Amazing March 29, 2010
Posted by Michael in News.trackback
Retired Geezer sent me this video. Stick with it — this guy gets really incredible at the end.
RG says: “I have worked hundreds of Magic Acts from Penn and Teller to Copperfield. I have absolutely no clue how this is done.”
Me neither. You figure it out.
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Those are cool. First trick is easy, though. Watch how he “picks up” the coin. I find prestidigitation fascinating. Even if I get the trick, I am not dexterous enough to pull it off. That, and it’s also about selling the trick.
There is an arm-thick hole in the glass, but the front pane rotates around the table (and under the other panes, or at least the two on either side of it), which is why there are no objects on the front pane.
I can’t catch the first part of the rotation (because the camera zooms in on the assistant’s hand under the table), but by 4:45 he has his left hand over the hole. Around 5:20, the camera gets low so you can’t see it, and he slides his left hand over, pulling the rotating glass with it.
T o move it back, the camera gets low again. But this time it’s a little different. At around 6:17, his hand is out, and he uses his two hands together to slide it back to his left. He makes it look like he’s still trying to get his hand all the way out.
Actually, it looks more like it’s the guy in gray directly behind him who rotates the glass back after the trick. He’s just blocking the hole with his arm.
Watching on camera makes assessment tough. Dude’s entertaining.
Still remember watching a magician performing in our junior high. Sitting close and to one side made figuring out his tricks eazy-peazy.
Few years ago, Michael and I enjoyed a comedian/magician who performed at our table at a New Year’s party at our club. He was good, funny, and CHARMING!!!
I think Joe is on to something.
Close-up magic is really cool.
One of the best is a guy named Johnny Thompson, otherwise known as The Great Tomsoni. He is an old-school magician who is very well liked and respected in the magic circles. He and his wife, Pam, were in my show at Bally’s (Jubilee).
He would go through the lightbooth every night on his way to the stage. If I had guests with me, I would ask him to show them a trick. He was always happy to comply.
Magnets
Ball bearings. It’s all ball bearings nowadays.
Magic goats.
A force field is being activated and deactivated from the mother ship. Duh.
You guys are all wrong.
It’s magic. Duh.
It looks like Joe is right. As soon as his hand is all the way out, the guy in gray moves his hands like he is going to rotate the table back.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Mirrors, people.
There’s a comedian called The Amazing Jonathan whose schtick is that he’s a really bad magician. He does an act where he performs various magic tricks incompetently. It sounds stupid, but it’s actually pretty funny. I’ve seen him on TV a couple times.
I only know a little Mandarin so I might be wrong, but I’m pretty sure they’re explaining how the economy of China works.
MRS. PEEL!!!!
*Michael grabs Mrs. Peel, puts her in a headlock and gives her a noogie, burps in her face, and otherwise displays affection*
How ya doin’, Mrs. Peel?
I got a driver’s license today from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Complete with motorcycle endorsement.
It was a nerve-wracking experience, because I did not really know if I could pass the eye test without glasses. I passed. Just barely.
Awesome. Remind me to stay the hell away from you when you’re driving.
Just memorize the eye chart Michael, they probably only use one. That’s how it used to be here in CT and my blind brother passed easily each and every year.
My eyes are perfect. I can read the bottom line on the eye chart.
The one that says, “American Eye Chart Co. Cleveland, Oh.”
>> Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
In the engineering business, we always say:
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo”.
^HAH!! That quote was on the back of yesterday’s “Dilbert a Day” calendar strip dan-o!
Gentlemen! Gentlemen! You know we have to get the Masked Magician on the case.
you can see the strings, people!
“I have absolutely no clue how this is done.”
It’s pretty simple, really. They make the gibberish-sounds look like they’re using real words because all the supposed bystanders are actually in on it, playing along and pretending they understand.
SOBEK!!!! Woo-hoo!
Miss you, fella!
Hi Cathy. Hope all is well down in Texas land. And give me the heads up before your state secedes from the Union, so I can come join you.
Sobek: Beat the rush, and get down here before they close the borders.
Your explanation of the trick, by the way, strikes me as the most plausible.