Dustings #117

I don’t usually ever go back like this, but for supporters who have the most recent newsletter, I have to double-down on my recommendation for the first trick I discussed in that issue. I had only performed it a few times before that write-up and I’ve gone on to perform it a bunch more since then. The variation written up there has been really messing with people in a good way.

And, while I described my handling as “clumsy” (or something like that), it all happens when their back is to you and they’re concentrating on something else, so it doesn’t matter in the least.

I was high on the trick before, but now it’s one of my favorites of the year.


Great Moments In Patter

“In your head, you focus on what this word is. If it’s a small word, imagine whatever the word is. If it’s a large word… imagine whatever it is.”

And if it’s a medium-length word? WHAT THEN???

Obviously, Pete is making the distinction so he can gesture in that way to get his peek. But the fact that there is actually no distinction between the two things, sort of struck me as funny, especially from Pete who I think of as being pretty precise with his wording.

If you want to keep the same gestures, I would say something like, “You can either imagine the object itself in front of you [peek gesture], or imagine the word spelled out in front of you [wide gesture].”


If you do the trick Inverto by Liam Levanon, and you do the trick as described in the instructions (where you’re using your phone to reverse the image of a selected card), here’s an idea you might want to use…

As you disccuss the different filters on instagram (or snapchat or whatever) you talk about the mustache one and show how it gives you a mustache on the screen. Then, as they turn to you, you have the mustache in real life.

It would just be a matter of positioning them and choreographing it so you can slip the fake mustache on while their back is to you and before you lift up the phone for them to look into.

It would make a dumb lead-in to Inverto, or a goofy follow-up as another example of you manifesting the effects of photo filters in real life.