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Ok so I've been doing Richard Osterlinds "Perfected Center Tear" for some time (over 50 times)

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/5536

and this is the second time that the spectator thought I was a "Psychic". How can I make sure that this dose not happen?

It depends greatly on your style and persona. If you can at least smile towards the end rather than (as some performers do) look all serious and dominating then the audience will know that you're human and aren't trying to infer you possess super powers. Above all, they must also feel that they've been well entertained.

Henning Helms, in Magic & Showmanship, suggests that you finish with an effect that is obviously trickery. Personally, I think I'd say something along the lines of "No, I'm not psychic but I can read thoughts sometimes".

Barry

You will find the biggest killer to that particular belief is to be as funny as possible. It tends to make them realise that you are as psychic as their left toe. And if you are really bothered by people thinking you are psychic when you aren't, just tell them flat out you are not. What they believe after that is up to them. You have done your part.

I once heard that Gil Eagles, a well known mentalist would simply say to them flat out, "No, it's a trick!"

Of course I AM psychic so the best solution for me was to simply give up mentalism!

"Above all, they must also feel that they've been well entertained."

Thanks for your advice, just one question, what do you mean "feel well entertained" how would you suggest I do that?

A very good question indeed - I just wish there were an easy answer! How you entertain depends on your abilities and talents - it will be different for each performer. In general I'd say the basic principle would be that the audience feel they are part of the process rather than just watching someone do all sorts of clever stuff. It's not about the performer, it's about the audience and how they perceive the event/show. Plenty of eye contact, aim your patter to the audience as individuals as well as a group. Watch the professionals at work and see how they engage their audiences. I'm not saying you should copy them but perhaps see what they do, how they do it and adapt your findings to the way you present and perform your act. Perhaps others here on TM can post what they think and how they'd answer such an excellent question?

Mandrake wrote:A very good question indeed - I just wish there were an easy answer! How you entertain depends on your abilities and talents - it will be different for each performer. In general I'd say the basic principle would be that the audience feel they are part of the process rather than just watching someone do all sorts of clever stuff. It's not about the performer, it's about the audience and how they perceive the event/show. Plenty of eye contact, aim your patter to the audience as individuals as well as a group. Watch the professionals at work and see how they engage their audiences. I'm not saying you should copy them but perhaps see what they do, how they do it and adapt your findings to the way you present and perform your act. Perhaps others here on TM can post what they think and how they'd answer such an excellent question?

Oh, that's such a good answer. I started trying that at the begging of a performance to think of it as if I'm trying to make a new friend to really talk to them, not at them, that they should be participants not onlookers (I think I read something like that from Ugean Berger) and it REALLY makes a difference. I never thought of the eye contact idea, I'm gonna try it thanks a lot

U THINK I KNOW wrote:

Mandrake wrote:A very good question indeed - I just wish there were an easy answer! How you entertain depends on your abilities and talents - it will be different for each performer. In general I'd say the basic principle would be that the audience feel they are part of the process rather than just watching someone do all sorts of clever stuff. It's not about the performer, it's about the audience and how they perceive the event/show. Plenty of eye contact, aim your patter to the audience as individuals as well as a group. Watch the professionals at work and see how they engage their audiences. I'm not saying you should copy them but perhaps see what they do, how they do it and adapt your findings to the way you present and perform your act. Perhaps others here on TM can post what they think and how they'd answer such an excellent question?

Oh, that's such a good answer. I started trying that at the begging of a performance to think of it as if I'm trying to make a new friend to really talk to them, not at them, that they should be participants not onlookers (I think I read something like that from Ugean Berger) and it REALLY makes a difference. I never thought of the eye contact idea, I'm gonna try it thanks a lot

Take courses in public speaking and perhaps an acting class or two to learn how to interact with your audience.

U THINK I KNOW wrote:Ok so I've been doing Richard Osterlinds "Perfected Center Tear" for some time (over 50 times)

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/5536" target="_blank" target="_blank

and this is the second time that the spectator thought I was a "Psychic". How can I make sure that this dose not happen?

Does it matter if they think that you are psychic?

If they have been entertained, and you haven't tried to use your 'power' to con them out of any money, then let them believe if it makes them happy.

Keith Hart

If someone actually asks if you are psychic you could use the old dodge utilised by the Piddingtons. Just say, "I shall let you be the judge". (Then do the sponge ball trick. If they still believe you are psychic then there is no hope for them)

The book Maurice Fogel: In Search of the Sensational goes into some detail about the problems caused for Fogel when he was "accused" of being psychic.

Barry

magicofthemind wrote:The book Maurice Fogel: In Search of the Sensational goes into some detail about the problems caused for Fogel when he was "accused" of being psychic.

Barry

That incident really shook Maurice up. Alan Alan told me that "Maurice was a broken man" after that. I also heard from someone else that he really took it to heart and walked around the West End of London with a sandwich board saying "Helliwell is unfair to Fogel". Arthur Helliwell was the journalist that exposed Fogel in the People newspaper. I have no idea of the sandwich board story is true or not but I do know he was very unsettled over the matter and I think he took it too seriously.

If it had happened to me I would have just laughed it off, gone on holiday for a couple of weeks, and when I returned the whole affair would have been forgotten.

I knew Maurice Fogel slightly. He was a very nice man and to my mind the greatest mentalist showman of them all. As Paul Daniels once said about him, he was a "phenomenon".

People will believe what they want to believe. Derren Brown explicitly says he is not psychic and people still contact him saying he must be. If the spectator is entertained then what more do you need?
I’ve done shows saying what I do is the illusion of mind reading but some people still don’t believe me. So it goes.

Am i psychic? Oh no. Nit i do play one on stage!