talkmagic.co.uk

yeah... i got heckled by a seven year old the other day while on the street. doing a basic Ambitious card routine and he sorta figured it out but he still doesnt quite understand how it happens. but then i showed him whos boss with a ID. which he quickly asked "how did you do that" and i told him "with style"

but i really want to try out that "can you keep a secret" responce on people.

lol
'i dont know, i wasn't watching. Iy must have been magic!'
This one's sorta funny

Anywayz ... "How did you do that ?"
"With my eyes wide open."
Sometimes might work. What the heck
As for the "Do that again", I don't answer funny, I just tell them that I never repeat a trick. And what bothers me the most, is that I do a trick or two to a few of the guyz (like the self-tying shoelace) and then everybody finds out (because they talk). So should I make...let's say...STS to the guyz that didn't see me do it but have heard of it and will probably be looking to bust me or what ? It's like performing the second time, without performing the first time, if that makes sense to you.

Lance Burton has a good line...

He tells a guy before the show at any point to shout out
"how do you do it?!"

and no matter what Lance replies, the spectator is to shout back
"Tell my wife!"

So showtime comes around:

GUY "How did you do it?!!"
LANCE "If i told you id have to kill you..."
GUY "Tell my wife...!!"

Might not work for all occasions, but it always gets a laugh!

Also,if someone susses the trick and loudly informs you how its done, agree with him 100%... yep thats how its done, ive never been caught before well done, but please keep it to yrself... 99% of the time the guy will not believe you and start tryin to guess how you 'really' did it...!

"How did you do that?"

"Carefully"

Thanks to Diva for that one, worked a treat tonight!

"I was hoping you could tell me"

"With a lot of practise" "i have far too much time on my hands"

I don't underdstand why you feel the need to respond? Anyone asking "how did you do that!?" is not asking for you to tell them. Everyone knows how closely guarded magic is. Its a human reaction to want to know how to they were fooled, but nobody expects you to tell them.

Are all the cheesy, - "been said before" lines - used over and over again, really needed? Lets try to be different eh?

My style is to go for the cheeky half smile, accept that their response is a sign you have succeeded in doing exactly what you set out to do. make them question everything they think they know, then you just move on with the next trick, and guess what, you do the same as before, except this trick is even better. He's now completely confused..... and silent.

I guess this is all dependent on your own unique style, if it's comedy you specialize in, then sure, it's a perfect opportunity to crack a line, but of not then do you need to say anything...?

The other day, I was doing my ACR to a few of my friends, and I guess a showed a bit of my DL, so naturally, one of 'em shouted "there's two cards there!" I then replied with "Really?", took the two cards, put 'em on the deck face up, and did one of the best color changes I've ever performed. They were totally shocked, but hoping for the worst, I threw the card on the floor and did a quick pass as they picked it up. The guys then tried to search for the other card, thinking it would be the one on top, only to find it face up in the middle of the deck.

It was an amazing comeback!

By some of the responses given to the "how did you do that?" and "Do that again" it seems that some peoples reason to perform magic is not to entertain and amaze but to get one over on the spectator.
Surely any come back to such questions or to a heckler should be an attempt to further entertain or to hook them into wanting more. I agree that with such questions it is extremely hard to answer them in such a manner that comes across as cocky or arrogant (eg. How did you do that ? very well thanks).
I personally like to deflect any such questions by either making out that the spectator was part of what happened (which they generally are) or not answering it directly and using it to lead in to a new effect.
At the end of the day magic is a performance artform and if one performs with passion and enthusiasm then there is no need for come backs or put downs.
I think that makes sense?? If it doesn't then ignore me I'm talking rubbish......as usual

If I have a belligerent guy who won't quit and the rest of the audience is into the show (which is how it usually is...)

I very kindly smile and point out the fact that if he doesn't enjoy the show he is welcome to leave and that everyone else would like to see the rest of it. There is usually the "alpha spectator" that is into the show that then says "yea man" or something of this sort.

There was only once when I was out doing random tricks to people in a park here in london where the group seemed uninterested and I started getting heckled, I started to use that line and noticed that it may have worked, but even so, there were other people who would enjoy it more. So I thanked them for their time and just left. The guy felt like he won I am sure, but so what? Magic isnt for everyone. I could do magic for 100 groups, and I can either do 100 groups that will like it and spread my name around, or 80 groups that will like it and spread my name around and 20 that just dont like magic and wont care.

Just my opinion.

If you are into NLP there are alot of really neat tricks to interrupting a heckler and changing him almost instantly into a spectator as well.


1011

i get this a lot while doing contact ball. to that i always answer "practise..... LOTS"

you could always use the objects as your answer.

You are doing an ACR and someone says "What the fudge?!?!? HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" and you can reply "with the deck of cards and your 5 of diamonds!" or if you are doing sinful you could say "with a coin and a can!"

Slightly off the magic heckler but certainly my favourite putdown ever has to be the comedian, Harry Hill's.

Heckler - "You're rubbish!"
Harry Hill - "That may very well be so Sir, but I have a lovely roast chicken waiting for me when I get home..."

Confusing? Yes! But that is Harry Hill's surrealist style, I think that any comment you make after being heckled has to be in keeping with your personality. If you have a stock answer you risk sounding scripted and flat. Build rapport with your audience and you won't be heckled.

Matt

a heckle stopper offered by magician James Brown at his lectures

heckler: heckleheckleheckle

magician: (very casually) sorry?

at this point heckler will either a) repeat his line, which will be less funny repeated, to whick you respond "oh" and carry on or

b) shut up.

brilliant, innoffensive always works.

To the question of "how did you do that" I answer That it was taught to me by a magician. And in order to learn how to do it I had to pass a test. I then launch into a four card "Do as I do" effect. Obviously the spec won't pass the test.

4 card do as i do.....top card on bottom face up...etc?
if its that one i love it!