Inside Magic

Guy "Bug" Tussle is more than a great magician and friend of Quinlan’s Inside Magic, he is also a tremendous historian on all things Magic.  His Henderson, Nevada townhouse is filled with books, magazines, pamphlets, and posters related in any possible manner to Magic. 

We thought he was stumped on this one from Julie DeWitt of Macon, Georgia.  By the way, we did not send Mr. Tussle Miss DeWitt’s real address based on lessons learned from past "misunderstandings."

Dear Ask-Tim:

This is going to sound like a weird question but here goes. 

I am new to magic but have been doing performing for years in school drama clubs and even two local community plays here in town.  I was lucky to learn hand-eye coordination from baton twirling and Diablo juggling and things like that but not magic like a magician does magic. 

Then I read a book at our local library about magic and it told the trick the audience would see, and then it told you how to make it, and then it told you how to do it. 

I learned a lot of goods one from this book.  I didn’t a library card because I lended it my step-brother and when he broke up with his girlfriend she kept it because he took the ring back.  I guess you could say they were more than boyfriend and girlfriend, right?  LOL.  Anyway, I wanted to copy the page that should have had the method and the things to make the trick I readed at the library but when I went to the page it wasn’t there.  Somoeone had ripped-off the page. 

I knew that the page that was missing was 61 because the one that was left was 60 and 63 so it must have been 61 on one side and 62 on the otherside.  The book only had a little piece of paper left from the page.  Here is what its said.  "an imbecile has as much chance to win as the most intelligent of man; he is only required …and utter one of the magic phrases . . ."

I should have copied down the name of the book but I didn’t because I thought I would be coming back to the library but then we had a flood in just part of the library and wouldn’t you know it? You guessed it! It flooded where the magic books where.  They had to send them off to get rebound and it will be months before they get them back. 

Can you tell me what trick this is and what the rest of the page says? 

Thank you.

Julie DeWitt.

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We were stumped.  We cursed Ms. DeWitt for not taking better notes when she saw the book in the first place.  We wondered why this trick meant anything to her; because it said "imbecile" and "utter one of the magic phrases?"  Frankly we were not keen on bugging our good friend Mr. Tussle with this one.  He is assembling his new routine for a six month gig at the soon to revamped Del Lago downtown. 

So here’s his response.

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Dear Miss DeWitt:

Thank you very much for the question. 

I have to admit it is a very strange question — I wonder what intrigued you about the trick initially.  Do you recall what type of trick this remnant described? Was it a card, coin, silk, bird, or something else that vanished, multiplied, appeared, changed in shape or color?  Was it an escape trick? 

First let me commend you on your interest in magic.  Ours is a wonderful art and though I do tire of those who would jerk around a performer through arcane contract negotiations that come down to "we win / you lose," I wouldn’t trade the job for any other.

Learning magic from a public library is a great start.  I learned that way as did many of my fellow Vegas-regulars.  You need, though, to find a mentor to help you make the next step to develop your skills and to practice with purpose.  There is nothing to be gained if you refine your skills but your skills are not important or impressive. 

You don’t mention how old you are but from the looks of the picture you included with your email, I am guessing (hoping!!) you are more than 18 or could at least pass for someone old enough to vote. 

I think — based on the intelligence of your question and your obvious talent in Baton-Twirling and apparently Cheerleading, not to mention acting, you have a bright future ahead of you should you ever want to make your dreams come true and move to the real city that never sleeps.

Now to your question.  I went through every book I could find that had a page 61 with any reference to the description of a trick’s method.  I am afraid the results were not very helpful but perhaps they will ring some bells in that pretty little head of yours. :)           

Each of the following will refer to the text found on page 61 of books in the Magic section of the Clark County Library here in Las Vegas.  (By the way, we have never once had a flood in any section of the library).

101 Best Magic Tricks, Guy Frederick (New York: Bell Publishing Co. 1966)

Trick Title: Magic Hair Ribbon

Trick Description: A hair ribbon is cut into several pieces and these are dropped to prove the ribbon is really cut.  You then restore it. 

Common Words with Subject Text: .  "an"  "has" "as" "much" "most" "required" "magic"

Probability of Match: 13 percent

More Self-Working Card Tricks, Karl Fulves (New York: Dover Publications 1984)

Trick Title: The Clueless Card Trick

Trick Description: Each of two spectators chooses cards from a single deck.  The Magician then chooses two cards which prove to be the same cards chosen by the spectators. 

Common Word(s) with Subject Text: .  "the"   

Probability of Match: 23 percent

Those were the two closest matches I could find before the library closed. 

I went home to my really well-built bachelor pad, worked out for a while and thought about you and your needs. 

I got on the computer and thought I could try to find your IM address to ask you more questions to narrow the quest but apparently you aren’t listed because you don’t want to be or because the laws of Georgia and/or the US do not permit someone of your age to be listed on the IM list available to internet users from the Las Vegas area. 

I am hoping it is the former and not the latter — obviously.

So I decided to take your clues and look it up on Google.  Now, we were getting somewhere.

There is an almost dead-on match at The Cub Reporter web site.  Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with magic or hair ribbons.

You can find the same match — almost word-for-word — at a page in the UK featuring vulgar slang words here.  And while there was a discussion about hair ribbons there was no discussion of a magic trick.

I found a great site that deals with important issues but no magic tricks at all.  It did have the exact phrase.  Modern Drunkard is one of my favorite magazines and who knew they had a web site.    

But these were web sites and not books. 

I was in my little library — if you know what I mean — and I was browsing through my first editions of various literary magazines and gambling books. 

There on page 61 of the eight edition for Scarne on Dice, John Scarne (Hollywood: Melvin Powers Wilshire Book Company 1980) I found your exact phrase.  That was the good news.  The bad news, it had nothing to do with a magic trick.  It was just an introductory passage for "Chapter Five: Scarne’s Correct Odds on Craps."

How ironic!  I mean, what are the odds that I would find that and that you would find me?

I checked Google’s book search facilities but this edition is not on-line.  The only way I would have found it would be to put down the literary journal I was thumbing and pick-up Scarne.

Given the coincidence or fate, it seems like we were meant for each other.  Send me your address so I can wire you money and a plane ticket (First Class) to visit Vegas.  If you don’t mind, can you also send me a better copy of the cheerleading photo and a clear copy of your driver’s license? 

Another mystery solved!!

See Y’all Soon?

Guy "Bug" Tussle
Professional Magician

Continue reading Guy Tussle Helps (?) a Young Reader

What a full day it was today! 9.00am sharp for another batch of stage competitors while Kevin James, Gazzo, Banachek, and Jeff McBride lectured, Juan Tamariz did a one-man show and the Cheating and Gambling workshop was presented.

Sue-Anne took copious notes as act after act appeared and the audience, though overly enthusiastic on Monday, had become much more fickle. Acts that were otherwise quite good seemed to have become "not good enough" for the FISM crowd and many dextrous displays of skill were greeted with courtesy applause. The second last day is not a day you want to be in the stage comp… on the other hand it was the last day of the close-up comp and the crowd there was really in the mood for magic. We saw every possible extreme from outstanding performances to disqualifications.

Stevie Starr followed the close up comp and word must have spread as his show was packed out. After his success what will they have at the next FISM? Mr Methane? Puppetry of the Penis?

Our group got to see the Stage Gala Show while others headed off for a serve of the Close Up Gala. We were really hoping the show would be a winner because FISM needs a real boost right now… and that’s exactly what we got!

Frank Wilson provided music, energy and fun before the show (and during it too!) and Helge Thun as compere was superb. He opened the show assisted by Flicking Fingers and Friends by giving an hilarious pre-show safety demonstration before kicking it off with Jeff McBride (starting the show with Jeff? A bold move but it worked).

Jeff presented a selection of his favourites including his mask routine, lights and fans, the bowls of water and his astounding card manipulations.

Following Jeff Helge performed the sliding die box. Not only did he perform it, he sang the die box song too! I’d love to tell you about it, but it’s one of those acts you really have to see for yourself.

Marc Metral was next and almost stole the show with his ventriloquism. His act was supremely polished with a crazy lion puppet, two dodos, a talking dog, and four volunteers from the audience who became dummies and sang ‘Singing In The Rain’ with him. I say he almost stole the show because the audience was on the verge of giving him a standing ovation when he asked if they’d like to see one more. He created a rabbit puppet with a napkin which was very sentimental and cute, but changed the mood and resulted in a long and strong round of applause rather than a standing o.

Vik and Fabrini did their now legendary robot act. It was their first time at a FISM since winning first place in General Magic in 1988 (and they’ve been working non-stop ever since) and it was great to see the act live.

Mark Karvo closed the show with an absolutely classical bird act, very reminiscent of Channing Pollock, refined, dignified, powerful… just like you’d imagine a "real magician" would be. His final effect, producing a huge parrot that flew twice around the auditorium, got a big standing ovation.

After interval Helge performed a sketch with Topas which began as two duelling card magicians, then got very poignant as the two magicians began to teach each other, then became a pretty blatant statement of what magicians really do when they get together… again, you should have been there but it was a superb example of theatre and magic woven together with real thought, intelligence, and intent.

Jerome Murat was next with a beautifully artistic piece where he was a living statue with a floating head… that really doesn’t come anywhere close to describing the act. Why didn’t you come to FISM?

The Evansons performed their two person telepathy and it truly appeared to be real mindreading. Tessa told people phone numbers from their mobile phones, their middle names, the serial numbers on bills, and even the names of people in other people’s photographs.

Anthony Gatto stole the show (the juggler always does!) with his Las Vegas act which included juggling nine clubs. He truly brought the house down and, as Helge described him, he truly is a juggling machine.

Helge, assisted by Topas, presented his homage to an illusion performed by The Napoleon’s at FISM 1991 (I remember it too!). Topas managed to magical vanish from one cardboard box and reappear in another. However, Helge has taken the gag further and proceeded to do a backstage version of it which ended with the surprise appearance of Anthony Gatto in one of the boxes.

The final act was Peter Marvey with his unique illusions. The last time I saw Peter performing illusions was FISM 1997 and he was sensational. Now he seems to have become more ‘Vegas’ with flashy dancing girls and special effects. Personally, I preferred his old style. He did a boxless ‘Interlude’ and followed it up by emerging out of his own body… not as amazing as it sounds. Next he did his flying illusion which results in him visibly shrinking then growing again in full view. Again, I preferred the way he used to do it, this version seemed way too much of a production. He also did a weird igloo levitation that was hard to see because of way too much fog, and he did a flaming spiker of death which concluded with the production of three girls.

He was the right act to end the show because of the scale of his props, but he was also the act that received the weakest audience response.

Regardless, it was a sensational show. (If only we had another one like it tomorrow night!)

Continue reading FISM – Thursday