I had this idea running around in my head for a while, and wanted to run it by others to get their opinion.

Here is the effect.

You ask for a volunteer. After finding a suitable volunteer you show a sealed envelope that has a card in it, and state that you put this card in the envelope before the show.

You let the spectator examine the envelope to make sure that it is really sealed, and appears to have a card in it (this is optional).

Tell the spectator that you need their assistance in picking a card or two.

Fan a deck towards them, and ask them to pick a card. As soon as they pick the card, ask them to pick another. If they hesitate act impatient (playfully/overtly) and tell them to go a little faster. As soon as they pick the second card ask them to pick a third.... etc. Act more and more impatient, and soon just start shoving cards at them yelling "faster faster". The sloppier the better. Do this until you are left with only one card.

You reveal the card in the envelope, and they match!

After harassing the spectator, you may want to give them the deck or at least sincerely thank them for playing along.

I know it is not good to be abusive to your volunteers, but I think done with the right attitude people would see the humor in it.

I know the details need some work, but any feedback would be appreciated. Also the magic is not that strong, but it could segue(sp?) nicely into another trick.

grieve

This sounds like fun to me if done just right, as you say. It could be amazing too if the volunteer really seems to have a lot of choice. I think Penn and Teller use this kind of comedy all the time.
I'd love to see it done.
--alan

"And, finally, the card no one wanted. the one chosen for the team. Shunned, abandoned, hated. FINE, FINE, kick this card while it's down. None of YOU wanted it, FINE, YOU MAKE ME SICK.
But let me show you something (open envelope, show card)
No one wanted it for the last show either.
What the heck is the deal with the (E.G.) three of spades (what ever the card is)

Magus that is a hilarious.

Your phrase "None of YOU wanted it..." implies that you could have 51 volunteers, or more practically walk among the crowd letting everyone pick a card. Thanks for the great feedback.

grieve

I have to say that with Magus'presentation, this could be great.
If indeed it was the card from the last show, maybe it would make more sense to have it in a battered old card box?
You could still give the box to the spectator at the beginning of the effect, it might just add a little something to the presentation.

As (I think) you implied, it might be a nice idea to turn to a second audience member and say something like: "Help him out would you? Take a card. In fact, take a handful..."

some thoughts
Step
:carrot:

Thanks-
by the way the second line should read "the LAST one chosen for the team"
Some times when I get typing fast I fkkdl thjjd zzooprd

In my Showtime column in the Linking Ring magazine of June, 1992, I had a routine in which a spectator selects a card from one deck and, from another deck, the magus begins to remove the jokers.
There are, in fact, 51 jokers in the second deck and something special (think about it).
The magus babbles on about having to remove the jokers or the "magic won't work", all the while tossing jokers out of the deck, all over the table and floor.
It goes over very well with audiences.
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

Peter,
Thanks for the tip. I like that trick as well. It sounds as if you could combine them, and it would really kill some time.

Have the spectators pick 51 cards, then with the one left over card, "get rid of" the jokers and show them that something special.

I wonder if that would go over well or be overkill (the word not the trick).

Thanks,
grieve

Peter's presentation idea with the jokers sounds really funny. The only worry I would have is with your idea Grieve is the lenght of time it would take your audience to actually choose 51 cards...perhaps you could use only 30 or 40 cards so that your audience won't start to lose interest...unless you are able to move through it very quickly. It sounds like a wonderful plot though, and Magus's lines are right on target, very good!

Peace

Warren gets my vote for the most imaginative screen name, unless that is your real name then "Never Mind."

Jeff

First, audience members are not limited to choosing one card, that's just the way it's always been done before
Second, yeah "Warren Peace" gave me a good chuckle too. I also have a friend whose professional name is Sam Haine, it still makes me smile.
I considered, as a name for a charecter in a story, Sal Manilla.
But let us not forget "Oliver Clothesoff"

And this famous novel (as heard in the movie "The Game"): _Under the Bleechers_ by
Seymour Butts...

sorry

alleycat

Or the great operatic diva, Barbara Seville.
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

I know someone called Annette Curtain. And another well known one is Emma Leven. I think the last one will be for the Brits only.

Norman Saxon?

"Cardiac Arrest" by Chester Payne

The idea was that you are actually shoving cards at them, at least towards the end. You are not slowly walking around asking them to pick cards. You would be maniacly running around throwing cards everywhere. This is of course if you are letting the whole audience pick. With one person you just start shoving cards at them.

Just as an extra twist you could even throw the last ~25 in the air and pull one out of the air and use that as "the card". I think I have seen this somewhere though?

I would imagine that there are many variations of this. Thanks for your feedback, and as others have stated that is a great name.

Sincerely,
Bill Fold

I actually came up with one really convoluted method for performing this before I figured out how to do it simply and cleanly...

I'll try it out at the next local Magic club meeting and report back how it went.

You know, this would make an excellent presentation for a McCombical prediction deck effect. Ie. After you are finally down to one card, leave it face down and open the prediction envelope. Remove, say, the four of clubs. Look upset and turn the selection face up (it is the King of Hearts, for example) Say, "I don't understand how this is possible." Turn over the other 51 cards and they are all four of clubs.

Now just work out a backwards force- ie. a way to make them pick every card BUT the odd one.

I think there may be some possibilities here.

Best Regards-

Bob Cassidy

Philomen-

I thought they threw us out of the local magic club. How did you get back in?

Bob