Magic tends to be an art form all about the visuals. The whole “now you see it, now you don’t” act does require you to, you know, see. So while many magicians want their chance to dazzle your eyes on a television show, mentalists can still ply their trade over the audio airwaves.
First off, let that serve as a reminder for all the mentalists out there looking for places to perform. Radio. My tip to you.
Second, Canadian mentalist and hypnotist Spidey made a recent appearance on CBC Radio. Fresh from messing with Steve Harvey on the revived Showtime at the Apollo, the performer brought his act to a more intimate setting of the radio studio for Here and Now.
And, because this is the digital age, there is also video of his visit. Best of both worlds! Watch (or just listen for that true radio experience) him do his thing below.
Watch Canadian Mentalist and Hypnotist Spidey on CBC Radio's Here and Now https://t.co/U3I2wbxEdX
— CBC Here and Now (@CBCHereandNow) May 2, 2018
If you’re a prominent celebrity, watch out: a magician might use your own work against you to freak you the heck out. That’s what mentalist Spidey did during his recent appearance on Showtime at the Apollo, when he decided to open with a little story about how he was inspired by host Steve Harvey’s book, Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success.
“There was a chapter about visualizing and the power of your imagination, a quote that said, ‘Your imagination is everything,'” Spidey explained. “I custom-wrote this piece based on those words.” He then proceeds to magically bend an ordinary spoon and fork with the power of the audiences’ collective imaginations. They might have gone a little overboard with the brainwaves, though, because it’s clear that no one was expecting that explosive finale.
Check out the clip in the video above, visit Spidey’s YouTube page or website for more of his spooky take on mentalism, and watch Showtime at the Apollo Thursday nights at 9/8 central on Fox, or stream it on Fox.com.
Halloween is about a week away, but that’s more than enough time to learn this easy but incredibly effective bit of mentalism. It’s a bit of magic dubbed the ‘Seance Trick’, created by Spidey and hosted by Chris Ramsay. By writing two different cards on a slip of paper and burning them, you can call upon the spirits to cut right to the card secretly chosen by your subject—and have them cut right to yours.
All you need is a deck of cards, some blank slips of paper, a pouch to store them in, a pen, and a bit of practice. Spidey uses matches, some lighter fluid, and a creepy goblet to dispose of the paper with some theatrical flair, but you can come up with your own disposal method if you’d rather not use fire. (If you do go with fire, please please please do not burn your house down. If you’re under 18, use adult supervision.)
For the full method on how to pull the trick off, watch the video above. And while this is a solid bit of mentalism you can perform the whole year round, you can use your presentation, patter, and accessories to make it as spooky or as simple as you like.