I agree with not doing something that you will get caught with. I garentee you that he wasn't the only one who knew how it was done, just the only who wasn't just going to be nice about it.

But I disagree about doing something that no one's seen before. I just don't do anything done on a TV special. Magician's might think that over done effects should not be performed, but it is really only other magicians who don't really like it. Most over done effects are "over done" because they are so effective or commercial. Effects that you perform should not be chosen on other magicians opinions of the effect, but instead the opinions of the spectators.
I think that there is no such thing as an over done trick to laymen, so there is nothing wrong with them.

As for the hecklers, you should try to play off them, add to a joke they make ect. Do not make fun of them or embarrass them, because they will just continue. You will be getting into a verbal fight with them and the rest of the spectators will not enjoy themselves.

Unless they are some punk magician, they should not be knowing how your tricks are done and be telling people. I chose better effects and practice them until they wont be able to know how it is done. If you make a mistake once and they say something, in my opinion, you should just ignore it and continue with a surefire effect. You should definitely not be making more than one big mistake for each persormance. You should actually not be making any.

Hecklers should be a sign to practice.

I agree, but with a couple of minor alterations.

If a layman is heckling you because they spotted how you did an effect, you should get more practice. You shouldn't think of going anywhere near a stage until you can do your effects in your sleep.

On the other hand, I've had hecklers who just want some attention, think magic is stupid, drunk, trying to be mister big shot etc.

My favourite 3 ways to deal with hecklers are:

1) Say "Eat [edited]!" and get back to your routine. This only works if you have a lot of humor in your routine, people are used to laughing, and it's delivered before the heckler has got his first three words out. People are slightly shocked, and start laughing, on your side, against the heckler. A lot of the time, the heckler starts laughing as well, it's unexpected, and people are used to entertainers having to be super nice to everyone.

If you use this, pick your venues carefully! This will not go down well in an over 70's church meeting!

2) Cut off the heckler and say "Don't tell me how to do my job! Do I come to your job and tell you how to sweep up/clean toilets/flip burgers?"

3) "You know how this is done? Really? <Sound excited> What's your name? Ok <name>, Ladies and gentlement, please welcome <name> to the stage, He's going to show you all how this is done!"

Sit down and wait. If the heckler stays in his seat, Act dissapointed and go back into your act. If the heckler gets up, let him get on with it. If they don't know any magic, they make a fool of themselves. If they do and actually repeat the trick, clap yourself, get them a round of applause, and send them back to your seat.


I've read a lot of impractical advice on this thread. You have to remember that 99% of hecklers want you to fail, want to make a fool of you, and would consider it a great victory for you to walk off stage. Whatever way you deal with hecklers, you have to be quick, and stop them as soon as possible.

Yeah, like accidently sawing that heckler in half! lol hehe, My evil plan with magic, hehe.

I performed the ash trick similar to what david blaine does where he reveals the hidden message on his arm....anyway....I was performing for a group of about 4 people at a get together, one of those people was my mom's loser boyfriend who said something to the effect of, "yeah, you know that's possible to do."...of course what he meant was "oh anyone can do that", and so I just responded with, "yes, it is possible, and I just did it very well." Swift comments like that help, and if you say them in a tone that doesn't sound threatning you might even get a laugh out of it. If you just forget about it after that and move on, they probably won't say anything else cuz you've singled them out already.

Or what you can do is drag them into the effect and do some ACR routein and humilate them not to the point of other people laughing at them just to the point that they dont know what to say and then they will leave you alone hopefully for the rest of your performance. Or when doing liquid metal you caan just do the Fork U Fork that will make them be quiet.

Scott Romansky

ok, im sorry, but WHATS WITH THE ESSAYS!? its taken me a good half an hour to read a couple threads. Its just really annoying. Most people make the point in the FIRST ESSAY on the thread. If you read the whole thread, then just agree with someone...... sorry about the lenght ......

Hey...I am from Mexico, but perform regulary in Germany...I have some advice for those who want to take it, concerning hecklers...

I think these persons react to the way you introduce your self, and your magic...If you walk into a group in a restaurant or in the street like the only owner of the powers of god...you will have hecklers eventually...

People obiously dont want to be fooled, they want to be entertained...if you are not able to be a magician without making people feel that they are being fooled, then you are not a magician at all...you know some tricks, but dont have control of the people, and their reactions...

Try it, dont show of...entertain, have fun.

Pretty good thought on hecklers. Here's what i do. I always carry a butterfly knife everywhere i go, of course there are some places i don't. i do a simple as edited card stab. but before i bring out the prop, I produce it like a pen at the finger tips then as i talk i do some knife flourishes. i can do some pretty good ones, been do them since i was small, it's in my blood i'm part filipino anyway that shuts people up. i'm not saying that you have to bring out something you're going to use on them. it's another prop you have that you have skill with. it gets them thinking if he can do those card tricks and those fancy flourishes, I'M THE GUY IN THE XTREME CUTS DVD, IF YOU HAVEN'T BOUGHT IT, EMAIL ME I CAN HOOK YOU UP WITH A GREAT PRICE, AND I'LL SIGN IT. and he can do that with the knife, what else can he do? maybe kick my @$$ if i don't shut up.

if that doesn't work,
WHAT THE THE 5 FINGERS SAY THE FACE..........
finish it for me people
K

SLAP!!!!!!!!!!

whoa, it's actually keon. madness.