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. Well, I searched, but couldn't find anything under "uncooperative". Basically I perform magic for my friends and eventually they try to mess up my tricks. For example today, I was performing Daley Show, Fish Sandwhich, and my version of White or Wheat. Now my friend was just being a jack***.
He basically during Daley Show kept looking at the cards I give him (purposely knowing I just told him not to look due to the fact that it was a memory game.) Next during Fish Sandwhich during the second part of the trick, I instructed him to place his card into the middle of the packet, and what does he do, he palms it and pockets it (though I did catch him.) Then during White or wheat, he kept trying to knock the joker's (which were the sandwhich cards I used) out of my hands
Anyways, I was just wondering how to deal with magic-haters (or just really pesky spectators.)

Edit: Also, most of my tricks involve double lifts, are there any invisible sleights to supplement in place of a DL? I've been trying various color changes, but some are quite angley and difficult. I've been using too many double lifts and some people guess that that's what I'm doing.

Don't give them the privledge of watching you do magic in the first place

Learn some tricks that don't involve doubles, or routine it so that the obvious solution to what you've made happen isn't that you turned over two cards as one. For example, if you perform Tilt correctly then do a dl to show the card is back at the top there's no reason a spec should suspect a dl because they've seen you put the card back in the deck at least halfway down. Simpy turning over two cards couldn't be the answer in this case.

As for the specs being awkward, if you know they're gonna try and mess you up don't use them directly as participants. Or if you're feeling brave do a sucker vanish or somesuch to annoy the hell out of them.

I'd just say don't bother showing them your magic. Their loss at the end of the day. There are plenty of people out there who will want to see it.

i know it sounds weird but i kinda like performing for those difficult spectators. i think of it as a challenge of my skill. basically if you only ever perform for easy audiences you will never progress in you performance. you develop ways of controlling the audience which is obviously very important you have to be in control not them. you quickly judge what tricks you can perform and what tricks you can't. for example if you know they are gonna look at the cards you know you don't want to do any of those tricks maybe do some mind reading or a sponge ball effect. if you are a card magician then do maybe higher mentality or out of this world. you might also want to consider design for laughter as a way of fooling the spectator and getting him to respect you more.

Figo wrote:i know it sounds weird but i kinda like performing for those difficult spectators.

I agree. Polish the routine so that all they can see is their own reflection and nothing else.

Remember....Specs are there by choice - yours not theirs....they can't be specs if you don't allow them to be. Pack up and move along, others will follow and you can start up again somewhere else.....the others will get the hint and begin to keep the chap in line for you, as he is eventually going to start spoiling their fun entertainment!

The most difficult specs are friends and family. People are always really nervous before their first public performance for strangers, imagining them to be the toughest crowd. In fact, they are the easiest people to perform for.

Firstly, they are ready to believe that you are a competent magician. Secondly, they think that they are going to see something amazing. Thirdly, if they are brought out on stage to help with an effect, they are for the most part, so nervous that all they want to do is follow your instructions and not end up looking stupid.

Friends and family can be nightmare for the opposite reasons. Firstly, they don't think of you as a magician, you're just their son, brother, cousin, friend, etc. Secondly, they don't expect you to perform anything amazing. Thirdly, they are not at all shy about trying to second-guess you and catch you out.

My own father will do everything he can to muck up an effect. If I ask him to cut a deck of cards, he'll pick them up and riffle-shuffle them for 10mins. My brother-in-law wants to inspect the design on the back of the cards for hours and when he can't find any marks he grudgingly admits that they are 'very cleverly marked'. All other relations simply refuse to remember any relevent details.

Basically, I don't bother do any magic for family unless it's a particularly strong effect, that is over quickly and has very little audience participation.

For your DL question, a top change can be used in place of a DL a lot of the time.

XTTX wrote::Anyways, I was just wondering how to deal with magic-haters (or just really pesky spectators.)

Don't perform for them.

XTTX wrote:Also, most of my tricks involve double lifts, are there any invisible sleights to supplement in place of a DL?

Use a Velvet Turnover from the Devil's Picture Book if you can.

XTTX wrote:Anyways, I was just wondering how to deal with magic-haters (or just really pesky spectators.)

On a more helpful note, remember that the person playing most close attention to you is the easiet to misdirect. This is one of my favourite articles on misdirection, I think you'll find it useful.

Magic as a Martial Art

Check out the DVD Heckler by Brian Tudor. If dealing with annoying specs is your cup of tea, Brian Tudor shows you how to cleverly "shut them up" with your impressive magic.

I would perform "That's It" by Eddie Fechter. The great thing about this trick is that you tell the spec to try to confuse you. Since you have given them "permission" to mislead you, all their attention goes to that. After the spec thinks you've blown it, they relax and stop trying to "get" you, since -to them- you've already been gotten. Once you reveal that you are indeed in control and have changed an indifferent card to theirs, they usually go into good spectator mode: "Wait. How did you do that?"

I like looking for tricks where it looks like the magician has messed up. It's a great way to disarm a spectator. All heat leaves you so you can perform those difficult moves, and no one is the wiser.

resdog wrote:I like looking for tricks where it looks like the magician has messed up. It's a great way to disarm a spectator. All heat leaves you so you can perform those difficult moves, and no one is the wiser.

I like ones that have a line like "I bet you a pint the next card I turn over is yours" when you've already turned it over ages ago. I threw this in last night after my disasterous evening in the pub.

I usually refer to these guys as hecklers. People who think its more fun to ruin the trick for everybody else (including the magician) instead of watching what could be a really great trick.

I generally dont do magic for my friends, for the sole reason that they are usually like this. They dont care that i am about to do a great trick, they just want to have a laugh at my expence. Im probably not the only magician with friends like that.

You will also encounter hecklers out in the real world, and there are several ways to avoid that awfull moment.

Naturally, there is the easy way: Leave. Find somewhere else to perform. Like said above, you are giving them a show, and if they dont like it, then by god dont perform for them. Dont waste your energy arguing with them, cause that wont get you anywhere. A persistant heckler can turn your day of magic into a very depressing run.

If you have a great crowd that you dont want to leave, try ignoring the heckler alltogether. If he keeps butting in, try and say something in the line of "Excuse me, could you keep quiet, im showing Brian here a trick", and that will single out the heckler in a way, and make his outbursts quite uncomfortable for him, especially if the other spectators really want to see your trick.

If youre standing in front of a group of hecklers, and dont want to walk away, try doing a simple trick. Something that is quick, but stunning, like a color change or a short ambigious card routine. Something that is so fast that there is no way they can say stop and grab your cards. More often than not, these guys will be pretty stunned at what you just did, and they forget about trying to bust you, and begin to be more interested in what else you can show them.

Truth be told, i cant really be bothered with hecklers. I dont want to waste my time on them, because they get me down. I would much rather just find someone else to do magic for, because thats better for both me and the spectator.

Dont let the hecklers get you down, man

if they are you're friends...drop in a card with a load of abuse and wait for him to sneak a pick...

quite possibly about his mother...

otherwise, i'd leave it to 'em and just poison them...