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hds02115 wrote:Yes I read his first post.

In that he noted that he's had hecklers, so your sarcasm is misplaced.

He did walk away but the heckler followed him. He is more popular than he thought.

Well, my sarcasm might have been a little misplaced, but as it was just a joke it doesn't really matter. As for hecklers, I know how to handle people when out performing. This was just one of those random moments when like I said, the guy just happened to be looking at the perfect angle while I was performing to others. I did say that I was just letting off a little steam.

I actually agree with what was said about how it's not nessisarily bad to have people point out something if they spot it. It would make you think "How can I stop that from happening". It would make a good performer better.

In this case, it may be that we all to some extent suffer from magician's guilt, in which we often over-analyse whether some misdirection failed, or they saw a dodgy move, however; in this case, I'm sure many can vouch for, is that these "bad spectators" are recognised by the peers as being the kn*b, and to an extent mock this drunk uncle type character trying to exert his influence and retention of his family / peers. The default starting position is almost like they get into character in the same way you do, and therefore ends up being a caricature.

However, you get the last laugh when you win him over, after your fancy card flourishes and mentalism epics, when he morphs out of character into a rueful, content child looking at you with incredulous disbelief that that second sponge ball jumped out of his closed hand.

as a performer you are always in danger of being exposed..... expecially when you're doing tricks that have some bad angles, no matter how few those angles are!!!
people will always be watching you and there will be those that want to be killjoys and want to know how things are done..... to be honest i think a lot of it is the same as the feeling we get when we get fooled by a trick.. but the neandertholic tendancies of these spectators doesnt allow them to just be fooled for a brief moment in time...... they must know how its done, so in all cases i wouldnt say that it was because they want to spoil your trick....

when it comes to handling these people, again people will vary..... but i think being rude to them or ignorant is completely the wrong way to go, basically your just throwing a strop because the nasty spectator worked out your trick.....grow up!!!!!

This will be a long post. I wrote this about 35 years ago and I still believe every word to this day:
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First of all, hecklers. Unfortunately, in this sad world there are those unenlightened souls whose only pleasure in life is to wreck the magician’s performance. The will insist on loudly proclaiming that they know how the trick is done (they very rarely do) and that all magicians are fakes. The will insist on shuffling the pack at inopportune times, they will spot the palmed card in your hand and will brag that they once had a magic set.

There are three solutions to the above problem:-

1. Curl up and die (for the timid among you).
2. Punch your tormentor on the nose (for the not so timid among you).
3. Read on and peruse my advice.

Now let’s see. We do not recommend the first solution on the grounds of bad showmanship. Neither do we particularly get excited over the second option. It will distract from the performance and besides, our heckler friend (?) may be bigger than you.

That leaves us with the third solution. Read on, dear reader, read on.

You must first realise that you are there to entertain people, even the nasty heckler. Tempting though it is to retaliate and be rude right back it is wise not to lose your temper. If you are quick witted and have a little bit of cunning about you it is possible to turn the pest into an asset, or at least quieten him down.

If, on the other hand, you try to answer him back the performance could easily deteriorate into a slanging match which is not quite what you originally intended. Besides, the more you argue the more he’ll persist in wrecking the show. You will also find that by resisting him you may alienate the rest of the audience because you are attacking one of their number. We find that people are perverse and although some of the spectators will be annoyed by the pest, others for some psychological reason will tend to side with him, especially if he is not TOO obnoxious. This is probably because people have a subconscious resentment against being fooled. They feel somehow inferior to this sharp trickster who is deceiving them so convincingly and they react with delight when the clever so and so runs into trouble. This being so, they may identify with the heckler especially if the magician has a smart alec see-how-clever-I-am air about him.

One other reason not to trade words with the bore is that if destroys what actors call the “suspension of disbelief”. To explain this, when you watch a movie or theatre play you are absorbed completely; you know in your heart of hearts that the actors are only playing a part, that what is going on is not real, but for the moment while you are watching you SUSPEND your disbelief momentarily reveling in the illusion that everything is really happening. However, if a piece of scenery drops backstage or the movie projector breaks down you are quickly brought back to reality and the “suspension of disbelieve” starts to disintegrate. Similarly with our magician; he creates the illusion that what he does is magic; of course, at the back of their minds the spectators (unless they are extremely gullible) know that it is not magic, but for the moment while they are enjoying the performance they are willing to “suspend disbelief”. However, let the performer start arguing with the heckler or tell him to shut up and the whole process will disintegrate very rapidly. Our magician is no longer superman; he actually does mundane things like get annoyed. This maker of miracles is just an ordinary mortal after all,-well, what an anti-climax! Our hero who was dazzling everyone a moment ago with feats of astonishment now shows himself to be just a normal human being who demeans himself by arguing with the lower orders. After all, if he was a real magician, he wouldn’t waste time in conversation-he would simply make the heckler disappear!

No, answering back is not the solution to our problem. A better plan is to try and be nice to the nuisance. This will take the wind out of his sails and might make him feel guilty! Of course you might say, “Love thine enemy” is easier said than done. Well, persevere, persevere. Try and get on his side, even flatter him a tiny bit. You can even let him bully you a little for you have a trump card. We’ll tell you about it soon.

Here’s more advice: try and make capital out of the situation, look for some amusing remark that won’t give offence (do NOT say, “We all make mistakes, your mother made one”) humour him, laugh with him and try to turn things to your advantage. Oh, and don’t worry-we have a trump card. Patience, patience-I’ll tell you about it eventually.

More advice: if he says, I know how that’s done!” you reply, “That’s strange, I know how it’s done too!” If he then tells everyone the secret and he is right you deflate him by asking, “What do you want, --magic?” If his antics become TOO irritating I suggest you threaten to turn him into a frog. NO doubt this will make him quail with fear and he will immediately go as quiet as a mouse and treat you with the respect you deserve. If for some reason even this maser stroke doesn’t completely succeed, well, you have the trump card to fall back on. All right, all right. We’re coming to it, I promise. But first, a little more advice on this subject.

Probably the best protection against the heckler is your own competence. After all, if you do your stuff well there is less opportunity for interruption. If you perform fluently and as if you know what you are doing it will tend to dissuade the pest from tormenting you. Everyone likes to watch a master at work, even the heckler. If you are exciting and entertaining this will often be enough to quell mutinous spectators. On the other hand, if you are ill at ease and awkward, not only will you cause the audience to experience the same feelings, you will be inviting trouble, as sure as the sun rises in the east. Your attitude is all-important; if you are humble you will tend to make people like you, and the more people like you the less heckling you will experience. Conversely, if you are arrogant and superior when you work, you will attract confrontation like a magnet, and well you will deserve it. Contrary to what you might expect, a little heckling is good for you. It keeps you alert, on your toes and teaches you not to be too complacent. It will encourage you to practice; when the loudmouth says, “I saw you switch that card!” he’s actually doing you a favour. Maybe you’ll practice so hard that next time he won’t see you switch it.

Oh, I completely forgot-the trump card! Well, dear reader, it’s called a SUCKER TRICK. There are a number of them in this book and using any one of them at the right time is the surest way not only to deflate your tormentor but often to make him your biggest booster. These are tricks which look as if they’ve gone badly wrong, but at the last minute the poor magician extricates himself from his dilemna, and turns the table son everybody by amazing them after all! This type of trick is especially effective for hecklers because they fall into a trap; at first they are delighted that the magician has had his comeuppance, they are flushed with triumph and often loudly mock the performer for his incompetence. However, when suddenly everything turns out right in the end, the gales of laughter from the crowd are usually directed against the heckler who then after his initial surprise and embarrassment, usually admits defeat and nurses his bruised ego by strangely praising you to the skies and becoming one of your biggest fans. In my experience, I have often found these former opponents have spread my reputation far and wide, they get their feelings of importance now, not by heckling but by bragging that they know me, and most incredible of all, get loudly indignant if anyone else dares to heckle me if they happen to be watching!

That’s my advice on hecklers; it’s taken up more space than I intended but I think it’s useful advice since beginners probably get more heckling, especially from family and friends than anyone else.

One word of warning, though. If you should happen to see a professional magician deal with hecklers you may be confused since he will probably use a different approach to the one outlined above. He may utilize what are known the trade as “heckler stoppers”, that is one-line gags, usually derogatory and personal that attack the heckler. Well, don’t feel confused; these people work under different conditions to you. They often perform in sleazy places, to inebriated audiences and they have to keep the pace of their act going without wasting too much time on the perpetrators of drunken interruptions. And they have one big advantage you don’t have-a microphone. No heckler can compete against a microphone-his insults are heard indistinctly whereas the performer’s remarks cutting him to ribbons come out crystal clear.

As I said before, this advice is not for the professional magician. If you perform close up intimate card magic in social and business situations, all you need to know about handling hecklers is the information I’ve given you and the knowledge you’ll get from experience.

I would just like to add that if you are being paid to perform at a function and the guests or guest percieves that you are being rude, it is the fastest way to loose future bookings.

I know a very popular magician who not only lost a job at a comedy club he had trouble getting booked into more because word spread. He was on stage performing magic and there was some drunk in the audience being a real pest. The magician finally lost his cool and dealt with the situation by asking him onstage to see if he could do any better. Of course the heckler said no, that is your job not mine, and got seriously pi**ed off. When the magician left the stage the manager was there to escort him out the door and told him never to return. It turns out that the heckler is quite wealthy and shows up at the club on a weekly basis bringing quite a few people with him, and he drops quite a bit of money each time. The heckler went to the club manager and complained about the magician. The magician lost. There are tons of entertainers out there. Not enough 'whales'. The 'whales' will always win.

Again how you handle this comes down to your personality and experience. You really did not handle this too badly it certainly could have gone a heck of a lot worse. At least you got out there and did it, and handled it with a certain amount of grace. Overall sounds like you did a good job given your experience.

Also most walk around magic is designed so angles are not an issue. I'd suggest books like the Magic Menu to get a feel for working walk around or restaurant situations.

Mr Lewis is right, I think (!). The reason that the bad spec can spot your angly tricks is because you made a little slip. You'll probably find that all the others saw the same slip but they are too polite to mention. Watch a magician working a room, say at a trade show. Watch while they perform for others or you and more often than not, you'll occasionally see a flash. What do you do? Ignore it? Pretend it didn't happen? A polite "I think I saw you lift two cards and a flash when you palmed the top card"? I'm not sure which is the best form, but in a funny way it probably makes one a stronger performer.

I'm just going to say that this is a one off. My performances are as perfect as they can be through many many gigs and time spent learning and practicing. The gentleman I talked about just wanted to be the guy to de-bunk the magician and so was spying on me from a little way away, then he comes over to ruin everyone elses fun. I just brought this topic up to blow off some steam, not to ask for pointers. I know how I handle people like that and do so very well. I find it funny to that people can give some detailed analasis of other peoples work without actually seeing them do it too. Just a thought.

hds02115 wrote:I'm just going to say that this is a one off. My performances are as perfect as they can be through many many gigs and time spent learning and practicing. The gentleman I talked about just wanted to be the guy to de-bunk the magician and so was spying on me from a little way away, then he comes over to ruin everyone elses fun. I just brought this topic up to blow off some steam, not to ask for pointers. I know how I handle people like that and do so very well. I find it funny to that people can give some detailed analasis of other peoples work without actually seeing them do it too. Just a thought.

Just a thought, this is an excellent post and people are going to comment. And while you may know what you are doing and was just blowing off steam, others may not, and others may read some of this and get a pointer or two. It is was these message boards are all about.

I'm also really glad to hear that your performances are as perfect as they can be. Interesting sentance, and statement.

I would like to echo bmat's post. Could not have said it better.

I know, I guess I am taking some of the posts a little personally, but it does seem that although people may be giving thier input as to how to deal with these situations, I am finding that they are making it seem like "Your mistake was..." when of course, they only have what I said to go on and nothing else. Were they there? I do like what people are saying, they are clearly some great pieces of advice I just wish people would not assume that I am a bad performer and aim their comments at what seems to be me.

As for my comment on my performances being as perfect as they can be, I say that because there is always room for improvement, but as it stands, they get great reactions, are always well performed and so on. I would have though it would have painted a target on my back if I'd just said that they were perfect. Seems people just like to pick up on everything, wow.

My post was made to HELP you and others. If you do not need the help and you are happy with the way things are going then just ignore me. The more astute among you may see the wisdom in what I said. I wrote it before you were even born and I still believe it now. If you had read it when you were just starting magic it may have been of use to you. It is not too late even now.

Nobody said you were a bad peformer. Nobody said you didn't get "great reactions" or not "always well performed". Perhaps this is true or perhaps it is not. As you say, we weren't there. It is of no concern to me one way or the other. My concern was to show you how to deal with hecklers. I do not believe in confrontation. That is the easy and natural way of dealing with these matters. It is also the wrong way. My way takes a bit more skill but it is the better way. I suggest you put your hurt feelings aside and try it my way in the future. It is based on decades of experience.

And actually I didn't have to be there to help you with this matter. I have already been there. Hundreds of times.

Mark, may I just ask for clarification on one point, please?

Which do you think is better for the purposes of the technique you outlined: a sucker trick or a trick with a "magician in trouble" plot?

They can be similar in operation, but I think they play slightly differently (indeed in some cases the only difference is how you present them). My feeling is that the latter fits better with the aim you state, while an overt sucker trick might annoy the heckler even more.

I don't know what the difference is. All my sucker tricks are "magician in trouble" things.