talkmagic.co.uk

Here's a quick one for somebody to field - what do you do when someone says "I bet you're using two cards" (meaning they suspect a dupe) and you are?

Today I just said "Maybe I am... and maybe I am" and that seemed to satisfy them. It wasn't a heckle really, so I was able to just carry on with a wink and move onto a rather spiffing finale.

Punch em' and run!

Nah it totally depends on the trick for me. If it's a trick where I'll end clean I just say something like 'I'll let you look at the cards when I'm finished but it's a bit unfair on the others if I stop the trick now for you.' If I'm not going to finish clean but I can ditch the cards at the point I've ditched the cards and let them see them before carrying on with a different trick.

Have them sign the card and move into a trick that doesn't use a dupe?

What effect do you have in mind, Queenie? I realise how annoying is when people say "if you're getting that response, you're probably not doing something something
blah blah blah blah..." because there are always people who, despite having zero idea how it's done, will just start with the verbal diarrhoea because they can't take not knowing... "it's two cards! It's a magnetic card! It's colour changing ink! It's a sticker that you secretly put on! It's a fake marker pen!" etc - and inevitably, sometimes it is

But - I do try to do tricks with dupes that don't *seem* as though they'd be done with dupes, rather than "card is chosen, pushed back into deck, magician whistles, three-legged dog runs up with "their card" tied around it's neck with ribbon" etc!

But, given it still will occasionally happen, see suggestion number 1!

"who me? cheat? how dare you sir..muskets at dawn sir!"

"what's the betting i haven't? A fiver? Twenty?" *then palm/cop the dupe away*

"would you be willing to gamble both testicles and find out?"

"why yes...yes i have..."

Farlsborough wrote:What effect do you have in mind, Queenie?

Well, the effect I did was to have a freely (read "freely") selected card disappear from the deck and appear under the table cloth as I pretended to palm it and rub it through the cloth.

It made 5 of the 6 people watching think I was some kind of goddess, but there was one solitary exclamation of "oh my God, you have to be using two cards, there's no way that really went under there! You put the other one under before!"

Like I said, it wasn't a "heckle" as such, just someone being, I guess, logical. And I just got on with it with a nod, a wink, and a vague, non-committal comeback. It was really no problem since it was a very non-heckly audience, but it just made me think about how I would handle the same thing if it DID come from someone who was determined to be a jerk about it.

I'd try to turn the tables and say something along the lines of "there's always someone who in the audience who says that, so thanks for helping with the misdirection but"................

I'd then do something equally as impossible that they won't be able to explain and which happens in their hands

Palm the dup and let them examine the deck...or do card to wallet with the dup and say...

"wow it takes a keen eye to catch something like that...as a matter of fact I do have a second one and its in my wallet for safe keeping...I didn't use it in this instance, but just in case it is always ready to go...good eye there chap!"

Produce dup from wallet and hand them the deck the see that their is not really one in the deck...the heat then moves to "how did he get it into the wallet" rather than the effect just completed.

They have now seen that there isn't another one in the deck...and proceed to do a top change prior to openly placing what they think to be the card, back into your wallet...then force it one someone for the next trick in a signed card effect and with a "Lets sign it this time so all is on the up and up.

I would also think about running with it a bit throughout the routine and have the dup show up over and over....just a thought.

Duplicity wrote:"who me? cheat? how dare you sir..muskets at dawn sir!"

, You have insulted my honor, I challenge you to a duel. (Homer) I like ths one.

Hit 'em with a brick!

I tend to go for something like "So you picked a card and I somehow found out what it was, left the table, got my bag, found another deck of cards, found the matching card, came back, lifted this tablecloth, put that card under, put the tablecloth back, and carried on with the trick without you noticing? I'd call that pretty magical..."

With something like this I usually just smile and say 'no, it was magic'.

How about when they say it's a dupe then having them sign it & going into a routine which doesn't use a dupe but would seem impossible to do without one. ACR?

what about putting the selection on the bottom of the deck and hindu showing all the cards have changed to their selection?

"not 2 cards - i feel safer with a whole deck of dupe's"

I love that idea, Relish. That's a great one

I don't challenge my audience in that way nor do I take such challenges from them. I give a knowing wink and continue, or something to that effect anyway. Often I will just agree, "Yup, that is exactly what I am doing, here sign this card for me" and then keep going.