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My Friend George by Kevin Bethea (Instant Download)


A polished masterpiece, this may be the best transformation of one-dollar into one-hundred. The most surprising part? No apparatus needed! START LEARNING INSTANTLY.
Price: $9.95

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"If the devil is in the details this is satanic." - Eric Jones

"My friend George is my go to bill change. It’s smooth, it’s magic and pure poetry in motion! Learn it." - Michael Kaminskas

"Superb handling and I love the poem. You've added a lot of finesse that make this version so worthwhile, learning and performing." - Marc DeSouza

"MY FRIEND GEORGE is simply brilliant. The effect is clear, the method efficient, the teaching concise and easy to understand. Nothing is held back. The bonus here is that Kevin shares the whys and wherefores of his approach. A rare peek inside the mind of a full time pro and his very smart decisions. Very highly recommended." - Darryl V Harris

"I have seen many versions of the bill switch and Kevin's is by far the best I have seen, Ever. I am completely fooled by the change and after watching it numerous times I still have no idea." - Dan Fleshman

"I have know Kevin for years. He is Full-Time Pro and a student of magic. He will constantly go back to re-examine the "Classics in Magic". MY FRIEND GEORGE is his handling of the decades old classic $100 Bill Change and has elevated it to a performance piece. It is not often when a working Pro gives up a piece of his working material. Kevin does just that. He doesn't hold back and gives you the details and his thought processes that you will need to add this routine to your performing repertoire." - Eric Dockery

"WOW.....WTF....that is just drop the wand AWESOME !!!!! I want to be able to do that.....if I was going to do one trick....that would be it!!!!!" - Mark Saenger

The $100 Bill Switch is a standard for restaurant and close up workers all over the world. To be able to fold up a one-dollar bill, and with no cover unfold it into a $100 bill is to be able to gain instant attention from almost any audience. Kevin Bethea’s handling of this beautiful mystery is a sight to behold, and now he’s sharing his unique handling, My Friend George, with the magic community for the first time. This is a no thumb tip bill switch that happens right at the fingertips. This is My Friend George.

Kevin’s unique approach to the $100 Bill Switch is sure to teach you something new even if you already know the basic secret. Kevin uses no thumb tip, and has developed some special moves that allow you to show both hands empty and both sides of the bill. This handling is squeaky clean. With a tutorial clocking in at just over 30 minutes in length, Kevin goes into expert detail including step by step performer’s view of the switch so you can follow along at home. Plus, Kevin teaches a variety of ways to both clean up, and set up for the bill change so your hands can be shown empty before, during, and after the effect. My Friend George is a masterclass in bill switches.

As a bonus, Kevin also includes his presentation. The My Friend George poem that Kevin uses eliminates the need to borrow a bill and justifies transforming a $100 back into a $1 while still getting you all of the applause. You will learn sleights, psychology, and presentation along with one of the cleanest no thumb tip handlings available to magicians today. Discover the magic of Kevin Bethea and My Friend George.

Nominee P3 Download of the Year Penguin Magic Awards 2020

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Customer Reviews (showing 1 - 10 of 46)
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Far Superior to the TT Version Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on February 7th, 2021
This method is so obvious in hindsight that I'm amazed nobody marketed it sooner. For me, it appears easier than the standard method, not harder, because now I only have one object to hide.

If you think about it, a TT doesn't really solve much. You still have to block and hide it from view, and when it is removed at certain phases of the standard method, you have TWO hidden objects in play. For me, that's an uncomfortable consideration. I find the TT slippery and awkward when removed, and I'm always worried about exposing it.

With Bethea's method, you're only ever hiding one object — and it's a very small one at that. The moves are orchestrated in such a way that, from the audience's point of view, the hands are unmistakably empty aside from the bill they can see — and what a relief to be able to REALLY show both hands without any real angle considerations. Any "covering" moves you must do are completely rational, and therefore psychologically invisible.

Bethea's method has the further advantage of being almost completely impromptu. If you left your TT at home, you're still good to go with no more preparation than is required to fold a bill and stick it into your preferred hold-out.

Finally, though I'm sure the TT is not as badly overexposed for this effect as it is for, say, the vanishing silk, there are still bound to be those who suspect it. This method completely takes care of that (rare) problem.



The first time I saw this effect performed was when I was a kid, and David Copperfield did it during one of his magic specials. Along with the rubber-band penetration melting a pencil through a dollar, and melting a cigarette through a quarter, the bill change was one of a quartet of close-up miracles performed by Copperfield that kept me up at night staring at the ceiling, even at the age of 10.

My pre-adolescent mind could imagine how a box might be tricked out in some special way to hide the lady, but I could not even CONCEIVE of how solid objects visually melted through each other, or how a one-dollar bill visually changed into a hundred IN NOTHING BUT COPPERFIELD'S BARE HANDS.

From the standpoint of the effect, this method creates an IDENTICAL impression to the one Copperfield made on me, except, in this case, the hands really are bare for all intents and purposes. Plus, as I said, it's actually easier to learn.

It's hard to beat that.
4 of 4 magicians found this helpful.
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Look Mom, No Thumbs! Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 28th, 2021
I love "My Friend George" by Kevin Bethea.
The handling is natural, having been perfected through years of doing it over and over.
I find it to be more deceptive than using a TT.
The video is well scripted and makes learning it very simple.

Not angle proof like most single bill switches, but master this and you will have a solid trick you can do anytime when you have 2 bills.

I am a fulltime strolling magician and pocket space is critical. With just two bills I can do this in most rooms ( you can do it 3/4 surrounded ) and is visual!

3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
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Very Clean Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 6th, 2020
This routine is very clean and made me want to do the bill switch again. The routine has all the great and clean moves. The best part, it does not require a thumb tip - Highly recommended.
3 of 4 magicians found this helpful.
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Worth it Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 8th, 2020
Totally worth $10. One of Magic’s greatest and most simple plots. More money from nowhere. The teaching (and video) is excellent and just enough. Some magicians love to hear their own voice and others don’t give enough important detail. This video is perfect. Kevin also seems like a really good guy. He gives it all away here. This one is a bargain at $10 if you want a good bill change. It’s like grad school for Kozlowski’s $100 bill change.
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
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Well done Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 6th, 2020
I used to do this all the time, years ago. Looks like I'm going to be doing it all the time again.

He covered it all, very well done!
3 of 5 magicians found this helpful.
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Easy, FUN, Complete! Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 6th, 2020
Kevin Bethea has crafted a poem to accompany a wonderful handling of the highly-popular bill switch. Everybody perks up when they see magic with dollar bills because the horrible cliché that coin tricks have become. Ask anybody about their worst nightmare and they'll probably mention Uncle Bob pulling a quarter out of their ear. You can change ALL OF THAT - in your favor, with "My friend George!" Buy it now and you'll feature it among your strolling, close-up or even your stage routine as soon as next week...even sooner if you can memorize the poem that fast. ENJOY!!
2 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
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Very easy to do Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on November 16th, 2021
Love my friend George. It's a great effect and very easy to do thanks Kevin Bethea for sharing.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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No gimmick bill switch Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 8th, 2021
Pure magic that does not require gimmick. Visual changing of $1 to $100 or any denomination, it works with any currency. Instruction are easy to understand with over the shoulder views, very fun to practice and love the poems that come with this trick. Highly recommend for any magician that want to amaze spectator with this impromptu bill change magic, very happy with this download purchased. Thanks Kevin Bethea and PenquinMagic for this amazing effects!
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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Very cool handling Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on June 29th, 2021
I did the original method with the thumbtip for decades. Kevin made me love this all over again. I'll have to start working on his moves because they really look completely clean and dispense with having to also carry a thumb tip. Very nice displays.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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A winner for sure! Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on February 1st, 2021
Kevin does a terrific job on this teaching video. Covers everything very clearly and easy to follow. Well worth the price for sure! Even if you are using a slightly different bill switch method you'll find that Kevin's ideas and touches and improvements are easily adaptable to folds that are a little different. Again, well worth the money even if you just got one or two new ideas to improve your own presentation. If you perform the bill switch, don't hesitate, get this!
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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