THIS IS THE BEST!.....
I will be forever thankful...you always have to be prepared for the hecklers and I think I just read the best. I can see this working everytime!
Thanks....
"I will master this or drown trying!"

I just simply say,"o really"and float a dollar or bite a quarter at the same time.

all i say is "How do you know?"

He's problably just jeolus or doesn't understand how you do it.

ok well these replies go well for someone who says "there's no such thing as magic" ( especially Stimpy1967 & AlanMunro's answers ), and my response would probably be something like "yeah that's right - keep telling yourself that!"... or words to those effect.
But what if someone says "you're not a real magician"?
Not because you screwed up on a trick, but because you've started magic a bit later on than most magicians (in my case I'm in my 20's but I only got into magic about 6 months ago), and the people that you perform for - whether it be friends, family, collegues or whatever - have known you for a long time and as far as they can recall you've never given the slightest implication that you could be a magician. Then all of a sudden you ask to borrow a coin and do a trick - and as impressive as it may be, someone says "yeah cool, but there's gotta be a trick to it 'cause you're not a magician". ( )

What do I do?
Do I keep performing to prove them wrong, do I give some patter explaining how I got this new "ability", do I not perform in front of them anymore...
Because it's hard to build a reputation in magic if some people just won't be open minded about it, not because they're hecklers - but because they've known you as a laymen for so long.

(btw, I'm posting this here so as not to get flamed for creating another thread)

Where are you performing? If you're not performing in a venue of seriousness than you might not be taken seriously, as in, if you're "Blaining" you can't expect to be taken too seriously. Also there is a difference between a magician and a guy who does tricks, maybe you're just not there yet, in time you will get better and grow as a magician. In the mean time I find it's best to video tape myself performing and watch/rewatch myself over and over again, taking notes of little flaws and imperfections. When performing for friends, it takes a little while for people you've known to come around and treat you like a professional, usually they have to understand that either magic is a large part of your life, or sometimes it takes seeing you perform for lay people in professional performing situation.

do I give some patter explaining how I got this new "ability",

That question bothers me a little bit, it implies you're suggesting that have abilities or that your patter or performance style involves you having powers of some sort. If that's the situation, I'd understand why your friends won't take you too seriously, than again, I don't understand how any magician seriously claiming to have powers doesn't get laughed at constantly. I know plenty of lay people who enjoy watching Criss Angel for example, most enjoy the magic, but most also enjoy laughing at the notion that he has abilities (like he claims).

Overall I wish I could be more specific, so I tried to cover alot of bases, if you have any specific questions, feel free to pm me.

I didn't mean to imply that, I was just curious. I've never claimed to be a Harry Potter, and I'd understand why people would laugh at me if that were the case.
As Jay Sankey said: "there's a difference between a good actor and a liar!".
But imagine this situation...
standing around a bbq with the boys, all drinking and cracking jokes, then at one point in the night everyone seems to run out of things to say and there's a brief silence (not an awkward moment but there's the potential for boredom), so I seize the opportunity by asking if anyone would like to see something cool, and as they give the green light I proceed to ask a mate to pass me a beer can and another to lend me a coin, and after performing a flawless Sinful and let their reactions sink in - one guy will say (in an almost belittling tone) "you must've had it in your mouth or something, I mean since when can you do stuff like that?"... totally killing my buzz and ruining any chance of me doing another trick.

That's what I'm trying to say - even though I understand where this guy is coming from, how do I convince this type of person (who in this case has known me for about 18 years) to accept that magic is now a part of my life?


ps. Magicdude, I've sent you a PM - thanks

Spec: How did you do that?

Magician: Magic.

Spec: Do you really expect me to believe that you {whatever you did}, and there was no trick to it?

Magician: It'd be nice.

OR

Spec: There's no such thing as magic.

Magician: That's what they tell me.

Magic is about developing your potential, your ability, and discovering in yourself what you can accomplish.

This is what I believe AND what I reply to those hecklers.

Can I float an elephant? Not yet...... I'm working on that.
I usually let my specs (friends, family) witness me perform a purposeful FAILED attempt at a coin vanish or something, every now and again. They see what I'm doing at the kitchen table, bar, while watching tv and they ask..."What are you doing??". So I tell them... I'm trying to make this coin disappear. I attempt (ACT) for 5 or 10 seconds then stop and put it away. Do this every now and again, using a vanish or twirling a cig or something. Don't make failed attempts too often or they'll just loose all hope with your magical ability. Just every now and again. Then, when you're at that party, gathering, BBQ, whatever, you can pull out the coin and vanish it on command, float a bill, etc. They will see a real progression in your abilities and "believe" that you did it, even applaud you for your accomplishment. This also gives a great OUT for those who say "Do that floating dollar bill thing", and you're not prepared, I say, 'Wait, I've been working on something else, let me show you...
and go from there.
I find that my family and friends are very supportive and almost always amazed and very encouraging. They say "Wow, that was cool... can you do that with a pack of smokes, try to ______________ that would be awesome too". I say "sounds interesting, good idea I'll work on that...lemme show you something else I've been working on...pick a card"
Or they say "It's not real magic.. how'd you do that..." I say "Practice.... lots of practice" and they know its true.
Hecklers don't stand a chance, and just make themselves look foolish, when other specs there know that sooner or later, you ALWAYS accomplish your magical feat, like you've done so many times before.
Set their expectations, then Magically exceed them.... its sure to get a WOW everytime.....and THAT IS real magic.

They say "Magic aint real!"
I say"Geesh, now your gonna tell me that there isnt a Santa, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy."

Or, "It's not? Whats your favorite movie?"
get response and then whisper loud enough for everyone to hear "Ya know what, those characters in that movie were fake too!"

I just simply say; "that's alright, magic doesn't believe in you either" and then go on with the performance.

If they insist there's no such thing as magic, just stop performing for them, they like your magic deep inside, but they just don't want anyone to know they can't figure it out.

I can guarantee that most people who claim that magic isn't real would not have the same feelings about movie trickery. Why is this? That's something for you all to think about.

spectator - theres no such thing as magic
magician - watch this and tell me if ive changed your mind

Hecker: There is no such thing as magic...

Me: My dear child that is why you are so nieve... you live in a sane world, just remember that sanity is the playground for the unimaginitive, and that is why you dont believe in my magic, because you cant think out of the box.