Thank you to all who participated in the Quinlan’s Inside Magic Open Call for Innovative Patter Contest.The judges had a great time reading through many of the scripts and we have decided to do this again next year.
Our first prize in both innovation and creativity goes to Thomas Beckstrom of Muncie, Indiana. He will receive the first place certificate and a gift card redeemable at Wal-Mart. We thank Wal-Mart for their sponsorship and support throughout the judging.
Trick: Professor’s Nightmare
New Name: Doctor’s Nightmare
Innovator: Thomas Beckstrom
Props:
Standard three ropes from Professor’s Nightmare and a bottle of Purell
Anti-Biotic Hand Cleanser (available at all Wal-Marts for less than you
would pay for a bottle of the competitor’s brand anywhere else).
You begin:
Well, it is Cold and Flu season once again.It seems like every year, someone in Taiwan sneezes and we all eventually get sick.
But that’s not exactly accurate.In fact, let me show you what I know about the prevention of the Common Cold and Asian Flu.
Show three sized ropes as you say:
We all know how important it is to wash our hands after we cover our mouth when we sneeze.
But do you know why?
It is because when we sneeze, we are blowing sticky pieces of bacteria out of our nose and mouth and on to our hands.Imagine these three pieces of white, soft rope are really streams of snot that could come out of the noses of three people.
A baby may have a little stream ? although, he probably wouldn’t know how to cover his mouth when he sneezes.
A
teenaged girl might have a medium length of mucous — although, being
concerned about appearances, she probably wouldn?t admit it.
There was an interesting debate on one of our sister sites, Insight Majik, that seemed interesting enough to be brought here to the big time.Insight Majik is a smaller webpage started by a half-brother (and we joke, half-sister, of Tom Hardy).
We would give you the url but the hits Tommy would take could sink his Commodore 64-based server.The article is written by Terry DeVos of Illinois.As far as we know, he is not one of the more famous Trade Show magicians in the Midwest.The comments that follow are from readers and were posted on the Insight Majik board and copied to this board with permission.
Great Idea But Fired
by, Terry DeVos – Professional Magician
Anybody out there who thinks that being innovative is good needs to read my story.I lost my job as a tradeshow magician thanks to the prejudice and intolerance that fills our society like sewer water fills my basement during a bad rain.
I was hired for the recent Food Distributors Expo (“FDE”) over at the Amphitheater for a five-day run.My job, as always, was to get people over to my client’s booth so the salespeople could “convert them” or get a sale from them.I was doing some of my best stuff ? Invisible Deck, Mindwave Deck, Mental Photography Deck, Glorpy (some call it Hyrum the Hilarious Hank ? but I don’t), and a Tear-Apart Dove Vanish.Only thing was, because it was a food expo, I couldn’t have a real dove so I had to used a big beanie baby that looked like an eagle.It wasn’t a big deal.
Anyway, I noticed that a lot of the people walking by were Christian.They had jewelry on with crosses and tee-shirts with Christian sayings and references like “John 3:16.”So I figured I’d bring more of them in to see the show by being innovative.
I had a little picture of Jesus on a business card I got from a missionary friend.I cut it out of the card so it was just his picture.It didn’t wink or do anything weird or distasteful, just a picture of him looking up and… Continue reading Great Idea But Fired – Trade Show Magician Canned
Snowmass Village, Colorado is famous for magic and magicians including Bob Sheets, Doc Eason, and Eric Mead.Now, Mr. Mead has made it into the highly anticipated new film from director Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette, “The Aristocrats.”
The premise of the film is simple but intriguing.Over 100 comedians, actors, celebrities and magicians are filmed telling the same dirty joke.Mr. Mead was not in the original cut.When he heard about the concept, he asked Mr. Jillette why he wasn’t included.Fortunately, Mr. Jillette is the producer of the film and in a perfect spot to include Mr. Mead if it was possible.Unfortunately, the film was already edited and in the can.Fortunately, one of the big names wanted to be cut from the film for fear of offending some with the raunchy humor.Fortunately, Mr. Jillette arranged to have Mr. Mead filmed and spliced into the picture.
Attendees of the Magic Live seminar this summer in Las Vegas may recall Mr. Jillette’s discussion about the film’s concept and his invitation to talented members of the audience to try out as one of the joke-tellers.
Mr. Mead told the Aspen Times that the joke is dirty but certainly not one of the “great, hilarious jokes ever.It’s like a jazz chart ? it’s got a beginning and an end, but in the middle, it’s all about putting your stuff in there.”
The film premiered at Sundance last month and has been picked up by a distributor.Look for it, and Mr. Mead, coming soon to a theater near you.
Read the full article in the Aspen Times by clicking here.
The non-profit organization Be Ready Against Violence Everywhere (“BRAVE”) developed two programs to help school-aged children increase their awareness of violence, and thereby decrease the number of violent events. They enlisted the assistance of Terry “The Magic Guy” Sangrene to use magic and humor to deliver this very important, and unfortunately, timely message.
Mr.Sangrene‘s latest presentation of BRAVE’s program was to WallaceElementary Schools in Des Moines, Iowa. With a mixture of magic and message, Terry the Magic Guy wants to help students “feel empowered next time they see a bully to do something about it and not just keep getting picked on.”
Mr.Sangrene has presented the BRAVE programs — “Be BRAVE and Not a Bully,” and “Be BRAVE, Be a Hero” ? over the last two years throughout central Iowa.BRAVE designed the programs to entertain and equip the children with the tools necessary to handle the inevitable encounters with bullies.
Through the program, “Be BRAVE, Be a Hero,” Mr.Sangrene taught students that the best method of dealing with a potentially violent student is to: ignore the bully, walk away from the bully, tell the bully to stop and, if none of those work, to get help. In “Be BRAVE and Not a Bully,” he encourages potential bullies to change.
The beautifully appointed rear room of the Garden City Magic Shop was our home for the evening and Carlos Blades was our host.Carlos is to hospitality as white is to snow.It is his essence.
Speaking of snow, Bill Abbott is a working professional from Toronto, Ontario.And while his background ? and apparent passion ? is mentalism, the effects presented this evening were decidedly non-mentalism.
Mr. Abbott is a quiet but quick man.His ability to work the room and stray from what must be a rather well-rehearsed script was commendable and entertaining.Each lecture has a central theme.In the past, some lectures have focused on: developing stage presence, being original, buying tricks and lecture notes, or even how to develop original methods of getting magic club audiences to buy lecture notes on stage presence.
Mr. Abbott?s focus was on the development of the character through the presentation and selection of magic.
In keeping with Mr. Abbott?s character, the lecture began with a calm, low-key presentation of a cut and restored rope but with a double production of the slip knot.The routine was standard, but nicely introduced with the fiery transformation of flash string to a full length of rope. It was a nice introduction into the routine with flash string taken out of his button hole.
The second effect was a complete contrast to the first. Mind Control borrows from standards such as the Equivoque or Magician?s Choice as well as the old Mental Prediction.The effect, however, was more powerful than the two ploys independent of each other. … Continue reading Bill Abbott Lecture ? Delivers on Promises
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