I have ran into all kinds of spectators over the years, but this recent one really took the cake.

I was wondering if any of you have ever encountered anyone like him.

here is my brief story: I was doing an informal close up show, and the spectator's name was Joe. Real nice clean cut kid, in his twenties.

I had cards in hand, and I began to show him a version of Steve Brooks Free Fall, (The version where you "reach into the deck" and pull out the lost card) So I began to bring my hands near the deck to do the move, and BAM!! The guy suddenly shoves his face about two inches from the deck and cranes his neck around so he is looking at the deck from the bottom! A horrible angle for the trick. It was a feeling like this " On your mark, get set, go!" In other words, it was a little contest to see if he could see exactly what my hands were doing. he was determined to see EVERYTHING!

And sure enough, I finished the trick and he shouted "I know! I know how you did it!" (Well of course you know. You were looking at my hands through a magnifying glass, so to speak. That is to say, two inches from my hands.)

So I performed a couple more of my best mind busters for him, with the same results. Then I quit. I'm just not used to someone shoving their face at my hands from a two inch distance.

Well, the icing on the cake was this. In talking to him after this fiasco, he revealed to me his motivation. seems this guy loves to win money at bars. He does it with "bar bets" that he has apparently picked up anywhere he can. Well, to make a long story short, he views ALL magic tricks as a potential bar bet. When I did a trick, he saw dollar signs. Yup. effects are a way that he sees to make bucks at the bar.

In fact, he said before he left "Man, I'm gonna show those tricks to the the guys at the bar and make lots of money!"

This guy was "impossible"

Well to each his own, and it takes all kinds, but has anyone here ever encountered this type of spectator, or is he unique? What do you think fellas?
Posted: Dec 21, 2004 7:57pm

---------------------------------------------------------------
Well, several days and no answer. I guess the guy must be unique.

Daffy doug-

In 10 yrs I ve never met a spectator who did anything remotley like what "Joe" did to you-What a Pain he was!!!

Id just put it down to a 1 off circumstance-however its also a timely reminder to always be on our guard!!

Is there any way you could have changed the position of your body or hands for a short respite etc or just stood on him!!!

-Brent

Nope. The routine I was performing didn't allow much room for change, and he was determined to stick to me like glue no mater where I moved.

It was a wild experience. The guy didn't really mean any harm, he was just determined to find out how the stuff was done so he could make some gerenbacks.

One consolation for me though, the card routine used a riffle force and a red blue double backer, so unless he realizes that, he will have a bit of a difficult time reconstructing it and copying! That realization might hit him when he gets home and trys to do it.

Or maybe he'll go straight to the pub and attempt it without any practice. Now I AM laughing!

If someone put their face that close to my hands, it would be irresistable to perform the Moe Howard Eye-Poke effect.

*jeep!
--Chet

LOL!!! (Why I oughta'...)

He just doesn't get it, does he? Nope. And it's hard to connect to those with ulterior motives...ins't it? Yup.

I've learned that for some, there is no hope. But not a bummer. There can't be too many OBNOXIOUS persons like that out there.

If this guy is so intent on turning your hard-earned magic into penny-ante bar bets...my thoughts include following him into the bar and letting him buy...just for a change of pace...for him. (Intro the theme to "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.) And then, of course, you know that there isn't any way he'll reconstruct your work. You could just let him dream his dilusions of grandeur.

Bar bets...how utterly disappointing.

Pat,

I know what you are saying, man. I think it would be kind of fun to follow him into the bar and watch him make an utter fool out of himself as he falls on his face.(Uh, no pun intended)

But anyway, as I said earlier, if he is not aware of the riffle force, and other such strategems, (He's NOT, of course), or if he has no realization that perhaps one of the cards in the deck may be a red/blue double backer (He surely doesn't know such an animal exists, let alone where to obtain one) then he is doomed to utter despair and miserable failure in trying to recreate the effect of which "knows" how it is done.

LOL! I'm not a mean spirited guy, but it does tickle me to think about it.

But as far as bar bets, well, their is a place for such items, as demonstrated by the fact that no less than Harry Blackstone Jr. specialized in them, and wrote a book on the subject Not to mention Dan Harlan's comprehensive knowledge of them as well.

But as far as magic, my feeling is that they need to be kept separate, at least as far as performance venues. I kind of feel that if you tried to juxtapose them in a performance, they could detract from your magic, and from the image you are trying to portray as a pro. At least for me that is how it would turn out. Some other guys with the right skills might be able to pull it off succesfully. Perhaps Bill Malone, or Tom.... oh, it's getting late and my mind is shot. Tom,...the guy with the cigarretes..Nicotine Nincompoop. I can't think straight this late at night. Sorry, Oh yeah! Mullica, that was the name! Perhaps even Mac King? You know. Guys with a certain personality to pull things off....that type of thing.

WOW man I feel for you, I gotten those sort of guys a lot when I was in college about 4 years ago, There the ones who hate not having attention. in my case Well I know its wrong but I will not Hit another man over stupid stuff. I will do romatnic tricks for his lady friends and get them on my side . soon enough they will tell him to shut up , and pay more attention to me. Worse case scenerio, HE gets mad tries to pick a fight with you. Then unleash all the magic you want on his ,,, make all kinds of things dissapear. Now you see now you don't . lol I'm having to much fun with this post, better luck in the future. And I was kidding about the fight. Maybe I wasnt. Yea I was.

I'm confused now! (just kidding!)

I would probably have bent over, and put my face right in his, maybe even letting our noses touch. (I would have loudly said "boop" at that point). The point is if he is in your face, which is just plain rude, he has a come down comming. Another thought is a simple, "Sir, would you mind backing up, you're blocking the view for those behind you?" This instantly gets the people behind him on your side.

I've those who burn my hands. Not quite as severe as yours though.

A suggestion I've tried is to simply freeze all action until the pest is done.
Once doing a one on one Okito Box routine the guy stared so long I thought he was dead. He didn't even respond to my calling his name several times.

Your fellow was somewhat unique but it does take all kinds.

Absolutely. The thing is that you never know which "kind" you are going to run into at any given time!

I would close my eyes, wave my hands really far, hit him and say "Oh, sorry...didn't see you there. Watch out." Okay, maybe I wouldn't. What I would DEFINITELY do is pull out a flash device and do it right in his face. If he gets burnt just say, "You should be more careful! You don't know what I will do next. My performing space is not a place for spectators to be!" ;-). Therefore it's his fault. I know it's kind of evil and all....but hey, if it works I'm for it. It'll keep him away from your stuff...and also, I love playing with fire so it suits me .

Holy ****! You show no mercy! Wish I could be more like that!

Never that bad, but times anything like that I let the guy find out ... hand him the deck, tell him to select a card, hold the card up and stare at it and I will tell him what it is ... "now close your eyes and think of the card" ... and quick as lightning I snatch the card from his fingers, look at it and read it off ... "ten of clubs." And then turn my attention to someone else who won't be such a problem.

I go in heavy on people like this. They will be the butt of all my jokes and be used as the comedy part of my act.
I would have told him that his breath stank and to kindly keep his face out of the room. I would have given him the cards and told him to entertain us with his obvious skills. Anything to put him in the spotlight and then do the same to him as he was about to do for me.
As soon as he tells me about bar bets I will empty his wallet with some bets he has never seen. I would remove his watch and wallet too and when he comes to me about them I will say, If you didn't see me do it then I obviously didn't do it, you should be more attentive about your personal possesions.

This type of person is a godsend. as you have full justification to rip them off, make their head spin and give them what for.
Any ripoff that you have wanted to do but felt to guilty can be used on a person like this.

Holy garbonzos! I wouldn't want to be in that guys shoes if you got a hold of him. sounds like you would turn him, inside out and hang him out to dry.

I do give a warning to any prospective audience not to P me off! "My Powahs are strong" and they know it.
They do not think my card tricks are skill but my power showing itself to them, thus I get little smart4rse action.

I wouldn't want to mess with you!

Keep lookin at him
and plze your cards tipped forward so he cant look underneath it.. I once had a guy like that .. just quit for a while he thinks ur doing sumthing else and when he looks just a sec to you do a pass or whatever you want to do