Had to share a weird moment that happened at my restaurant gig this weekend. There is a couple that comes in almost every Saturday night. Older couple, early 60s, VERY friendly. They love magic and we've become good friends over the years. Last week was my first weekend back and it was rare they were absent. Saturday they were back, and had another couple with them. We caught up and chatted a bit. The other lady asked why I had a deck of cards in my hand and my friend explained that I am the entertainment every Saturday and that I go around and do magic for everyone at their table and I'm great fun. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Since they were between courses, I thought it would be a good time to show something. I did a quick 2 card transposition that revealed a thought of card and 3 people laughed, but the 2nd lady just stared like she was trying to figure me out. When this happens, I often will say something like..."She doesn't like me." For the first time EVER she says...."No...I don't." We all laughed because we thought she was kidding and maybe was joking that she didn't like that she couldn't figure out what happened. She raised her voice and said.."I don't like being harrassed and I think you're very rude." I did my best to apologize and my friends there explained that I was not harrassing anyone and I was an employee AND thier friend. I quickly left and ignored them the rest of the night. I received a thoughtful email from my friends apologizing and they said they tried to explain it to her the rest of the evening. She just couldn't get it out of her head that I was not someone off the street harrassing or hustling anyone...this is what I do for a living.

I don't like this story...lol!
I would just blow it off and perhaps drop that line from your future sets.

Most likely she also didn't like being laughed at.
Can you say, "awkward"?

Man, it takes all kinds of people to make the world go round, but some people just take the proverbial cake.

Pepka, Maybe, in her mind, you were intruding.
Whenever prospective clients want the show as soon as people start eating I explain "When people are hungry (even if they're between courses) eating is the only thing on their mind."

A follow-up is "Imagine you are a history teacher trying to teach a class while your students are eating lunch. Eating time is eating time and the entertainment should also have it's own time slot."

This is different then performing, after the order is placed and the food arrives. Immediately after a food order is placed the guests usually expect a delay. I also wouldn't try to perform for someone holding a fork or twirling a beverage glass. In her mind, she probably thought that her inquiry was enough of a social que that you would have known to leave.

It reminds me of the mother that buys two suits fir her son. One suit is brown and the other is black. She told him to try them on. He came back in the room wearing the black suit and she said "what's the matter, don't you like the brown suit?"

I've had some awkward moments when a group that really likes me brings a guest. I think the guest can feel like they are the butt of a joke that they don't get. Because the group is so comfortable with us we might skip some of the feeling out and setting up that we might ordinarily do. The group makes it worse by implying that the guest is about to be out next victim.

Most of the times when regular customers bring a guest and none of this comes into play. Just once in a while when you have some particular blend of personalities.

The more and longer we perform, the more wonderful stories we accumulate.

When someone says that they've "Heard it all", I say "No you haven't".

There is a never ending supply of interesting and wacky people.

I really feel that I did nothing wrong. She just couldn't grasp the concept of an entertainer at her table. Even though everyone else assured her I wasn't harassing anyone. I was very polite and apologized. There was no food on the table and I was a complete gentleman.

There are some people who just think that anyone who does any performing art outside of stage and ballet are just hustlers. Even worse there are thought who think we who perform magic and slight of hand are tools of the devil. I ran into the devil/satan thing more than a few times down in the coal fields of WV Just don't take it personal.

Oh, wow.

I had a something like that happen to me when I approached a group of ladies outside of a club, I just wanted to road test a few effects that night.

I approached the group with cards in hand and I simply introduced myself, smiled, and asked if they would like to see some magic and the first thing out of a girl's mouth was ,"Umm, I don't like you".

I was also performing at a benefit for the hospital I work at, Providence St. Peter, I know nobody from the other parts of the hospital as it is huge. I do the, "she doesn't like me" as a joke to a fellow lady who didn't look like she was having fun at all and I also get the, "I really don't". Maybe it's just a horrible line but the way I present it is well mannered.


Well that was awkward.

I use to say a line quite similar to the "he/she doesn't like me". I realized a peculiar silence most times after I would say the line. I don't use it any longer. Instead, when I have those moments where I've completely fried someone and they have that look of frustration or annoyance, I say, "I'm gonna need some backup, cuz he/she is going to beat me up in the parking lot". This presents a funny image in their head.....some lady (usually) punching out a magician. Usually, everyone laughs and the frustrated person is disarmed.

To add to what Patrick said, this line does work better.

"It looks like he/she is gonna beat me up!"

Matthew, funny you should mention that. Go here: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=16

Some people are just bat $hit insane. I don't get it, how can anyone be so offended by a magic trick?

Well it is possible you did absolutely nothing wrong and she did absolutely nothing wrong and she was still offended d.

We take this sort of thing for granted. Obviously other people do not. Qny number of 1000 things could have occured to her.

Not much to take away except you probably handled it right.

Peka did nothing wrong. There are people in this world that have to stand out/show control. There could be 10 people loving something....but they will go the other way for attention.

Zach Waldman tells a story of working at a posh residency in Beverly Hills, where he works by request. A table called him over to perform. A lady in the group got up and went to the manager to complain that he was interrupting their evening.

Why do they have to be "showing control"? It is possible she was feeling interrupted. She has valid feelings. It does not make her wrong just because she is in the minority.

We take many things for granted and make many assumptions. Zach did nothing wrong. But she didn't necessarily either.

It serves no good to assume things. Like I said you can have a situation where everyone is right and peoe still be offended.

She didn't say she felt interrupted. That would have been a valid response. She said she didn't like him, after it was established the her friends knew him and clearly did like him.

I was referring to Zachs story you related.

She said nothing till she was prompted by Pepka. Then she was laughed AT.

Maybe not how I would respond. But I can see it. Many people feel attacked when the whole group laughs AT them.

The lady in the Zach story exhibited odd behavior. He was called over. If she didn't want him to perform, she should have said so. But, she took the covert way of going to the manager and complaining that he was interrupting ( leaving out the part that her table requested him ).


Peka said:

" I received a thoughtful email from my friends apologizing and they said they tried to explain it to her the rest of the evening".

If her feelings were valid, why did her fiends e-mail apologizing? They must have felt what she did wasn't ok.

Excuses can be made for almost any behavior. Certain people take it upon themselves to cause disruptions.

I agree with Danny agreeing with me per my post above.
You need thick skin in this business Pepka, a pro gets over
it and moves on.

In working restaurants the guest is always right.
If you fail to make this a part of your approach,
you won't be working there long.

I would like to know what you are going to do so that this
never reoccurs Pepka? Your response will then be the heart
of this discussion, to focus on the positive aspects of this.