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Two years ago I was booked into a casino in Illinois, along with a strolling magician. I suppose our purpose was to greet the seniors as they unloaded from their tour busses, and share our condolences with just about everyone leaving the casino, their wallets considerably lighter. My theory was that if I could approach a guy who had just spent 4 hours at the casino, losing $2500 that he really couldn't afford, and somehow manage to get him to smile on the way out, I've really accomplished something. His last thought as he passes through the door is now "Hey, that was kind of cool", not, "Maybe if I sell the car and take out a loan, I might still be able to make the house payment this month".
We each did 8 hours a day, two days each weekend, with our shifts overlapping for four hours each day. With such long days, and so much time together, we would watch each other perform, and talk shop when things were slow. Since the magician didn't share my passion for juggling or balloons, we mostly talked about magic. We would show each other some things we were working on, talk about magic theory, and bounce ideas off of each other. One night, back at the hotel, I put together a quick routine, using both balloons and magic card trickery, to share with the magician the next day.
Here's how it's done:
Instead of the usual applause, this trick usually brings polite stares or odd giggles as the spectator delivers the bad news. Wrong card. The performer pops the balloon in frustration, the pieces falling to the floor. But wait- There, in the balloon wreckage, is the spectator's chosen card! The day is saved! Now take your lucky self to the black jack table!
The Method:
This is, of course, just another twist on the old pick a card, find the card routine. Many of you reading this right now might be magicians or have some working knowledge of card tricks in general. But for the sake of being thorough, we'll start from the beginning.
You'll need a deck of regular playing cards, and a duplicate card (that would be a card from another deck that matches the cards that you are using. Same brand, same color and design on the card back). You'll also need a 260 balloon, and a pump if you don't like to mouth-inflate. A T.Myers Magic Pipe is also highly recommended.
Your first step is to get your duplicate card inside the balloon. Roll the card into a tube lengthwise, so that the card face is on the inside. Slip the rolled-up card into the magic pipe, and insert it into an inflated red 260 balloon. If you don't have a magic pipe, you'll have to stretch out the nozzle and try to work the rolled-up card into the balloon. You might even try to inflate the balloon, using the card as a straw, like you would for a rocket balloon. When the balloon is inflated, pop the card inside and tie it up.
Now that your props are set, all you have to do is get your spectator to pick the right card. If you have a working knowledge of card magic, feel free to use your favorite card force here. For those of you new to the game, here's a very easy "force" to get you started.
This is a pretty bold move, but it works. Start with the card you want to force on the top of the deck. Tell your spectator to pick a random number from 1 to 52. Let's say they pick 14. Tell your spectator to deal down to the 14th card, and look at it. Demonstrate what they are to do by holding the deck face down (force card is on top), counting off 14 cards, stacking them into a neat pile. When you get to 14, pick up the stack and return it to the top of the deck. What you are actually doing by demonstrating the process is reversing the order of the cards. Now the card that was on top is the 14th card in the deck. When they get to 14, they will be looking at the card you wanted them to pick.
A Little Tip:
It's the little things that make a difference. When I do this trick, I use blue-backed Bicycle playing cards. I prefer the way the blue backs contrast the red balloon, making the card stand out more at the climax. I also choose a force card that is either a spade or a club, making the supposed "prediction" as far from the mark as possible. By guessing the three of hearts, when the card is actually the king of clubs, you're adding subtly to the overall aesthetics of the trick. If you start by predicting 3 of hearts, when the card is really the 5 of hearts, the impact just isn't the same.
Here's a new twist on an old favorite. Everybody loves Tom Myers' weeble balloon. If you're not familiar with the balloon weeble, it is a small, four inch-ish scrap of an inflated 260 with a rubber ball inside. This is usually accompanied with a track made from 260s that the weeble rolls back and forth on. Kids love this balloon, and parents even like playing with it. So why tinker around with something that is already perfect? Because it is so easy to customize this balloon and give it a unique flavor.
For instance, I sometimes just draw a silly face on the weeble (photo 1, below). When I'm in a lazier mood, I might use stickers (photo 2). Using stickers also gives you a chance for more interaction and customization if you let the kids pick the eyes and mouths from the sticker sheet (just don't let them pick the nose!).
If you want to get away from just drawing faces, and into more creative things, browse the sticker isle in Hobby Lobby or a scrapbooking store. One of my favorites is the perfectly sized Elvis Presley stickers. I put two stickers on the weeble, one on each side. Now instead of a weeble, I call it the "Acrobatic Elvis"! This one is usually a hit with the teenagers who want "something weird". The package comes with two sheets of identical Elvises, or Elvi, for a total of 16 stickers for around a buck (photo 3).
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| Photo 3 | Photo 4 |
Another popular choice is the cartwheeling monkey. I found some great sticker sheets that have monkeys in various swinging and flipping poses, with banana stickers included! I usually put a monkey on each side with a few bananas scattered around (photo 4). I don't remember where I first saw these stickers, but you can find them at francesmeyer.com.
Shop around for other stickers, and see what you can come up with. Dolphins would look good, like they're diving and flipping as they roll back and forth. Try skateboarders or soccer players, or just about any sports-related stickers. Well, Nascar might be a bit morbid, flipping end over end, but you get my point. Browse the sticker aisle and have fun!
