Does this seem to work for any of you?

I'm not the funniest guy in the world...sometimes my delivery seems to lack motivation...just wanted to know if any of you are using, "dry humor" in your magic? If so, I could use a few pointers!



Steve

The guys to really study, not copy of course, are Mike Caveney and Martin Lewis. Comic geniuses in their own rights.


Mike

Mike and Martin are wonderful case studies. You should also look to Buster Kenton, Steven Write etc. I learned a lot from watching Jack Benny. I love to under-play things.

Did I mention TC Tahoe?

I get a lot of lines and ideas from watching some of my sons cartoons. The Rugrats has some wonderful writing and great lines. Watch the other like shows on Nick, some great writers like David Regal.



Also inspired by the Marx Brothers and Abbott and Costello.

I'm throwing my "folding" two bits in with a vote for TC as well! When he takes his medicine he's a little less funny than when he forgets. For what seems to be totally off-the-cuff, his work with the audience is riotously hilarious! Even if he didn't do any magic he'd still have a great show!



I saw Patrick Albanese do a new show at the Castle that had me in tears! He did a card force where he took every precaution to ensure that his onstage audience helper took the forced card, including almost setting fire to the rest of the cards so the guy would take the right card -- which, by the way, was the only JUMBO card sticking out of a regular deck.



Dave

Dave Lewis:

“…vote for TC as well! When he takes his medicine he’s a little less funny than when he forgets. For what seems to be totally off-the-cuff, his work with the audience is riotously hilarious! Even if he didn’t do any magic he’d still have a great show!”

That brings up an interesting point about comedy magic. In any stand-up comedy magic show I do I do a minimum of 3 effects. Usually more, but some people only remember laughing, which is fine But I would have thought magicians would notice the magic.

Please do not take this as b****in’. My only goal (in my standup-show) is to entertain and have them (the audience) laughing WITH me. So if they tend to remember the jokes over the "effects”, I am fine with that.
Are there any other performers that have experienced this?

My wife is constantly telling me to be less funny. She takes it personal when she hears people say things like “you are so funny---and you didn’t even do one trick!” Like I said if they leave having had a good time, and remembering me, that’s what’s important to me.

Anyway just some early morning ramblings.


TC


_________________

When in doubt… drop an anvil

I am flattered when I get complements like "you are SO funny!" I think that comedy is harder than magic. My goal is to entertain. As long as they have fun (and I get a call back and referrals) then I am happy

So much has been written about comedy in magic that I balk at adding my tuppence worth, but, I will...

Be funny.. be magic...

but above all else...

Entertain.

:bigdance:

To answer your question Steve, just give your audience time to laugh. I have a dry wit too and am usually funny when I'm not trying to be.

TC--

I agree with you wholeheartedly. in an hour show, I often do only four or five effects. Never more than 8 or 9.

I would much rather have people say the following year, "We've gotta get Great Scott again!" than "Can we get that guy who makes the ball float on the edge of the hanky? What was his name? I can't remember, but that was a neat trick!"

Many times, I've had people tell me months, or even years after a show, that they can't remember the actual tricks I did, but they remember laughing, being amazed and having a great time. I'll take that any old day. YOU should be more important than your tricks! After all, ANYBODY can do tricks, but only YOU can be YOU!

I do some "Schtick," but mostly dry, self-deprecating humor. What's cool is my agent books me whenever someone calls for a magician OR a comic. He tells the magic-hunters that I'm a great magician and also very funny, and the comic-seekers that I'm a prop comedian who also does some killer magic! Again, I'll take that any old day!

John, you are right: Comedy is MUCH harder than magic.
As the actor Edmund Gwenn said on his deathbed: "Dying is easy; comedy is hard!"
As for TC's valuable suggestion, Buster Keaton has got to be one of the funniest "dry humor" comedians ever.
His double takes alone are worth studying.
And Jack Benny could bring down the house with just a pause.
Now THAT'S good!
cheers,
Peter Marucci

TC said "Like I said if they leave having had a good time, and remembering me, that’s what’s important to me."

There's another quote from our other honoured guest, Doc Eason, that I always use "they won't remember what you did but only how you made them feel".

I hope I make them feel "now that guy's funny!"

Another source for studying great dry humor is Bob Newhart - in my opinion one of the few true masters at the understated delivery.

Regards,
Thomas Wayne

I agree. I think I loved the "Newhart" show so much when Bob and cast mate Tom Poston would be interacting. I don't see how either of them kept a straight face.

I sure didn't.

I must admit any humourous lines I use are pretty dry, but they are used sparingly. I like word play, occassional situational stuff, but the magic (or mentalism in stand up) is definitely the main thing, I am not trying to be a comedian or comedy magician.
I am there to show them some amazing stuff and that is what I try and do above all else.

We never got the Newhart shows in the UK but I have heard some of the classic monologues and found them very funny.

Paul Hallas.

When I went to Master Class a few years ago, we had Tom Mullica as our "special surprise guest" on the last day. I asked him what the right mix was of comedy and magic. He said that he gets them laughing and if they're enjoying themselves he just keeps on with the comedy.

I've had the experience of going to Fairbanks once a year for the past three for a fundraiser for CrimeStoppers and when they asked me back for the third time, I told the organizer that I had essentially the same routines. He said they didn't care, that they just enjoyed my interaction with the audience and the improvisation. Of course, no one else has asked me back because they think I'm schizoid.

Mike

I believe Oscar Wilde at his deathbed said, "Either those curtains go or I do" then he died. Now that's funny.

I find that it's easy to be very funny with a children's audience, especially if you get yourself into all sorts of difficult situations where the magic seems to, at first, backfire (tips fall off your wand, get your finger stuck in a sliding door of a prop, etc.)

The kids especially go crazy when I dress up like a chicken and dance crazily around my table at the conclusion of the egg bag effect with chicken clucking sounds and music on tape.

On the other hand, with an adult audience, you have to think on your feet and have razor-sharp comebacks, and the only way to improve is to perform with a live audience. There are no shortcuts to comedy and those who lift routines from other performers word for word quite often fall flat.

Darryl the Wizard
but what do I know, for I think Peter Marcucci is hilariously funny!

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