your wallets! Uh-oh! Look out for a joy buzzer!) magicians as a whole have with the general public. That image is largely due to magicians who are jerks to their audience assistants. The very idea that a real shock chair is even manufactured and marketed makes me ill! It only takes a very few to spoil it for all of us.

Scott and dloyt, I think we are tlaking about two different effects, the first one mentioned uses no gimmicked chairs and does not actually harm the spectator. I put that link there to show what I thought the wrong way to do this effect was.

In the original routine in the 'Zapped' manuscript it goes in to great detail about making sure the spec is having a good time and making sure the audience thinks that the helper is also having a good time.

Maybe me and Kuffs are the only ones doing this routine the right way????

I stand by my opinion that done right this is a great effect.

I saw Daniels in Glasgow about 3 years ago and was picked out of the audience for the electric chairs. His audience and volunteer management is excellent although presentationally he's maybe not quite with it these days...he can still entertain though.

I agree that the Horowitz version is excellent.

Regards,

David.

Any stooge involved with this routine needs a full explanation before hand with regards to what is expected of him or her. I have a long chat outlining my presentation and the roles that will be expected. The stooge then stops being a stooge and becomes an assistant to the routine. For this reason I don't use instant stooges, it puts the helper on the spot and pushes them into a role they may be hesitant about undertaking.

As for the ethics of using a stooge - the good management of a helper is far more of a skill than any sleight or mechanic.

Finding the secret of this effect and being dissapointed and disheartened ignores the full potential of the routine and how much of an entertaining effect it can be.

well say mslj...

Humbly

Kuffs

The effect sounds great. Does anyone have a link to purchase the manuscript. Using a stooge in a closeup environment I would think would be difficult at best. What most of the posters seem to forget is that it is not the method or what you may personally think of the method that matters. It is the entertainment value of a routine that counts. If the audience enjoys the routine and the volunteer is not upset then you should be happy with the outcome. If one were to witness an effect such as this presented on stage I don't understand why you would expect it to translate readily to a close up show.

Guys,

I have the book in my possession and I have used this routine several times. The person helping me is in on the gag and after he is done and walks away, he usually comes back and says, that was fun. they thought it actually shocked me.

I had a young man help me and this guy was about 14. he did not talk to anyone and his mom said he was shy. he did the routine and the people came up to him after the show and hounded him to ask if he was ok. he got the idea that he was in on the gag and never revealed the gag. he loved the attention and is a different person after doing this trick.

I personally love the routine and never have had a person get upset with the routine. it is how you play it.

larry moore

BTW, the Book "Zapped" was written by Ricki Dunn. I saw him do it live several times and it was great. But Ricki was a very brash performer as a pickpocket and the routine fit him perfectly. It takes a very strong "in-charge" (no pun intended) performer to do it. Definitely not for everybody.

http://www.dennymagic.com/cgi-bin/hazel.......m=004170

You can buy Zapped above.

K

Can't wait for the waterboarding version.