Comments on: The Transition

By: Jeff Stone

Jeff Stone — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:51:01 +0000

@OZ – No need to apologize. I’m actually glad you pointed that out brother. Actually, that’s not “busting my chops” by any means. That’s actually darn good feedback that I’ll actually take to heart – sorry . . . couldn’t resist.

By: OldZombie

OldZombie — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:06:57 +0000

Once I showed my wife something or other I was working on, I got done, waiting for her reaction/feedback (she is very honest and my 2nd toughest critic after me of course) and she said “you said ‘actually’ about eight times in three sentences” I was floored. I didn’t remember saying it, but if she said I did, I did. Actually became my forbidden word. I began to hear other magician say it, and most of the time when It wasn’t needed. I will use an example from the article (Sorry Jeff, not busting your chops this just made me think of it)

“I’ll bet that you didn’t know that a deck of cards can actually predict the future. I actually have a psychic deck of cards. Here I’ll show you.”

Since my new found adversion to ‘actually’ I would restructure that line to;

“I’ll bet that you didn’t know that a deck of cards can predict the future. In fact, have a psychic deck of cards. Here I’ll show you.”

You may say that ‘in fact’ and ‘actually’ mean the same thing, and they do, but I think this sounds so much better. Keep your ears open for ‘the A word’ I bet you hear it a lot more than you think.

By: zdm

zdm — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:18:42 +0000

I think one advantage of Blaine and Angel is they do street magic. It is not a job to get pay, so it looks very cool and fresh. But a magician peroform to get paid. The audience already ready for them. No surperise, no fresh. Not as cool and mystery as Blaine and Angel.

By: Jeff Stone

Jeff Stone — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:39:08 +0000

My experience is that there is nothing more irritating than being in a conversation where the other person, literally, acts as though you are not in the room.

That drives me crazy. This happens all the time when where people block a door way or a hallway just standing there chatting, not even capable of grasping the concept that someone else might need to walk through a door way!

It’s the same in communication. Acknowledge the spectator. Interact with him/her. Who wants to be alone in a room full of people!?

By: Steven Dickinson

Steven Dickinson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:18:13 +0000

Oh, those are good and I’m writing them down right now… 😛

By: Jeff Stone

Jeff Stone — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:20:53 +0000

Thanks man. Yeah I REALLY hate it when I see magicians all telling the same lame jokes:

* No not that hand, the clean hand . . . oh that was the clean hand

* Wanna change your mind? Keep the mind you have?

* Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop it for the love of Pete!

By: Steven Dickinson

Steven Dickinson — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:06:06 +0000

I recently saw a local magician for the first time and heard some of the same jokes I’ve heard from other performers. The problem was the timing was awful.

My eyes were open to how much I really need to rework my program and personalize it even more. I never really put any thought to what I am saying between the tricks. The way you have written it the show should flow like water being poured out.

Great job Jeff. Thanks.