talkmagic.co.uk

Just an idle thought, but having seen them 'use' this card again on last week's Friday Night With Jonathon Ross, same as they used it for the same reveal with Dawn French back in the day, or with the special newsreader video clip also on their 'Unpleasant World' show, is it wise that they repeatedly f**** the same card over and over?

It's become a sort of in-joke in itself, a kind of knowing wink when the unsuspecting punter picks the three of clubs... that let's us know how the trick has been set up, maybe so we focus more on the reveal? Or to fool us when they f**** a different card to the one we are familiar with...?

Do you think they overuse this card? It's obviously deliberate, but unlikely the average layman is likely to twig that it's the same card they've been using since the mid-90s, or earlier...

Any thoughts?

From what I know, it is like you said, a sort of in-joke that they always pick the three of clubs. Penn Radio mentions it a few times, or did, while it was still on.

I'm sure I read somewhere that they thought a 3 spot card was the most identifiable on TV many years ago.

And there goes my knowledge base...

I thought it stemmed from Penn considering himself a juggler first, a magician second.

He claims its because its easier to spot on TV.

Personally I think its just a nice gimmick.

It's my standard force card too. They ripped me off!!!

I think it's probably something to do with visibility also. Bob Cassidy makes reference in his video MENTAL MIRACLES to the "old time card guys" knowing that people can see a spade 3 spot at the back of the room when using regular cards (not jumbo, low vision or jumbo face)

TI

IO spotted they used the same card when I watched Unpleasant World aged about 10. I'm quite chuffed I realised at that age. It's a nice nod to magicians I think but I do like the juggling reference too.

Penn and Teller even have a tombstone in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, with the Three of Clubs on it:

gunnarkr wrote:Penn and Teller even have a tombstone in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, with the Three of Clubs on it:

Epic.

There's an episode on Bullsh*t where they give you directions to said tombstone and teach you how to do a simple force, to scare your mates

Some laypeople probably know he does a force. But they don't know how he does a force, which is the most important bit (apart from naff ones like the cross force and "sneak it on top of the pile while he's not looking"

kolm wrote:(apart from naff ones like the cross force "

Oiii!!! Don't knock the cross force!! That's got me out of a hole more than once, I can tell you!!

Klangster1971 wrote:Oiii!!! Don't knock the cross force!! That's got me out of a hole more than once, I can tell you!!

Me too

And me!