Okay so I am working on my close-up mentalism show and would kind of like to poke a little fun at fraudulent mediums. I don't really want to do it with the same kind of "indignation" that is commonly used by past and present magicians and mentalists. I figure that angle has pretty much been covered by Houdini, Penn and Teller, James Randi, Derren Brown, and the list goes on... So I thought that instead of just outright complaining about those methods I would demonstrate how ridiculous it all is by demonstrating it in the framework of being a "Pet Medium." Bringing messages from past pets. I'm kind of torn though. While most people will be able to look back fondly on a dead pet some may bit sensitive. My mom still gets teary when she talks about her old dog Sam....

So just looking for some feedback. Living and dead tests are kind of touchy subjects. I want to make it a bit lighter with using pets but some people love their pets more than their spouses! LOL

One idea would be to poke fun at a career beig dead (Milli Vanilli or other one hit wonder). Or maybe use public figures and have it be someone like King Tut or Caesar or someone obviously out of place with the others rather than living and dead.

-JT

That's not a bad idea....I think I might just give the dead pet test a whirl and see how it plays. If it flies like a led zeplin then I'll have my answer! lol

I would NOT go with the dead pet angle. Many people are more sensitive about their pets than other people.

I like the "dead career" better. More room for comedy without offending.

That is definitely true and the exact reason that I called for some thoughts. One thing that I hate to give up on are the potential comedy with "cold reading" about pets. Cats and dogs have certain traits that all pet lovers tend to know and laugh about. Like the fact that if I say, "oh...he can be aloof at times" in reference to a cat. All cats, even the friendliest cat, can be aloof. Of if talking about a dog I say, "he can be very loyal." Again, all dogs, even the meanest, tend to be loyal to their owners. Or if I say, "I sense he was furry," ...Duh! So there is so much more potential comedy doing pets than a dead career. Not that their isn't potential comedy in the dead career of Millie Vanilli but pets have a much broader appeal and there is more of a chance that the audience will "get the joke."

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate your thoughts, that's why I asked for them, and I know this is sounding like a guy who already had his answer, but I guess I just need to articulate this to myself. The thing is that I know it is a big risk, any living and dead test is, so I am just trying to decide if it can be done without being too offensive. So I am weighing, broad appeal, lots of room for comedy, big chance of offending someone if I script it wrong vs. smaller appeal, chance of no laughs, small chance of offending someone. You see the dilemma, lay down the bunt just to get on base or swing for the fences?