Recently I was asked to do a trick for some nurses at the hospital where I work. I used to work with the nurse who requested the trick at another hospital. I did magic there all the time. She had purchased a deck of cards from some opryland hotel and presented them to me with the request, do a trick. They were still in their cellophane. I opened them, shuffled, had her shuffle and then did a self-working three card trick. The nurses were amazed and then one commented: "that's a trick deck". I pointed out to her that the other nurse bought them and they were still in their packaging. Then she said: "They are all Queens and sixes and jokers".

It seems hard to get away from this spectator mindset. Perhaps only if you use their cards.


Peculiarone.

Suggest saying "Really?" and hand her the deck.

Shouldve stole those three cards and THEN handed her the deck and exclaimed, "youre right except for the fact these decks don't come with those 3 cards! That's why its a trick deck!"

"Yes, this is a trick deck. So I can do anything with this. Watch, now this changed into a normal deck. Please examine it".

Hideo Kato

These people do not enjoy magic at all (yes, there are people like that), it doesn't matter what you do or say. However, I like Kato-san's reply.

I suppose that for some people this is the only solution as they cannot conceive of any other way it would be possible to achieve a given effect. I would have left the deck as I dislike those type of advertising decks, no border--picture of the "whatever" on the back, but the nurse insisted I take them as she bought them for me. My sister-in-law is fond of buying me novelty decks which I have no use for.

By the way, Hideo, I really like your response.

PeCuLiArEoNe

Get enough of those novelty decks you can make a rainbow deck out of them.

Or just use a few cards with diff. backs and do the Back Flip trick. (One of my very early favorite packet tricks).

Have fun,
John

When a person tells me I am using a trick deck I normally just tell them that would be a wonderful thing to have and I then ask them where I can buy one. Usually I get a laugh out of it and then I normally thank the person who said it was a trick deck and ask everyone to give them a hand. That has worked most of the time and I rarely find people get upset with that.

"They are all Queens and sixes and jokers".

Response...

"... So are nurses, whats your point ??"

I get accused of using a trick deck, only when I'm not using one. LOL

I wonder why you posted this as if it was a bad thing. You just did a trick with a normal deck and someone suggests it is a trick deck. That's a great situation to be in.

Just hand them the deck.

By the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the spectator suggesting the deck is a special one. How do they know you didn't set things up with the person who supposedly loaned you the deck?

Whenever someone suggests a method that I can immediately disprove I get a laugh by responding "That's the way I used to do it" as I show that they are wrong.

These days, at the end of the show, I give away the deck. Why not?

In the rare case someone makes a big deal about the deck, I do just this. Give them the deck. Im out $2.00 but just insured everyone watching is now super impressed

It would appear that the more far-fetched their reasoning is, the more we need to say less about it. When someone gives me an outrageously impossible solution, such as the one you've mentioned here, I think to myself, "That person ain't got no sense at all." I smile, nod, and move right along. No sense trying to make sense with them, any effort to do so is wasted energy, and wouldn't have anything to do with the show anyway.

People can always attempt at guessing method and probably always will. If something doesn't make sense in the world people try to explain it. Its natural.

I tell them the story of Lennart Green not handing out the deck after his first FISM performance...

Them: "that's a trick deck!"
Me: "You know what, its funny you say that. Once at the WORLD championships of magic, this amazing guy named Lennart Green and he was so amazing that even the judges said he was using a trick deck and he didn't win anything..." Then hand them the deck.

This puts them in a interesting position where they don't know if you are making up a story (which you aren't) and if you are saying that you are using a trick deck or not. Then when they look at the deck they still don't know if they are looking for a fake deck or inspecting if the deck is real.

Another option is to say "Yes, its a fake deck. Have a look". Then give it to them. They will go crazy trying to work out what the fake is. Then they are so off guard you can do anything to them supposedly showing the fake deck to them.

Perhaps you could offer the deck as a gift to the spectator who thinks it's a trick deck after the performance.

I love doing card work with a spectator's deck. This usually blows them away. I will sometimes allude to the fact that it is a 'marked deck'. I then do a face up fan and say; "You see... this one is marked with the queen of hearts, this one is the three of diamonds, this one is the two of clubs, etc. If they weren't marked, I couldn't tell one from the other". After the laughts I then proceed to do some card work.

Patrick Differ wrote:



What outrageously impossible solution are you refering to? That a magician would use a trick deck, that he might use a stooge? Is it outrageously impossible to imagine he could shrink wrap a deck or just pretend to remove it from celophane?

This guy was dealing with a perfectly reasonable spectator. Being skeptical is to be encouraged.

"You could be right. A trick deck like this would cost at least 10,000yen (125US), but I can sell it to you for just 5000yen."

No one has taken up my offer yet ):

I'd guess your response would depend on whether or not you are, in fact, using a trick deck. If you aren't, just hand it over. If you are, you'll have to either obfuscate, do a deck switch, or both.