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I've been wondering for a long time if a trick involving stooges is really magic at all. I know this forum is big on saying any camera trickery isn't magic, so I'm curious if you consider the use of stooges to be magic or not. On one had there's nothing magical about reading someone's mind if you've planned the whole thing out, but the audience will never know any better and they'll still get their enjoyment out of it, and isn't that what magic's about - the spectator's enjoyment? So which is it? Are stooges magic or not?

JAlexBrown

Anything used in moderation and in a manner that is practical which enhances the entertainment pleasure of our audience is "legit". Catch is, not everything some summarize (assume) as being done with a "stooge" works in said manner.

Sure, if I'm doing the DeKolta chair in a stage show I must employ a stooge on the other hand, I do have a Vanishing Lady routine that uses a real audience helper that is absolutely not "in" on how things work... she still vanishes and returns (ok I should say that these are things I did long ago, when I worked grand illusion, not material I do today).

When it comes to Mentalism, which is more main area of work now days, I loathe and do not encourage the use of the "Instant Stooge" methods popularized by Dunninger and others of his day. I feel such tactics are akin to exposure and cheapens both, the performer as well as our craft.

The reality of it all is simple however... there's far too much out there that we can do WITHOUT ever needing to depend upon an audience plant, so why worry about it?

as long as you're not performing the trick on the stooge, I think's its ok. Its fun to do some mentalism with them

I'm going to use someone to flip half the deck while i've got my eyes shut for a triumph effect next weekend (party). although he will be a stooge because people will think i don't know what he's done, that's his only involvement in it. I think it'll work well.

chryles wrote:I'm going to use someone to flip half the deck while I've got my eyes shut for a triumph effect next weekend (party). although he will be a stooge because people will think I don't know what he's done, that's his only involvement in it. I think it'll work well.

Why?

I have never used stooges before and never felt the need to. The only thing on similar lines I am considering doing it a two person telepathy act which technically isn't a stooge (as in someone pretending to be a complete stranger) but a two performer routine.

Craig Browning wrote:

chryles wrote:I'm going to use someone to flip half the deck while I've got my eyes shut for a triumph effect next weekend (party). although he will be a stooge because people will think I don't know what he's done, that's his only involvement in it. I think it'll work well.

Why?

it's the triumph story happening in front of them rather than just being a story. i think it would work well as a sucker way of doing triumph, everyone will think a simple pick a card trick has been messed up, then i magically sort it out. also a few of the guests have seen me do triumph before.

Strange isn't it? If a magish uses a confederate in the audience, it's called a stooge and usually frowned on. If same magish uses a lovely assistant in skimpy garments to assist with the funny biz, it's considered quite normal .

Magic is the experience not the method.

I agree with Bananafish but stooges are a methodology in which great care should be used since there are some practical disadvantages using them. The use of a secret confedarate can be very effective if done right but it is a very dangerous method and I believe it should be used sparingly.

I will even use one myself on occasion but the technique has it's hazards. If the audience has the slightest suspicion that you are using a stooge the whole act will go down the tube and there is no recovery. Sometimes stooges overact and audiences sus them out. Sometimes audiences sus out the stooges even when they don't overact since audiences can be quite intelligent animals. Perhaps the trick is too impossible and a stooge is the obvious solution.

One major disadvantage is that stooges talk over a period. They will recount their secret help as an anecdote to people and this doesn't do you any good at all.

Using stooges is a judgement call. Some great results can be achieved with such but be very careful indeed. Sparingly does it in my opinion.