John Riggs - The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller
by
John Riggs
Even MORE Discussion on

the Q and A Act!!!
J
O
H
N
R
I
G
G
S
by John Riggs
Volume Two In the Q and A Series
Also by the Author:
The Man With the $1.98 Hands
Magic from the Ambient Domain
Fat-Free Magic
Mo' Better Magic
Heavy Mental
The Compleat Fortune-Teller
Psychic Psoirees
The Psychic Agenda
The Messiah Process
Copyright 1996 by John Riggs. All rights reserved.
Contents
The Oracles
The Ancient Oracles
The Questions
Anna Eva Fay's Q & A
Erik Jan Hanussen
Erik Jan Hanussen's Q & A
Open-Faced Q & A
Richard Ireland's Q & A
The Locked Thoughts
Dealing with difficult or weird questions
Envelope Zinger
The Blindfolded Seers
Cicardi's Full - Head Blindfold
On The Line
The Compleat Blindfold
The Premise
Paper Bag Blindfold for the Minimalist
Doing Personality Readings While Blindfolded
Describing Objects While Blindfolded
Whillicker Bass-ackward
Two-Person Q & A
The Oracle Of DelphiTwo Person Psi-Grafico
Tarot Telepathy 2000
Presentation of Q & A
Energy Level
Money is Energy
The Hook
The Use of Humo
Biographical Anecdotes
Staying Ahead of The Jones
The Conclusion
The Real Conclusion
Chapter One
The Oracles
Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it?
I do not believe it can be done. The universe is sacred. You cannot improve it.
If you try to change it, you will ruin it. If you try to hold it, you will lose it.
--Lao Tsu, Tao te Ching
The Ancient Oracles

In the second century, a message-reader named Alexander
the Paphlagonian answered questions sent to him in sealed
scrolls. Its said that he would open the wax seals on the
scrolls with a long heated needle. He would then send the
sealed scroll back to the questioner, along with his answer
and, presumably, his bill. But the message- reading act goes
back even farther than that.
In a book entitled The Mystery of the Oracles by Phillip
Vandenberg, the author describes his experiences visiting
the archaeological sites of the famous Greek Oracles of antiquity, including the
famous Oracle of Apollo at Delphi.
This book gave me some of the most intense mental jolts of my life. I
realized that the author (who had absolutely no experience or knowledge of magic
or Mentalist methods) was describing what could have been a modern Q & A act!
I've since tried to replicate the performances described by Mr. Vandenberg in my
own presentations.
Id always imagined that the Oracles came out of the temple and delivered
their decrees without the benefit of any foreplay whatsoever. However, in one
chapter Vandenberg points out that over 12,000 written oracle questions have
been unearthed and are currently residing in museums. Written Questions?
Hello!
The ORACLE OF DELPHI performed the Q and A Act!

Here is the procedure adopted by the ancient oracles, as described by
Phillip Vandenberg:
The querents wrote their questions on papyrus or lead foil and fold the
questions in half. These questions were gathered in a jar. The oracle drew one of
the questions out, and, without opening the folded slip, call out the querent's name
and deliver a pronouncement. The folded slip was handed to a priest, who opened
the slip, wrote down the oracle's answer and return the paper to the querent.
If youre thinking that this sounds a whole lot like a two-person version of
Charlie Scott's Psi-Grafico, youre dead right. I described this to Charlie, who
chuckled and said: You're on to me! I knew that Charlie has been around a
while, but twenty-five hundred years! Wow!
The author was puzzled why some of the questions were written on thin
lead foil. Perhaps the foil wasnt used as a writing media but as a means to
secretly obtain a copy of the information. Could we be dealing with an ancient
impression device?
The procedure is described as follows:
...When an oracle seeker entered the sacred precinct, a priest would hand
him a blank tablet of thin rolled lead. The client would scratch his question onto
the tablet with a stylus, and the tablet would then be folded in the middle and
supplied with a number or the person's initials on the reverse side. The priest
would put this and other folded tablets in a jar, which is then placed before the
prophetic sibyl.
This system was already established some time before Herodotus visited
Dodona, and the fact is confirmed by the sequence of lead tablets that appear to
start at the end of the sixth or beginning of the fifth century B.C.
The Questions
Its interesting to see that a sample of the questions, written and answered
five hundred years B.C., were:
Should I marry so-and-so?

Will we move to Thracia next year?
Will my grain ships show a profit?
Is my wife faithful?
Who stole the mat?
Etc.... Nothing changes in human nature, even over a period of two
millennia.
The Q and A act, along with the phenomenon insensitively called The
Barnum Effect by some psychologists, seems deeply rooted in man's evolution.
We all wish we had a blueprint of our own future. The future is something we
both anticipate and dread.
Now lets look at some other historical Q and A practitioners.
Anna Eva Fay's Q & A

Anna Eva Fay was a Q & A practitioner from around
1871 to 1924. In spite of numerous exposs (there were
as many of them in those days as today, it seems), she
traveled all over with her act, retiring from the scene quite
wealthy. Her methods and presentations hold up even to
today's standards, taking into account advances in
technology. She performed in many programs with
Houdini, and in some critical reviews stole the show from
the escapologist. Shes not to be confused with Eva Fay,
an imitator who worked the vaudeville circuit.
Anna was often described as a vivacious Blonde In those days, I think
the word 'vivacious' was synonymous with 'large breasted'. She seemed able to
charm everyone she met.
Before her show, Anna's assistants passed around pads of paper upon which
the audience members were invited to write their questions. The second sheet
was secretly treated on the back with wax, so when the people wrote their
questions and retained the top sheet, an invisible copy was made on the third
sheet. This wax-impression technique is generally credited to Samri Baldwin,
The White Mahatma, but lets not forget the ancient Oracles.
Anna's assistants were able to 'develop' the third sheet with carbon black
and read the secret question. Today, printer toner makes an effective developing
medium.
Such modern pre-show devices as the Field's Device, the carbon paper
clipboard, and any of the latent-image transfer technologies are direct
descendants of this method.
On the stage, Anna, sitting prettily in a chair, was covered head to toe by a
sheet. The information was passed up to her from beneath the stage, and she
called out the audience member's name, delivering her answers to the question.
Its said that she had tremendous dramatic skill and a quick wit, and that she
contrived spectacular fake questions. She always dressed in high style, virtually
dripping diamonds. She answered on the average about three questions per
minute.
Like Erik Jan Hanussen, she was very well informed and vocal on
politics, current affairs, and other important events. She made lots of predictions.
When she retired, she was the highest taxpayer in the city of Melrose Highlands,
Massachusetts.
At the conclusion of her act, her husband would remover the sheet, and she
would collapse, exhausted, into his arms, to be carried unconscious from the
stage. To tremendous applause, we can rest assured.
Her act was imitated by many but never equaled. The numerous exposures
only served to pack the theatres even more.
A modern performer would probably sit in full view of the audience and
receive the information from the hidden assistant through one of the two-thousand
dollar radio devices available from dealers. Oy!
10
Erik Jan Hanussen

Between the fall of the Kaiser and the rise of the Fuhrer,
Erik Jan Hanussen became a wealthy and successful
mentalist/psychic. Born Hermann Steinschneider, Hanussen
enjoyed a period of affluence and political influence
unparalleled in the history of show business. This period
was brought to a dramatic ending when he was shot by the
Nazis in March of 1933.
Theres not much available in English print on Hanussen and
much of what is available contains a great deal of mystery
and speculation. He was a successful vaudeville Mentalist,
Hypnotist, and sleight-of-hand magician. He gained notoriety as a Psychic
Detective by unmasking a bank embezzler. When a local scandal sheet accused
him of Charlatanism, he sued the paper, gaining a lot of publicity and wowing the
judge, jury, and the general public. He won newspaper headlines, and also won
his case.
Hanussen was an ardent supporter of Hitler during the Fuhrer's rise to
power. He encouraged people to wear a swastika, as an Indian luck charm. He
also predicted election victories for Hitler and Hitler's cronies, helping sway
public opinion toward the National Socialist's favor.
Hanussen was known to give private readings to businessmen for around
$600. He also entertained the very highest party officials at his estate, forming
connections with Show business personalities, Germany's elite, S. S. Officers and
other unsavory, yet powerful, characters.
It has been fairly well established, according to author John Godwin, that
Hanussen was heavily subsidized by the Nazi Party. He drew large sums of
money, earmarked for propaganda purposes, into his own coffers. At the height of
his fame, Hanussen owned a large cabin cruiser and a villa in Charlottenburg.
Hanussen published a monthly magazine containing his prognostications.
When he successfully predicted the collapse of a major bank, all of Berlin was
11
agog. In February 1933 , he delivered his most fateful prophecy.

I see a building, a great building, in our city. It is burning. Flames are
roaring high. Smoke is billowing. Ah, but out of the blaze there arises the bird...a
magnificent Phoenix, bringing new might new hope from out of the ashes.
When Germany's parliament, the Reichstag, burned to the ground a few
weeks later, Hanussen's pronouncement became clear.
Hanussen evidently knew too much about the financial maneuvers of some
of the new leaders, plus several important SA officers owed Hanussen a great deal
of money. Anti-socialist newspapers began hammering on the fact that Hitlers
number-one clairvoyant was a Jew. Hanussen had become a liability. Fearing the
possibility of blackmail, the SA only needed an excuse to get him out of the way.
Hanussen's prediction of the burning of the Reichstag gave them the excuse they
needed to have him murdered. Theres even some evidence that Hanussen
conspired with the SA to burn the Reichstag and blame it on the Communists.
On March 24, Hanussen was abducted from his apartment. Thirteen days
later, his bullet-riddled body was found in the woods at Baruth. Its generally
accepted that the Nazis had Hanussen shot, but his death has been shrouded in
mystery to this day.
Erik Jan Hanussen's Q & A

Hanussen, as weve seen, was a music-hall
Mentalist who was prominent in Berlin during
Hitler's rise to power. He performed a stunning Q
and A act, complete with Hurling the Headlines
style predictions of the future. Its been suggested
that he was so accurate in his predictions
concerning the activities of the Nazi party because
he was having an affair with an S. S. officer's mistress.
When Hanussen predicted the burning of the Reichstag, the party officials
12
decided he was too good, and escorted Hanussen out to a field and shot him. Let
this be a lesson to would-be prophets; sometimes it isnt healthy to be too
accurate.
A recreation of Hanussen's Q and A act appears in the German movie
Hanussen. Hanussen passed out small folded cards and envelopes to his
audience. The spectators would write their questions on the cards, and return
them to the envelopes. The envelopes were gathered and brought to the stage.
Hanussen would pick one at random.
Ah, hed breath. This question is from a lady a beautiful young
lady. He opened the envelope and read the question aloud. Will I join my
family in America? Suddenly pointing to a lady in the third row, he shouted: Is
this the question YOU want me to answer! The startled girl gasped Yes.
Hanussen answered the question with much drama and flair.
Charles Scott analyzed the actions and related how the act could be
recreated by a modern performer.
The methodology is simplicity itself, leaving the performer's mind free to
exploit every dramatic opportunity available. The envelopes are marked per
Annemann's Pseudo-Psychometry. The assistant passes the envelopes out in
order. In a theatre situation, Id have two numbers coded in the envelopes one
for the row, and one for the seat. In a banquet situation, you could code the table
and seat. Once you know with which spectator you are dealing, you frame a cold
reading based on the visual cues you pick up from the querent. In William
Larsen Sr.'s Tarot Telepathy, youll find some excellent readings based on sex
and age.
After you give a brief description of the spectator, you open the card and
read aloud the question. Then, pointing to the person, you ask; Are YOU the one
who wants me to answer this question? Although the methods seems childishly
simple, remember it was effective enough in Hanussen's hands to gain himself a
formidable reputation, star status, and ultimately shot. Perhaps you should hire a
couple of bodyguards before you attempt this act.
13
Open-Faced Q & A
Along similar lines, it would be effective to
have the participants write down their name,
Astrological sign, favorite color, and
question, and then gather up the cards.
Selecting the cards one at a time, you read
aloud the name and give a reading, based on
the information, and then answer the
question. For certain lecture situations this is
ideal.
For an even more minimalistic approach, you can follow the lead of Ford
Kross. He has the person stand up, verbally give their name and Astrological
sign, and then gives them a reading and answers their question! Tremendous skill
and authority is required to make this approach work, but it can be an amazingly
effective presentation.
In Psychometry A to Z, Richard Webster provides a system that allows
you to walk among an audience, hold objects proffered to you, and deliver a wide
variety of readings. Sometimes less is more.
Richard Ireland's Q & A

What follows is a transcript of Richard Ireland's
performance of the Q & A act in a Palm Springs,
California club in 1975. Bascom Jones related that
Richard Ireland handled sixty questions in sixty
minutes!
Richard Ireland was a Spiritualist minister who traveled
allover the world, most notably Hawaii and Palm
Springs, with his act. He performed standing at a Plexiglas podium.
His blindfold consisted of:
14
Two half dollars, held in place with criss-crossed pieces of 1/2" tape
One 1" strip of tape across eyes
Three leather masks. Two of the masks were placed diagonally across
the eyes and one horizontally across the eyes.
Half way through the presentation, parts of the blindfold begin to fall off.
Having proven that he can sense the question, Richard removed parts of the
blindfold throughout the act.
Please pay particular attention to how Ireland forestalls trick questions,
busks extra money, and interjects humor in his act. The presentations seems to
start out a little slow, but picks up incredibly as soon as the questions are received.
Also notice the frequent imbibing of salubrious libation by Richard and
how it affects his presentation. The use of question slips bearing requests for
specific information, such as children's names, social security numbers, etc., is a
principle that Richard uses well.
This is a rather protracted write-up, even after I edited some irrelevancies
out. But I think it bears careful study. I think youll agree Richard had an
eccentric and unique style all his own.
Ireland: I'd like to begin by finding out how many of you have seen my
show before? Oh, we're going to have fun tonight!
I'd like to tell you that I'm not a mentalist; I do not read minds -- you can
relax and keep on thinking your dirty thoughts -- they won't bother me at all.
My ability lies primarily (although not restricted to) the realm of
foretelling events before they occur, and on many occasions I have been able to
predict such things as the exact date of birth and sex of a child not only yet
unborn -- not even expected!
So, when I come to one of you ladies and say: Congratulations! You'll
know exactly what I mean ... and should I do I hope you are under the age of 40
and married! Don't laugh at that last statement; we had 40 immaculate
15
conceptions here last week. They're on the upturn this century.

I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself; I was born when i was very
small (and I didn't have an echo there then). My mother resented it when I said I
was very small because I weighed thirteen pounds. My father resented it more,
and longer. My father resented it more .... and longer! Some of you will laugh at
that in the middle of the night.
I discovered I was psychic at the age of five - made my first public
appearance at the age of thirteen and since then I have done literally tens of
thousands of demonstrations involving the psychic all over the world, to all kinds
of groups of people.
I have been tested in almost every leading parapsychology laboratory in
the world; parapsychology is the science that studies Extra-Sensory-Perception
and after a great deal of scientific research, they concluded that I was psychic.
And I knew that before they started, and I hope to convince you of that before you
leave. Because I intend to get you all better acquainted, and have a little fun, take
a few skeletons out of a few closets, and make sure that nobody goes home alone.
The paper they are giving you is for the purpose of making inquiries about
something you'd like to know about -- maybe something to do with your home,
your family, your job, your future, an area of your interest, or maybe something
important. You don't have to ask me your wife's name -- go home, sober up, you'll
remember! Don't ask me how many grandchildren you have -- Grandmother
keeps track. Ask me something you really want to know.
If you want to attract my attention, try wrapping the paper in a twenty
dollar bill -- that will attract my attention. I may get tens and fives, but only
guarantee to answer every question with an American $2.00 bill around it. Not
two ones -- an American two --they're still around. I collect them. I have two
boxcar loads; I'm trying to go on from there.
And if you put money in there, I don't want you to think that it influences
me in any way; I want you to know it! All the money I receive on stage, seriously,
helps support an orphanage down in Mexico of 1800 children in it. And if you put
16
money in it doesn't promise an answer for you because I'm up here for about 40
minutes, and I can reach about forty people during that period, and we must have
about 150, so I'll do the best that I can.
However, if you do put money in the papers, jot down the serial number
because I will try to tell you what it is! Now that seems pretty easy to do, but I
will be taped shut with adhesive tape, further with three black blindfolds; I won't
be able to see, and if I give you the number on the bills that's about 10,000,000 to
one odds against chance, and that might make a believer out of you, and that's
what I'd like to do, and if you're a skeptic I'd like you to come up and check it out!
Now, I'll accept a lady or a gentleman, a guy or a gal, a boy or a girl, or
anything in between -- even a marine!
Several minutes spent with the 'committee' who inspect and assist during
the blindfolding.
Are you busy writing your questions? Signing your names? Wrapping
them in twenties? Jotting down the numbers? Getting them ready? I'm going to
need them in a little bit.
The purpose of all this (the blindfold) is not for cosmetic reasons,
although it is a marvelous way to pluck your eyebrows. The purpose is to make
you aware that I cannot see. I'd like someone to verify that I cannot see over,
under, around or through. Who can tie the best bow knot?
Richard goes through some more business with the blindfold, then he
borrows a bill from one of the committee members and reads the serial number of
the bill. The audience applauds.
Hey you two -- do you think that was set up? I could take money from you
in that case! Ladies and gentlemen, I am not limited to what you have written on
your paper. I may not answer what you ask me; I may talk about something
entirely different. If I don't get your name exactly right please remember I am
'perceiving' not seeing, and just say 'hello' or 'thank you' or 'good evening' or
something, and that will help me to reach more people during the course of the
show.
17
I want to say there is someone by the name of Dwight Wilson -- where are
you please? (Wife answers.) Dwight, you have a strange voice -- I think you're in
the wrong bar! Your wife? Will you say hello, please?
Dwight: Hello.
Ireland: That sounds better. You wanted a serial number on something,
but you didn't want to send it up here, -- is that right? Why do I see a
717461323? Thank you! And we haven't met before, have we Dwight? I must be
a Psychic. And I will guess if that if you have a second marriage your second
wife is going to kill you. It looks to me like you'd better take it kind of slow and
easy. I think you're going to do it anyway, but I just wanted to tell you...
Where's Dorothy Gettleman ...Garaman.....Hi Dorothy. I think your
husband is going to get where he wants to go and I think it has something to do
with academic studies? And he's going to accomplish that.
I feel as though you're kind of psychic; don't you have hunches and
things? And I hope you're paying attention to them because sometimes they're
very subtle but I feel nevertheless you just have the attitude that I just told you
that was going to happen, or had a feeling about it. Listen to it!
Hello Rosie! Rosie -- I don't really know. Its going to be a while and I
feel there are some little problems that works itself out in time. Number two, I feel
very good about it, that's going to happen a lot sooner and I even know who! I'm
not going to tell you and take all the fun out of your looking. Job wise everything
seems to be OK. And, Alice, I feel as though you should go ahead and sell the
house -- you'll be happier and make more money that the damned thing is worth,
anyway.
I feel a five dollar bill coming on here... B. L. , where are you? Do you
know the serial number on the bill? I'm keeping it anyway! Yes, in answer to
your venture - and it seems to be a long period of time and its apparently a lot
more valuable than you anticipated. I'm 92% accurate -- that's better than
guessing!
Ireland answers a few more questions.
18
I'm not doing anymore until I get a drink! I'm on a strike union break.
Ireland comments that its getting warm, and removes two of the masks.
Where is Ruth Bridges? Your Social Security number is xxx-xx-xxxx. I
don't like to do that because when I start doing that then everyone sends them up,
but I'll do it this one time.
I'd like to remind you, ladies and gentlemen, if you send questions up here,
sexually, you know, if you want my body, please put your phone number on. It
saves me dialing information.
Several more questions are answered, and some very dated off - colored
jokes are told.
A man says: What's my dog's name? Go home and ask one of the kids!
(Another paper) That one's too wild for me to touch.
R.P. where are you? Go ahead and buy a house; I think its a good idea.
You'll make money on it in the future.
Jean -- did you know your son was shacked up? Did you know he should
get married soon? For the baby's sake. Going to be a baby boy there. Hello? I
thought you'd fainted. I don't think they know it yet; I think you are the first to
know.
Hi Judy! Didn't find your paper -- just thought I'd say hi. Have a good
trip; go ahead and accept the guy who proposed. The sooner the better -- he's the
nervous type. Steve Jones, I can see you going to New York next summer. Visiting
family over there.
Mrs. Hatcher, or Thatcher, you're stuck with the old devil. Why don't you
settle down and enjoy him. The trouble with this fellow: he's too mean and
ornery to die and too mean and ornery to live with and you're stuck! So have a
nice, long, and happy life together. My feet hurt.
Marlene, do you have trouble with your feet? You're going through some
kind of surgery connected with your feet. The AMA won't let me diagnose or
prescribe, but I thought that you were going to go through some kind of surgery
and you will come out 100% better. She's horny. Do you want to deny that?
19
Watch out for this horny Marine, right down in front.

Did I tell you the story about the Pollack who threw himself at the floor -and missed? How about the Pollack who hijacked a submarine and demanded
$200,000 and a parachute? I'm reminded of the story of the three bears. Daddy
Bear said somebody ate all of my porridge. And Baby Bear said somebody ate all
of my porridge. And Mama Bear said bitch bitch bitch -- I didn't even put it in the
bowl yet.
Where is Joy? Joy, you have a problem. Bless your heart. You have a
daughter that is shacked up -- did you know it already? (No) You have a daughter
named Shari. Do you want the initial of the guy? Ralph! Do you know they're
planning to get married? I hope soon. Before thanksgiving --OK?
Where is Jules Bernhart? Shall I call you Dr.? Shall I tell you that you
will do well in Hawaii? And you should go ahead and make your plans and get
going. You will be a lot happier in Hawaii than Cindy's going to be in Chicago!
Where's Cindy Barero? You're just going for a visit? For Christmas? That's OK
then --just don't plan on staying.
Back to Genevieve -- she thought I forgot her! Hello Geneva, Genieve ...
whatever the hell your name is. I felt good about your financial investment; it will
be successful. You have a great deal of foresight. I felt that you will do well with
your finances. Pay attention to your own inner guidance. (What about my
unintelligible?) That was part of paying attention to your own inner guidance.
I must tell you about Little George. A guy walks into a bar and ordered
two double shots of whiskey, took a little man out of his pocket only about that
tall. And said: This is Little George. The bartender said: Is he real? Of course
he's real. Can he walk. Of course he can walk, George walk around on the bar.
So George walked around the bottles and glasses and came back again. I still
can't believe it -- can he talk? Of course he can talk, George, tell us about the
time you were down in South Africa and you called the Witch Doctor a phony.
Charleen? I did feel as though you've seen me before, is that right? And sit
tight -- don't do anything -- do you understand what I am saying? And where is
20
Linda? And Linda, I felt as though you've been going to school forever, but you're
finally going to graduate. It looks good to me and there will be an opportunity for
you coming out of the school. Are you fooling around with a guy named Jim?
(No). You know a Jim? You call it what you want to call it and I'll call it what I
want to call it!
Everette, where are you? (Calls out the number on a dollar bill). That's
some kind of business situation. It involves more than a store -- its like a group of
stores. A shopping center. And right now starting to bug you. Well Hiram, its
going to work out all right. Is that your middle name - Hiram? You didn't put it
on the paper, did you?
Its four minutes after the hour, ESP time, ladies and gentlemen. I was
supposed to be through a long time ago. Where's Julian? Is your last name like
Meyers? You're asking who will be the next president of the United States. Well,
its going to be Kennedy and Birch Bayh is going to be vice-president, and I'm
sorry, but that's the way I see it.
Where's Natalie? Oooo-Wow! Who's Jeff? Your son? Driving you nuts;
the Psychic will have another drink. Please make a drink that does not taste like
vanilla! Its going to work out OK for you, and its going to work out OK for your
son Jeff. It will take a little time, a little patience, and a little understanding. I
could be a lot more direct, but I don't think you want me to be more direct than
that, do you?
When will my husband retire? When he gets hit in the head with an axe!
He has no thoughts of retirement. Has he been telling you he's going to retire? Is
he here tonight? Sir, are you ever going to retire? Do you want to know when
you are going to die, Sir -- When you're 92. You're going to be killed by a jealous
husband.
Story about an 85 year old lady who was complaining of stomach cramps
and went to the doctor and the doctor said: Madam, you're making medical
history -- you're pregnant. She said: I'll have to call my 92 year old husband and
tell him. She calls him up and says: You dirty old man -- I'm pregnant! He says:
And who is this?
21
That's what you married, and that's what you got, honey. Where are you,
Ann Morrow? I think you ought to stay where you are -- its going to happen
automatically, you don't have to make it happen. You are artistic -- do you paint?
That's what you should do.
Somebody says: Where is my son? Do I hear a voice? Hello? Did he run
away from home? (No) I feel some kind of loss. All I know is that David's all
right. Your son is all right. Do you know the number on your bill? No? There's
some mystery surrounding that? The mystery is all going to come to light.
Where's Lillian Fox? I don't know when or where, but I know you're going to.
Don't laugh -- she's still a virgin.
Where's Elinore? Elinore is absolutely a Darling. Have you seen me
before? Twice? That's why I think you're a darling! What's your last name? It is
Darling; have a nice trip to Europe! Where's Bethel? Aren't you connected to
Europe, too? Don't you have a daughter living in Germany? She's coming back
to this country next year. But she's going to go back to Europe. Yes, to your
question -- and the number on the bill is.....Thank you!
I found another $2.00 bill! This one belongs to
Mary. Is it Azar? You know the number? Is
it......? And the answer to your first question:
before the turn of the year, is that what you mean
by soon? And I felt that you're going to be in
business, a business that you've been in before,
but you're out of now. Debra --where are you?
Hello; good morning. Are you going into business with Mary? I bet you're both
going to do it. OK -- have fun, make lots of money, send me 10% for giving you
the information.
Manny -- things look better; they couldn't look worse! Hello, Manny?
And it may take a little while, but you're going to go into a new thing, either on
your own or sponsored by someone. Where's Jane B.? I think so -- just be
patient. Pray a lot. Joyce, where are you? Five years, not three, and b another
man -- they're not making it any more. That's not my statement, Will Rogers is the
guy who said that. Mr. Story is going to have visitors. They're going to come
22
clear across the ocean. Somebody sent me a $1.00 bill but didn't sign the paper -asked me to what sex will my grandchild be. Hello? Will you settle for a boy?
(Oh -- rather have a girl.) Its already in the hopper -- too late to reject. You have
three sons of your own? You have four sons? I only picked up Mark and Steve
and Ken. (They're the three who are still at home.) OK no problems anyway -they're good kids.
James, where are you? Augo. Is that it? Where did you learn to write
like that? Are you alone? Who's Theresa? His girl. And she'd like to swing in
the hammock. What is her last name? Are you really hot for that? No -- for your
last question! Why don't you take your time; you have another three years to go
in the Marine Corps. Two? Send Jim a drink on me, please. But Ed, if that's not
your plan, you'd better run like hell -- its closing in on you. Where's David? Yes,
in answer to your question, David, wherever you are.
Madeline, where are you? Just sit tight -- its all going to happen. And it
may come out all right with UCLA. And did you want a serial number or
something? I don't have a damn dollar from you. The number is.....and let me
give you another special number and I don't know what it is all about. But I see
a.........(Wow!) What was that? (My Social Security number!)
That's all you're going to get, ladies and gentlemen, I get to keep the
money, except for the two dollar bills. I help support an orphanage in Mexico
with 1800 children. I don't answer any psychic questions after the show, please
don't ask me, and if I didn't answer your question it doesn't mean something
terrible is going to happen -- it just means I can't answer everyone. If you want to
see me personally or privately, which some people asked about, see the man who
passed the papers out -- his name is Jim. Its nice to be important, but remember,
its more important to be nice. Thank you for your Winstons! Thank you, my
subjects, for helping me -- thanks for the rest of you for putting up with me. Good
night, Bridey Murphy, wherever you are. And thank you very much!
There you have it a complete one-hour presentation of Q & A by a guy
who must have performed it thousands of times. No book tests or other foreplay
whatsoever he just does it.
23
By the way, Ive used the idea of having the questions accompanied by
twenty dollar bills for a couple of performances Ive donated to fund-raisers
and split the take with the charity. Sometimes you can make more than your
usual fee!
Hey, it happens.
Chapter Two
The Locked Thoughts
Give God permission to save the world.
--My friend Mac, a Psychic counselor
In a discussion with my friend, mentor, and harmonica buddy Dr. Charles
Scott, we discussed the idea of a box especially
designed for gathering the folded cards for use with the
reversible card ploy. This chapter will deal with the
final result.
The box itself is about 10" x 10" x 12", and is
constructed out of a smoked plastic. The plastic is
almost opaque, yet transparent enough for the audience
to almost see whats going on.
The top of the box is hinged and has a small lock on it. Theres a slot in
the top just wide enough to accept a folded question card. The overall
construction resembles a ballot box. See Figure One for details. This box can
be easily constructed at a plastics fabrication company. Mine cost about $50, but
there are semi-transparent filing boxes available in office supply stores that
could be modified for this purpose.
The folded question cards are dropped by the participants into the box
through the slot. This can be done before the show, or during the show. During
24
the gathering of the cards, usually by the program chairman, I talk about Locking
your thoughts away; Your thoughts are locked away; etc.
When its time to begin the Q & A, I say: Now well unlock your
thoughts.
The questions are obviously secure, and safe from any tampering or
chicanery. Once the box is unlocked and the top opened, its an easy matter to
reach into the box and reverse the nearest card before drawing it out.
The opacity of the box gives you enough cover to perform the reverse move
invisibly, and yet the audience can see your hand stirring the cards. This is pretty
clean! This box works very well with any of the methods from The Complete
Fortune-Teller. Every psychological selling point counts in Mentalism, and this
box seems very impressive and tamper-proof.
Another container Ive used fondly
in the past is a large fishbowl,
painted a light magenta on the
inside. Again, the bowl was barely
transparent, so the spectators could
see the hand in the bowl, but there
was enough cover to hide any
sleight-of-hand. Just be sure to
remove the fish and water first.
The Locked Box can hold your
entire act. Place your slips, pencils,
and blindfold materials (if needed)
in the box and pack the whole
shebang in a case.
FIGURE ONE
25
Dealing with difficult or weird questions

Sometimes people dont know what type of questions to ask,
so theyll ask something like the following:
What's my wife's name?
How much money am I holding?
How many children do I have?
Im not always sure that these questions are being asked by
smart alecs. I think that a lot of people just dont know what to ask a Psychic. In
order to minimize the occurrence of confrontational questions, I give folks an easy
out:
If youre unsure what to ask, or if youre uncomfortable with discussing
private matters publicly, simply write down your favorite fantasy. And I do want
to tell you that frivolous questions will be dealt with frivolously. If you ask a silly
question, youll get a silly answer.
This is an opportunity to add a little spice to the show, as a lot of people
have some outrageous fantasies that they seem to have no problem with sharing in
public. If you still get the confrontational questions, it is a matter of individual
taste how to deal with them. I prefer to deal with them strongly.
Hmm, youre having trouble remembering your wifes name? Bartender,
this guys had enough!
(How many children?) In or out of wedlock? Or, You mean including
that unfortunate incident in Kansas City?
(How much money is in my pocket?) Sir, I'm not receiving anything from
you. I feel that youre trying to test me, and I simply dont have time right now.
Interestingly enough, if youre good with a Swami gimmick you have a
good opportunity to scorch this guy! Say, I'm not getting anything from you
just a number. I'll write it down here. Don't tell me your question, just tell us the
answer.
26
Youve pretended to scribble a note on his question slip. When he calls out
the number, you Swami it in. Hand the slip to someone near you and ask them to
read it aloud.
How much money am I holding? the helper reads.
And you said you had 35 cents, right? the performer asks.
Yep, says the challenger.
Oh. What did I write on the outside? you say.
35 cents.
Frankly, these days, I don't bother. I just pass on to another question and
keep it moving.
Answering questions about travel is easy. Simply describe the person in the
place about which they ask. If no specific place is indicated, discuss how they
seem to be under stress and need a vacation.
Q and A opens the door for many interesting and memorable experiences. I
thought Id include an episode that happened while performing at a house party.
One fellow's question was, Will it never end? I sized the poor fellow up and
delivered the following:
I see youre under a lot of stress right now, you are in a situation that
seems to be draining the life right out of you. I think that the resolution of this
conflict lies in the hands of others theres at least one other person involved in
keeping the uncertainty alive. However, your sense of humor has kept you from
losing your mind entirely during this time, and I think that you should remember
to try to maintain that sense of humor. The missing piece is falling into place.
Youll not be kept in suspense much longer.
A lot of comment about very little information can go a long way. It turned
out this fellow had survived a murder attempt by his wife's lover, and the police
were attempting to find the assault weapon before pursuing the case.
In The Compleat Fortune-Teller, I describe how to waltz around questions
involving health, finance, marriage, etc. You gain confidence with practice. And
if you simply cannot answer a question don't! Pass on it and go on.
27
Envelope Zinger
This is a great way to end a Q and A routine. The effect on the audience is
very strong, and the impossibility of the conditions destroys any theories that
skeptics may have formed during the course of the evening. Read on:
Effect:
Having answered any number of written questions with uncanny insight,
the performer announces that due to exhaustion and time constraints, theres only
enough time for one more question. But we want to be fair about it, he assures
the audience.
Dumping the remaining questions in an envelope, the performer hands the
package to an audience member to mix. Then the audience member reaches into
the envelope and removes a question, reading aloud the name on the slip. Would
you please stand up? The question, untouched by the performer, is dropped
back into the envelope. Slowly, but with authority, the Psychic divines the
participant's question and answers it!
Method:
Simple and bold as hell! Before the show, you gain access to someone's
question. If the questions have been secured in the Locked Box, you can steal one
or more out. Now, retire to your private spot and write the person's name on
about ten slips of paper. Fold them up and put the slips on one side of a doublesided manila envelope.
When youre ready to perform, dump the remaining questions into the
empty side of the envelope. Shake the envelope, and allow a spectator to draw
out one question and read the name out loud. It is, of course, your force name!
Have the slip returned to the envelope after the name is called out. The
person is requested to stand up and concentrate on their question. Get as many
affirmatives as you can. Try not to snicker as you reveal the information you
already knew.
28
The Famous Double Envelope
29
Chapter Three
The Blindfolded Seers
...I was blind, but now, I SEE!
--John Newton; Amazing Grace
Cicardi's Full Head Blindfold

The following blindfold method was shown to me by the
Master, Cicardi, and appears here for the first time with his
generous permission. For the record, this is not the method
Cicardi uses on his television program MINDPROBE; this
is a backup method that arose from his constant
experimentation with the Blindfold act.
This is a full-head style blindfold, with multiple layers of various materials
that seem to render vision impossible. However, its possible to get a fairly good
glimpse certainly enough to perform a Q & A act.
Remember, a method to secretly read a message, even blindfolded, doesnt
assure a great Q & A performance. The real secret of Q & A lies in what you can
do with the information once you have it!
Cicardi's blindfold consists of:
Two half - dollars taped over the eyes with
Four 6- inch long strips of 1/2 white surgical tape
One eight-inch piece of 1 white surgical tape
Two large putty eyepads,
One sponge rubber pad covered in black cloth, 5 x 8 x 2
Three black napkins, criss - crossing in front of the face and tied in back.
A fourth cloth covers the lower half of the face, bandit-style.
The illustrations on the next page shows this process step by step.
One of the two half dollars are taped in place over the eyes with two pieces
30
Entire face is covered . . . But you
get peek here.
31
of 1/2" white adhesive tape, forming an 'x'. The other eye is covered in the same
manner. An eight-inch piece of 1" wide tape crosses over the coins (and the
eyes). It is important throughout the blindfolding procedure that you keep your
eyes tightly screwed shut.
Cicardi prefers to use a handful of white Play-Doh for the eyepads. The
two pads of dough are pushed in place over the taped coins. Jack Dean suggested
using canned biscuit dough.
Then, the foam rubber pad is tied in place with the napkins as follow:
One of the napkins is rolled and tied diagonally over the left eye. The
second 'towel' is tied similarly over the right eye, and the third on goes
horizontally across the eyes, and is tied in the back.
At this point, the blindfold is quite impressive, but theres more. The fourth
towel, folded in half diagonally, is tied across the lower half of the face,
effectively sealing off all avenues of vision. Yet, you can still see!
If you open your eyes wide, youll open up a sizable crack along the length
of your nose, and can see between the layers of cloth.
Its an interesting fact that if you carefully control the size of the hole you
peek through, it will actually improve your eyesight. This is the principle of the
pin hole camera and the new pin hole glasses. Very convenient!
On The Line
This is a great effect with a test-condition
blindfold. The idea comes from an item that
appeared in Bascom's Magick by Jim Rainho.
The effect is that you have a large, sharp spike
mounted on a block of wood, pointing straight up.
The spike is covered with a Styrofoam cup. Four
other cups are placed with the 'hot' cup, and the cups mixed around.
The blindfolded performer approaches the table. One by one, he quickly
32
crushes the cups with the palm of his hand. One cup remains untouched the
one covering the spike!
Method:
The original method as it appeared in Magick used a nail-nicked cup. I did
not want to take any chances, so I came up with another method in case some
wise guy shifts the cup off of the spike and covers it with another one.
I had the spike magnetized, and I find it with a concealed compass. The
needle points to the cup with the spike, and thats the one I dont crush. Dont
become confused if you perform this and think that you are supposed to crush the
cup that the needle points to!
Compasses that look like wrist watches can be obtained at the Sporting
Goods store. Turn it inward toward your wrist and youre all set. Or, you can
have a tiny compass palmed or otherwise concealed.
You can ditch the compass as soon as you know the cup. Be careful.
Note: after the first edition of this book appeared several electronic method
of performing this piece appeared on the market. Furthermore, I improved the
handling of my own routine and came up with The Last of The Spike Tricks,
which appears in Fat-Free Mentalism.
The Compleat Blindfold

I didnt perform Q & A blindfolded for several years, until
a series of events occurred that convinced me to do so.
First, audience's attention spans are not what they once
were. Any show that stretches into an hour in length really
taxes an after-dinner crowd. So, in order to shorten my
show to a more sustainable limit, I dropped one of my pet
routines. I had to it was a question of which one of my pet routines to drop, so
I dropped the longest one.
33
Secondly, I realized that the two strongest parts of my act were the
Blindfold demonstration, and of course, Q & A.
Thirdly, all of a sudden some of the know-it-alls in my audiences were
trying to explain the one-ahead message reading technique to me. It was obvious
that their knowledge of the technique was flawed, since I could not possibly have
used a one-ahead exclusively to perform the act. In fact, I used a one ahead
combined with a reversible card to deliver answers to the questions without ever
opening the slips (See Whillicker's Favorite Method in The Compleat
Fortune-Teller).
When I pointed out that the one-ahead requires the opening and reading of
every question, they would invariable go blank and say something like: I don't
know... I just thought that's how it was done...
The first five questions I answer I returned immediately to the querent (via
Cicardi's Psi-Grafico), just to eliminate the possibility of the one-ahead. These
Brainiacs missed that, too. Many of my audiences are hyper-technical people.
My Dad, who was a plant foreman for a plastics firm had to work with a lot of
over-analytical people. He used to talk about Educated Idiots. These were, in
his parlance, people with a lot of book learnin but no common sense. After
listening to explanations ranging from having hidden cameras in the ceiling to an
impossible version of the one-ahead, I began to understand what he meant by that
term. The same over-analytical people, who had all the answers, would
completely miss the connection to being able to read, while blindfolded, a serial
number from a borrowed dollar bill (my Skeptic Buster), with the divination of
a question both of which are examples of written information on a folded piece
of paper!
I figured Randi or someone had been exposing the one-ahead on some of
the news shows. Sure nuff, I heard a repeat of the April Fools edition of NPRs
All Things Considered on the radio in 1994 and there he was, explaining the
one-ahead step by step. My debunker's incomplete understanding of the actual
mechanics involved would tend to support a cursory explanation that got jumbled
34
together with all the other worthless facts we as humans tend to collect.
But far worse, from a performing point of view, these people were so
focused on trying to impress each other with how smart they were that they had
completely missed (or dismissed?) the information I gave that was not written
down such as names, personality readings, predictions of the future, etc. Which
of course is the whole point of the Q and A act.
Since the blindfold fools everyone, the conclusion was clear. I telescoped
my two strongest routines into one demonstration of paranormal abilities. End of
sermon.
Since my blindfold for the dollar bill test was a straight ahead model, I
couldnt use it for the Q & A, which requires a down-the-nose angle of vision. So
I bade a reluctant good-bye to my minimal tape-and-steel blindfold method, and
returned to the drawing board. I was familiar with the blindfold methods of Ray
Noran, Charles Scott, Glenn Falkenstein, Kuda Bux, Henry Fields, and Gil
Eagle. I wanted to come up with something different.
Over the years, Ive experimented with a wide variety of blindfolds,
including Kuda Bux style blindfolds that use putty, dough, coins, and other odd
materials. Jack Dean's book Psychic Sight, available from the author, describes
Jack's thoughts on this style of blindfold. Karroll Priest, who was a close friend
of Kuda Bux before his death, wrote an excellent treatise on this style of blindfold
in his book The Blindfold Enigma, available from Martin Breese.
What follows is the result of years of experimentation with various
blindfold methods. Its an extension of the blindfold I used in the eighties to
psychically solve the Rubic's Cube. Oh, how I hated it when the Cube fad
passed! The appearance of the blindfold to an audience is shocking. It resembles
some S-and-M restraint device. I had to really wrestle with myself not to include
studs in the design. I wrestled even harder about releasing this blindfold method.
Its my pet!
This blindfold literally covers your head from forehead to chin. The only
area exposed is an oval hole cut around your mouth, so that you can talk. Even
Figure One
35
36
the nose is completely covered. The blindfold materials will withstand rigid
examination, since none of the pieces are gimmicked in any way.
Making the Blindfold

Youll need:
A roll of 2" wide black duct or cloth tape.
A black or dark blue bandana, folded into a rectangular pad.
Two strips ( I call them straps) constructed from black wool. These
measure about 26" long by 5" wide. Please remember that these
dimensions fit my head and may vary depending on the size and shape
of your head.
Some Velcro tape.
See Figure One for the details.

The straps are four layers thick. Simply fold a 20" long cloth four times
and sew along three edges. Since this book strives to be politically correct, please
notice that I did not instruct you to get your wife or girlfriend to sew the strips for
you! Hey, men can sew, too!
Affix two pieces of 2" wide x 5" long black Velcro on the ends of the
strap, one on the front and one on the back (Figure Two). For the time being,
staple the pieces in place, as you may want to adjust them later. When you feel
that the strap fits well, sew the Velcro onto the straps. Repeat with the second
strap.
Wrap one of the straps around your lower face, just beneath your nose. The
ends of the strap angle upward and back, and attach to each other on the back of
your head, just a little higher than your ears. With a piece of white chalk, outline
the area around your mouth. Carefully cut the oval out and sew the edges in order
to prevent unraveling.
Applying the Blindfold

Just for grins, review the blindfold method I detailed in Heavy Mental.
37
You will remember that the tape covers your face from forehead to upper lip. Yet,
you can still see. Here's how:
Apply a thin coat of Vaseline or Chapstick to the non-sticky side of the first
six inches of tape on the roll. Tear this piece off and stick it over your nose, just
under the eyes. It should extend well over both cheeks. Use caution in applying
this piece. If its too close to the eyes youll experience a great deal of discomfort
when you look downward for your peek. Experiment.
Tear off a 1/8th-inch piece, and apply it over the eyes, remembering to keep
your eyes screwed tightly shut. Apply a third piece over your forehead, pressing
everything in place.
Now, if you open your eyes wide, youll unstick the layers of tape, opening
a channel to peek between the layers of tape!
Of course, you dont do this peek in full view; you want to cover the tape
in order to hide the action. In Heavy Mental, I used a steel mask to cover the tape
in order to get straight-ahead vision to read the serial numbers on a dollar bill.
Well modify the method slightly to get a down-the-nose peek, which is essential
in the Q & A act.
With the bandana folded into a pad, place the pad over the eyes and secure
in place with a horizontal piece of tape. Now is the time to test your peek. If
you can see, fine. If not, use your thumbs, as you hold the pad in place, to pry the
tape apart. Once youve ascertained your peek, close your eyes (and the gap) and
proceed.
Wind the solid strap around your head. The bottom edge should be even
with the tip of your nose. Once again, make sure that you can see, and Velcro the
strap closed in the back. The folded bandana will assure that the strap will be
pushed far enough forward to get a good peek. And I take no chances with this
I get a HUGE peek! I dont want to obviously strain to try to read the questions.
Now apply the mouth strap. Once again, position the hole evenly over your
mouth, and wind the two ends upward, and fasten behind the head. Your eyes
should be fully open at this point and you do whatever adjusting is required to
38
insure good vision.

Practice reading various written items at this point, and I mean
PRACTICE! It takes some work to effortlessly read at a downward angle. I used
to get bad headaches back when I first started performing the Rubic's cube
presentation with a similar blindfold.
During actual performance, youll have a committee from the audience
assist you.
The only possible glitch is poor adhesion of the tape due to perspiration. If
you open your eyes, and all the tape becomes unstuck, including the crucial nose
piece, dont panic. Keep your cool, and as you adjust the pad or the eye strap, use
the back of the thumbs to push the nose piece against your cheeks as you open
your eyes wide. This should give you your peek.
The Premise
First of all, youre not wearing a blindfold in order
to prevent peeking. Youre a Psychic Entertainer,
about to perform absolutely the most emotional and
astounding demonstration any human can do.
Youre not a magician, and you dont do tricks!
Tricks are for kids!
And yet, on one level, you are wearing the blindfold to prevent peeking.
So what's the idea?
Ladies and gentlemen, in order to perform what I am about to do, I
require absolute concentration and total darkness! Now, if we turn out the
lights, youll not be able to see what I am doing, so, I will cocoon myself in
total, absolute, impenetrable blackness.
The purpose of the blindfold is to provide a necessary condition for the
successful performance of the test but in the skeptic's mind, it eliminates any
possible peeking or one-ahead methodology.
39
The Performance
Were essentially going to perform Whillicker's Favorite Method from
The Compleat Fortune-Teller. As you recall, this combines the principle of the
one-ahead with the Volta Hull reversible card principle.
Ill not go into any great detail in discussing this method, as its
exhaustively covered in Volume One, and these two books are meant to be
companion volumes. The only difference is that were going to perform the
routine blindfolded, which means that we have to block out the routining
differently.
The roll of tape, the folded bandana, and the straps are on a table by
themselves. Since I assume that, like me, you are a one-person act, you must
assign a person in the audience the task of collecting the folded question slips. I
usually enlist the services of the program chairperson or organizer. While the slips
are collected, you pick out four large male assistants to assist you in the
blindfolding procedure.
Hand the two straps to two of your assistants for inspection. Invite them to
hold the pieces up to the light to test the cloth's opacity. Hand the folded bandana
to the third assistant. As they are looking at the cloths, tear off your nose piece
from the roll of tape. This is the slightly greasy one, so you dont want anyone
else touching it.
Hand the roll to the third volunteer, and have him tear off an eight inch
piece. Take the piece from him and apply it over the eyes. Press the tape in place,
incidentally wiping away any excess grease from the visible tape.
Request the third piece, and press it in place overlapping the eyepiece and
covering the forehead.
Request the pad, and hold it in place while your assistant tears off a long
piece of tape. Get him to help you tape the pad in place over your eyes. The tape
piece should cross your head directly in front of your eyes. You may wish to have
this piece already torn and attached to the pad.
40
Now, get the spectator who examined the bandana to press everything in
place with his hands.
Request the first strap, the one without the hole, and wind it in place. By
now, youve secured your glimpse. Request the second strap and affix it into
place. Thank your assistants and dismiss them from your stage area. The best
part is that the complete blindfolding procedure only takes a little longer than a
minute important in our short attention spanned society!
Your volunteer should be finished gathering the folded cards. I have them
gathered in the Q & A box described in the second chapter (Locked Thoughts).
Have the box unlocked, and reach in to stir up the questions.
As you do this, you unfold one of the questions, leave it in the box, and
secretly read it! This is your one-ahead. Pick out any other folded slip, secretly
reversing it and hold it up over your head, calling out the name of the person
whose name and question you glimpsed. Continue as in Whillicker's Favorite
Method. From The Compleat Fortune-Teller Briefly:
Take the just-answered question with the left hand, and, as you reach into
the box for another question, you glance down and read the information on the
card. In the meantime, your right hand is reversing the folded card in the box to
bring the question to the outside.
Each question, after it is answered, is stacked in the left hand. The cards
are nested, so that at the conclusion of your act, it is a simple matter to reverse the
entire stack, returning everything to its proper condition. I place the stack in a
glass for post-show inspection.
At the end of the routine when you remove the blindfold, piece by piece,
press the tape back into place. Slowly and painfully ( I mean it!) remove the tape.
Believe me, if you could have seen the looks on their faces......!
AfterPlay:
If you use Chapstick for your grease, dont use one of the fruit-scented
41
kinds. If the tape sticks to your eyelids, obscuring your vision, rub Vaseline over
your eyelids before the show.
The reason I use black tape, instead of the more widely used white adhesive
tape, is that any crevice or hole in the tape is black against black and therefore
invisible.
Unfortunately, Ive seen a famous blindfold mentalist, who uses white tape
and steel mask, displaying a gap along his nose you could stick your thumb into.
I could see it from the back row. His mannerisms, also, were that of a sighted
person. People around me thought he could see because of these mannerisms.
They didn't know how he was seeing, but that didn't matter. When blindfolded, be
blind!
The best way is to keep your eyes closed except when necessary. Get your
peek and close your eyes.
These days, I dont grease the tape in advance. I pick up a little Vaseline
off my eyebrows, on my thumb and first two fingers, and transfer it to the tape.
This precaution also keeps my eyebrows intact.
The pad can be putty or dough, if you wish, or a pad of foam rubber, and
you could also incorporate coins over the eyes (the more layers the better). I
dont like to use coins over the eyes, because I dramatize the idea of sealing my
eyes shut with the tape. It hits people in the gut.
A steel mask could be used over the straps, and I like the idea. Something
about that solid, seamless ribbon of steel is totally convincing to spectators. It
would have to be a semi-circular mask with no nose hole, since you eliminate the
curve of your nose with the pad. The glimmer of the light reflecting from the
chrome surface of the mask also helps deaden the black and hide any holes.
In my opinion always eliminate the need to tie anything in place. It takes
too much precious time. Use elastic bands, Velcro, or snaps.
Assure adequate lighting. Its incredibly hard to read down your nose in
dim light. These days, my cards are bright yellow, and I use very dark, soft
leaded pencils. I pass over any question that isnt immediately readable.
Do you think you will get any less applause for 90% accuracy?
42
Paper Bag Blindfold for the Minimalist

A good impromptu blindfold can be improvised by first
blindfolding yourself with a folded bandana, and then
using a large grocery bag to cover your head. The bag is
secured around your neck using tape. The very
simplicity of the blindfold is very disarming.
In order to get your peek, you first push the bandana up
onto your forehead as the bag is applied. Then, while
adjusting the bag, a concealed pin held between the first
two fingers of your right hand pokes a small hole in front
of your eye.
The pinhole principle will give you a surprising range of vision. Try it and
see. I have seen black paper bags in some of the gift shops. Look around. I
know this sound weird, but can you imagine anything less contrived?
Doing Personality Readings While Blindfolded

The down-the-nose style blindfold gives you a very
limited range of vision. Under most performing
circumstances, you wont be able to see most of the
people youre reading. I rely a lot on visual cues to
personalize my readings. What do you do?
Well, the first good clue is the nature of the
question If its about a family member, this is a
warm, caring person. So, trot out your lines about caring and responsible people.
If the question is an imponderable such as how high is up? or What happened to
the dinosaurs? Youre dealing with a philosopher, a deep thinker with a wry wit.
If the question deals with the outcome of a sporting event, the writer is a
child at heart (after all, sporting events are games). Use your Peter Pan lines. As
43
to the outcome of the event, I say, I don't do sports, but there is a higher
authority we can consult. I pull out a Magic Eight Ball and shake it up. I ask if
the home team will win, and read the answer from the oracle. This gets a laugh,
and treats the question with all the respect it deserves.
A logical question indicates a logical, analytical mind. You get the idea.
The second, and probably best clue, is the handwriting itself! Learn a little
bit about Grapho-analysis and youll always have something to say. For
example, small writing indicates a very focused, introverted individual whos
sensitive to detail. Large, sprawling writing shows an extrovert who likes a lot of
space around him. You get the idea. You can also sprinkle your presentation with
Cold Reading lines that apply to just about everybody. Notice I say 'sprinkle' and
not 'rely upon'!
Describing Objects While Blindfolded

Ive seen many performers who exhibit sightless vision,
both effectively and deadly dull. I believe that the
difference relies on the ability of the performer to evoke
clear images in the spectator's mind. After all, psychic
ability is a murky area. What exactly are you experiencing
with your heightened awareness? I believe that the secret
to an effective blindfold demonstration is the evocation of
all of the senses other than sight.
Suppose youre presented with ticket to a baseball game. Here are two
ways to describe the ticket:
(1). I see a piece of paper it has some writing on it. Am I right? Its a
baseball ticket - to the Reds game? Yes!
(2). I seem to hear crowds of peopleit is a very festive event, children
and adults alike are anticipating a great time. There appears to be some
competitive element . . . the object you are holding seems to be soft to the touch.
It isn't metal. I smell popcorn. I hear the crack of a bat! Its a baseball game!
44
What are you holding?

Which one floats your boat more? Any time you can describe an event we all
share, you can forge a personal link with your audience. And isn't that what
Mentalism is all about?
Whillicker Bass-ackward
An approach I have used occasionally when I
have a lot of questions: After answering about
ten questions in the usual manner, I gather up
about two dozen folded questions in a stack. I
then secretly reverse the entire stack as I bring
it into view outside the box. I can then either
hold the stack in my left hand, pulling the questions off one at a time like a Kleenex,
or set the stack on the table in front of me and do the same.
Either way, I prefer to work one ahead, getting my information from the
tabled stack while I hold the (ostensibly) current question over my head. Each
question is discarded as I deliver answers a in rapid-fire manner.
45
Chapter Four
Two - Person Q & A
The Oracle Of Delphi - Two Person Psi-Grafico
...A cynic is a person who knows the cost of everything , but the value of
nothing...-Oscar Wilde
Youll recall that at the beginning of this monumental
tome I described the findings of archaeologists
concerning the procedures of the oracles. I commented
on the similarity of these procedures to certain classics of
modern Mentalism, most notably Psi-Grafico. The best
treatment of Psi-Grafico, in my opinion, can be found in
The Compleat Fortune-Teller. This is another variant,
using an assistant. In my opinion, anyone who takes the
time to perfect this presentation could start their own church.
The Effect:
Audience members write their most pressing questions on slips of paper,
which are folded and gathered in a basket. The basket is placed on a table in front
of the Oracle.
The Oracle, thoroughly blindfolded, selects a question at random, and
gingerly holding it between finger and thumb, holds it over his head. He pauses
to gather his impressions. This person is a man, a young man, intones the
amazing one. He is concerned with pressing matters. Matters concerning life
and the future. Career. The name is.... Jim Smith. Jim, please stand up.
The oracle hands the folded slip to his assistant, who holds it against an
ordinary notepad or clipboard to write down the Oracle's pronouncement. Jim,
youre concerned about your future with your company. I feel that there is some
46
doubt as to your security there. There are wonderful things in your future, the
best times are ahead of you. Youll not always be in the field you are in now. A
change will occur, for the better. Sometime this spring, around Easter. Fear not.
The assistant has been writing the Prophet's pronouncements on the
querent's slip. The slip is handed back to the spectator.
This procedure is repeated for as many questions as the performer feels
necessary.
How to do it:
First of all, the clipboard has a pocket built into it like the notebook in
Psi - Grafico. When your assistant is gathering the slips in the
basket, she steals one out for the one-ahead. As she removes the
clipboard from a briefcase, she opens the slip and puts it in the pocket
of the clipboard .
The clipboard is placed on the table containing the blindfold
materials, and in full view of the performer! Who, of course,
memorizes the information while gathering the blindfold materials.
The assistant has placed the board down in order to assist the mentalist.
After the performer is blindfolded with the assistant's help, he removes a
slip and in best Shakespearean manner reveals the information. The slip is
handed to the assistant, who opens it up and places it behind the one-ahead slip.
The performer's answer is written on the first slip, and is ready to be returned to
the spectator.
The clipboard is placed on the table while this is happening, and the
blindfolded performer reads the next information. He removes a slip and holds it
up, beginning to reveal his impressions about the slip that is already in the
clipboard. The assistant returns to the stage in time to retrieve the second slip,
and repeats the procedure.
How to do it Two:
Another way to glimpse the information would be for the assistant to hand
the performer the slips, secretly folded inside-out, as in the Volta Hull reversible
47
card. The key point to keep in mind with both methods is that the assistant does
the dirty work, keeping the heat off of the performer. The performer gives his
impressions, identify the querent, and returns the card to the assistant, who fills in
the performer's sage comments. No one-ahead work is necessary for this method.
Imagine what two performers who have worked out a good verbal code
could do with this! Whoo-ee!
How to do it Three
Of course, a little pre-show work with a clipboard or
billet-switching box (OM Box), combined with a close
study of mnemonics can provide the two performers with
all the material they need. A funny presentation would
be for the two to alternate readings-as the questions fall
into each person's realm of expertise. Sort of a psychic
Jim and Tammy Faye act.
The performers would memorize about ten questions each, and barely
handle the slips at all. I think such a mentalist team could get their own talk
show!
Tarot Telepathy 2000

This is a two person presentation that a couple can learn in
a few days of practice. The presentation may take a little
longer.
Questions are written out on thank-you card sized papers
by the audience, and gathered up by the male member of
the team. He opens one, reads aloud the name, and
concentrates.
Across the stage, the female member of the team gives a reading to the
audience querent, and then answers the question. At no time does the male
member of the team say anything other than the person's name.
This uses a very simple coding method. The mentalist, once observing the
48
spectator in question, can devise a cold reading to suit the person. Several good
ones based on age and sex can be found in William Larsen Sr.'s Tarot Telepathy.
The question?
All questions fall into a few known categories, as any practitioner of Q and
A will tell you. The person transmitting the question does so by the way he holds
the paper. Let's say that the following categories cover 95% of the questions you
receive:
Love
Health
Career
Travel
Money
If the sender holds the paper at the bottom left with the forefinger alone, it
can mean Love. If he holds it with the first two fingers, it can mean Health.
Holding the paper with the left hand can mean Career and Money. Additional
topics can be added by holding the paper by the top, with one or two fingers or the
right and left hand. Don't forget to include codes for pass and gag.
Advanced performers may even want to code hot and cold to each
other, perhaps by a sniff, or a twitch of the eyebrow. This way, the experience
cold reader can fish around to the exact question.
It would enhance the presentation, I think, if the receiver was blindfolded.
Presentation of Q & A
Even though youre a Psychic Entertainer (which some
people would say is an oxymoron!), the Q & A has its roots
in antiquity, and hits at a fundamental desire of all
humans a glimpse into the possibilities of the future.
Psychologically, the Q & A is much, much more than just a
piece of entertainment. Youre dealing with people's lives.
Its one thing to psychically divine the serial number of a dollar bill, or a
word out of a book, but its another thing altogether to penetrate into the personal
49
affairs of total strangers. Its this ability to touch an individual on such a personal
level that makes the Q & A so seductive and so dangerous.
I think its a requirement for potential Q & A performers to practice
Psychic reading techniques. A one-year stint at a Psychic Fair is good tuition.
You must develop a facility for doing readings; its an essential skill.
I learn each passing year the immortal truth of the old maxim. Theres no
substitute for experience. A summing up of my calendar shows that in the past
two years Ive performed over two hundred shows. It didn't seem possible!
Many an army has been slain with the jawbone of an ass. I dont want to
add to the casualties. As a Psychic, you have the ability to give people hope and
motivation through he Q & A. You also have the ability to cause a great deal of
harm.
A precautionary tale: About twenty years ago, I was performing the
Thornton - Hoy presentation Hurling the Headlines. I predicted several
airline disasters for the first three months of the upcoming year. I performed this
after a particularly effective Q & A performance. After the show, I heard people
say: I was planning a trip to the Orient this February.
I'm going to cancel it now! I heard several similar
comments. My jaw was hanging open - they really
believed in my abilities to foresee the future!
Furthermore, people wanted to know which Airlines to
avoid. I answered that my lawyer advised me against
naming any Airlines specifically, in order to avoid
getting my pants sued off. My advice was to Go with your feelings if it feels
wrong, don't do it. Duh!
Needless to say, since then Ive modified the nature of my predictions.
Need I point out that if I had performed a book test and Mental Epic, then
predicted disaster, no one would have taken me seriously? Once again, dont
underestimate the power of Q and A. These are people's lives. My worst fear is
that something I say in a moment of carelessness will cause harm to someone. As
with blue humor: When in doubt leave it out!
50
Energy Level
The issue of energy level is one that each performer must struggle with
individually. Weve been advised over and over to be natural. Then, we hear a
naturally laid-back performer advised to pump up the energy level. What to
do? If youre a naturally hyper person, it might be advisable to slow down. Some
hyper people seem to babble, and it can become irritating in a very short while.
However, you have to listen to the audience for the best advice. For
example, Ive performed at the same energy level for years, and some magicians
tell me to slow down, while others tell me to pump it up. Do you see how
subjective this sort of advice can be?
This section offers no answers. Only questions to ask yourself. Can you
enter a natural high-energy state when you walk out on the stage? Or should you
cool it? Its hard to perform faster than your natural energy level. Should you
work on raising or lowering your natural energy level? A naturally aloof person
cannot fake warmth; it has to come from the heart. Better not try!
At the end of Q and A, what is your energy level? Was such an awesome
demonstration a snap for one such as you, or are you totally exhausted at the
conclusion and need to collapse into a chair? Decide on what suits you best.
Another important question: Whats the audiences energy level? Perhaps
the best technique is to mirror the audiences pace.
I consider the first half of my show mere foreplay for the Q and A act. As a
result, I tend to concentrate on personable and charismatic demonstrations that are
totally convincing to my audience. I want to wear down their skeptical edge.
Then, I blast them with Q and A!
Do you criticize sex right after an orgasm? That's the frame of mind I want
to leave my audience with.
51
Money is Energy
Money has a spirituality all its own It
surprises some people when I say that
money can be very spiritual. Were at our
best when we act as a clear conduit of
energy. When we manifest the power of the
Spirit in the world, taking the Spiritual
energy from above and manifesting it in the
world, were at our best.
Money is likewise a form of energy. We deal with it best when we act as a
clear channel for this energy. This is why it feels so good, and why we are so
empowered, by the act of spending money. Hoarding money gives us a false
sense of security, but we are also saving it for a glorious day when we can spend
it. Its sort of like delaying orgasm to increase the enjoyment and intensity of the
experience. The only problem arises when we save for a day that never comes
and defer our happiness infinitely.
Since were discussing money as a model of energy, let's see what this
implies to us as performers. If youre getting, say, $500 for a thirty minute show,
you owe the audience $500 worth of your energy. The books must balance.
Conversely, let's suppose you are contacted by a fund-raising group to do a show
for their fund-raiser. This is a very prestigious black tie and tail affair, and it
would be politically advantageous for you to be seen there.
Here is the catch. They only have $75 to pay you.
In such an event, if you do your show under these conditions, and accept
the $75 fee, you become a $75 performer. Your energy level will reflect this. The
audience will pick up on it. After the show, youll feel lousy. Trust me I know.
I suggest, in such a case, that you instead offer to donate your $1200 show to the
event, gratis. Now, youll perform the show of your life!
52
The Hook
The Hook brings you back - I ain't tellin' you no lieThe Hook brings you back - on that you can rely...
-Blues Traveller - The Hook
A fundamental requirement of each of your presentations is that
it generates more business for you. If it doesn't, obviously you
won't work very much!
So in designing your presentations, you must build in a hook that will
make key members of your audience those who are in a position to do so
excited about booking you for their own events.
Obviously, a great group before which to present your act are any of the
eclectic professional groups where individuals meet in order to network. I
covered the possibilities of exploiting Rotary and Kiwanis clubs in my book
Psychic Soirees. Be sure to collect everyone's business card to build your list of
qualified prospects. My greatest triumph, professionally speaking, was
performing for a group of public relations special event planners. I mined those
contacts for years!
One of the strongest hooks is a person's desire to shine in the eyes of his or
her peers. Convince your buyer that by being the one to bring your act to their
event, they will receive positive attention for months to come.
Need I point out that getting an insight into the problems and issues of your
life is another strong hook? Psychic Entertainment provides its own hook.
Skeptics want to try to pierce your secrets. Believers want validation of their
beliefs. And both sides like to debate the point!
Everyone responds to unique entertainment. If your audience is tired of
guys jerking scared rabbits out of production boxes, or the brassiere off of the
junior vice president, hook them with the uniqueness of your entertainment.
On the other hand, there are few things in this life more tedious than a
boring Mentalist!
53
I love being in a position to be actually difficult to book. I am constantly

having to explain to people that I am booked for a specific date. It makes me
more unique and in demand. I often book shows this way a full year in advance,
by people who could not get me for the event this year but want to be sure to get
me next year.
The Use of Humor

Interjecting humor in a Q & A act is a great idea, if
youre a humorous person. If youre not, however, its
probably best to play it straight. A sense of humor,
like sincerity, is almost impossible to fake.
Q and A presentations can be very intense for the
audience. Properly presented, the Q & A resembles
what you would do if you really had psychic powers.
One gag I use is to have a fake cell phone in my
pocket. During some prefatory remarks, I trigger the buzzer. I say, Hold on a
minute excuse me... Hello? Your Psychic Friend's Hotline. What is your VISA
number? Let me get back to you in thirty minutes or so. I say to the audience,
Hey, you got to get it wherever you can. Always gets several laughs where I
need it most.
Another great gag is to use the Magic Fortune -Telling Eight Ball. I
always use this on sports questions. I tell the spectators, I don't do sports, but we
can consult a higher Oracle that will give us the answer. I shake up the ball and
ask: Will the (home team) win? Then I read aloud the eight ball's answer. Its
a hoot!
Funny stories or anecdotes are very good, especially biographical ones, real
or fictional. These anecdotes help make the strong performer seem more
personable and human, and therefore lighten the tension.
I got a letter the other day from the Fortune Tellers of America thanking
me for the great show I did. I called them back and said: ' I didn't do a show for
you.' The lady said: 'No, but you will!
54
Biographical Anecdotes
Im amazed at how naive some performers are in
recounting their personal history, especially to the
press. I remember about fifteen years ago a local
paper interviewed a group of local magicians,
including me, for a feature article. Predictably, one of
the questions asked was how did we get into magic? I
was chuckling to myself at this great opportunity to
lay down a legend for posterity, not to mention my scrapbook. My friends,
however, went into great detail about how they received a magic set at the age of
six, and hung out in magic shops etc.
Boring.
Not your humble scribe! I regaled the reporter with tales about my
grandfather the crooked gambler, who worked 'sawdust games' and carnival cons,
and the many close calls Ive experienced in my checkered career before I decided
that entertainment was much safer. I told them about my mother the Astrologer
(true) and my grandmother the palmist and crystal gazer. Realy warming to the
story, I told them about how I gained the trust of the inner circle of magicians with
my gambling and mindreading skills, and how I traded secrets with the pros. In
brief, I laid it on thick! I gave them an interesting story about an interesting
person! I also received almost 80% of the story, and the only two photos printed
were of me.
Who really cares about hearing the story of a lonely kid who stayed up all
night learning the diagonal palm shift? People want adventure!
Other stories. I talk about how I was the first person in the world to solve
Rubik's cube blindfolded. I tell my audience that I sent a video tape of this event
to That's Incredible. They said, John. That's incredible! Come on out. So I
flew out to LA., only to discover that the show had been cancelled two weeks
previously. But the good news, I tell my audience, is that if I had been on the
show, I would today be an international media star, and you would never had
55
been able to book me at these prices.

Entertainment holds a romance for most people. In reality, we all know
that theres a lot of grunge work involved in show business, and even the most
exciting show can get to be a grind after the first hundred performances. But why
not keep the romance alive in the eyes of the audience? Ive been told that David
Copperfield performs over 500 shows a year! Wow! Of course he sleeps on a big
pile of money with supermodels, which may explain why he always seems so
happy.
The skilled performer plays his audience like a violin. He tenses them up,
sustains the mood, releases tension, lets them go. It is a very erotic process, like
making love to a responsive lover. At the conclusion of your act, the audience
should be like a tightly wound spring suddenly released, and unwittingly
propelled to their feet in a standing ovation! It can happen.
My point is for you to try to create an interesting character, one whom the
audience can vicariously live out their need for adventure. Most of the anecdotes
I tell now are true but they weren't when I performed my first show! Capishe?
A performance of Q and A is a metaphor for the quest on which we all
embark in life as we seek personal knowledge. Metaphors that relentlessly repeat
themselves become archetypes. The Oracle is definitely an archetype, so deeply
rooted in the group unconscious that its seductive power cannot be overlooked.
Dont be just another entertainer become an archetype!
Staying Ahead of The Joneses

Western society is heavily influenced by the scientific
method. Were encouraged from an early age to observe
and explain. As Psychic Entertainers, we must outwit our
audiences. During the course of our performances, we
must eliminate audience theories before they can form
them. Left with no logical alternative, the analytical
member is more likely to entertain the possibility that he
56
may have actually witnessed a paranormal event. I believe this conviction is

important to the success of a Mentalism show. There is no market for a fake
Psychic.
So, we must structure our routine in such a manner that no explanation is
possible except the one we want them to believe. In this case, that we can read
minds.
The most popular explanation of a mind-reading act is the idea that we 'set
up' or arrange the presentations. Unfortunately, this explanation would explain
about 99% of the sort of routines most Mentalists perform. The Q and A
eliminates this theory because you answer the question of the very guy who
suspects setups!
Ive also heard murmurs of 'sleight-of-hand' during a Q and A style
presentation of another performer, who, by the way, used a pre-show clipboard to
get his info. He handled the billets in a flourishy, fidgety manner, which planted
this suspicion in the skeptics minds. While sleight of hand is a very vague
explanation, it still must be dealt with. Perhaps by wearing rubber gloves, or
handling the slips with forceps?
One of the best ways to eliminate such theories is to bring them up yourself,
only to deny even thinking about using them. This was a favorite performing
ploy of such old masters as Herrmann the Great and T. Nelson Downs. One
approach would be to point out that to eliminate the possibility of cheating or
switching, youll never open the questions, and will always keep the slip in full
view. These conditions are possible with most Q and A methods.
With this in mind Ive sometimes said aloud, while blindfolded and
performing for a skeptical audience, I heard that sir. I couldn't be doing that
because I never open the slips, AND I CAN'T SEE ANYWAY, so even if I was
switching slips, it wouldn't do me any good..
The topic of fooling the audience is one that is almost taboo in discussions
of Mentalism. The audience is expected to be caught up in the premise of real
Psychic powers, and forget that they are watching a magic show. Okay....
57
Unfortunately, there is the undeniable truth that no matter what you do,
some people will never believe in Psychic ability. Even if you were real and
could prove it there will always be people who simply cannot accept the
possibility of the paranormal. And yet, theyre part of the audience that were
obligated to entertain.
Another point to consider is that the religious beliefs of some individuals
will not allow them to believe, accept, or condone what you are doing. In the
Southeast, Ive run into this any number of times, sometimes having individuals
disrupt the show, send me hate mail during Q and A, and generally become a
distraction. So, these days, I ask the person who books me (after the deal is made,
and indeed, the night of the show!) If he feel that there are individuals who may
have a religious objection to my show. If he thinks that there are, I give him a
card to read before dinner. It reads:
Ladies and Gentlemen, after dinner, we are going to be entertained by
John Riggs, who is an Psychic Entertainer. John realizes that some people are
a little uncomfortable with the premise of his show, which is a dramatic
presentation of the power of the motivated mind. If you feel uncomfortable with
the idea, its OK to leave after desert, no hard feelings. Thank you.
In the two years Ive been using this disclaimer, I havent lost an audience
member yet. It actually increases interest!
Sometimes people who are desperate for the rational explanation need to be
reminded of the real conditions. One of the best books ever written on audience
point of view is Strong Magic, by Darwin Ortiz. Greater mentalist minds than
mine have pointed out that this book is indispensable for any Mentalist. I hold
Darwin in high esteem, and have seen him literally mesmerize a roomful of highly
intelligent people using only a deck of cards and his own talent and understanding
of audience reaction. His book is really very good.
Finally, if youve done a little pre-show work and memorized a few
questions, you can conclude your act by addressing questions without even
58
touching the slips. I suggest that you collapse in an exhausted heap after this
strenuous feat.
The Conclusion
Strenuous and often contrived efforts have been made to give the Q and A
a strong ending. The fact is, Q and A in and of itself is a strong ending. In my
opinion, the performance need no flashy ending. I feel that you should end your
act strongly, and Q and A fits the bill because it simply cannot be topped.
A Psychic Entertainment performance is not a magic show. We arent
selling pleasant puzzles; were selling a concept.
Mentalism is a conceptual art. The concept is that we read minds or
receive Psychic impressions. If you structure your show like a magic show it will
be accepted as such. I describe my act as a speaker act, and it helps make me
appear to be more professional.
After the last question I usually segue into a Dynamite Mentalism style of
reading, then end with a few predictions, some of which are very funny.
Remember that Faye and Hanussen gained notoriety by remaining topical and
vocal about political figures and current events. These are topics that interest
everybody. Just don't get shot!
My personal view on the state of political races today is that a dictatorship
puts a lot less pressure on the populace.
On special occasions Ill perform a headline prediction after my verbal
prediction. As a rule I dont like headline or lottery predictions; I think they strain
credulity way too much. The rare occasions Ive performed them were special
instances only, when I felt it was appropriate to really zing them with something
over which to puzzle.
59
The Real Conclusion

Entertainment is not just a livelihood but a
calling youre summoned to serve. I have to be
entertaining people on a regular basis or Ill become
ill and nervous. It is an addiction; a compulsion
a madness.
Or at least it should be.
Mentalism is not for everyone. Some people are
more suited to general magic, finger flinging, or
comedy. And even the Q and A act isnt for every
Mentalist. Its necessary to be brutally honest with
yourself in order to make the most effective use of your personal resources.
When I was young, I wanted to be a dove, card, and billiard ball
manipulator. I had the skills and dedication, I just didn't have that kind of stage
presence. The first time I presented a mentalism trick, I heard my future calling to
me, like Sirens to a sex-deprived sailor.
I realize that 95% of the people reading my books do so for
entertainment they enjoy the thought processes and methodologies presented in
the work I have no problem with this, armchair magicians and mentalists help
keep the entertainment craft alive with their enthusiasm and, of course, their
financial support.
Im a romantic. When I watch a magical performance, I really dont care
how its accomplished. This sets me apart from most magicians, who constantly
want to know methods. When I saw Copperfield flying, my magical friends
endlessly debated on the methods used. My concern was how closely the illusion
approximated the real thing. As far as I was concerned, Copperfield was really
flying! If you could really fly, that is what it would look like.
What would it look like if you could really read minds? What would this
ability do to your personality and character?
I hope this book conveys some of the vicarious thrill of performing the
60
strongest entertainment material possible before an appreciative audience. And if

I seem a little hard on skeptical troublemakers, just realize that my goal is to open
minds to new possibilities and such people are trying to maintain an easily
controllable status quo and usually have a lot invested in keeping everybody
else in the rut. We can't have people thinking and acting independently, now, can
we? The corporate structure of America is a very insidious institution that tries to
dehumanize people, and I dont think the American worker will stand for it much
longer.
Come the revolution, I want to be KING!
Entertainers are on the front line in this world in which we find ourselves.
People are finding it increasingly difficult to distinguish between entertainment
and reality. Personalities such as Rush Limbaugh are a product of this
phenomena, an entertainer who is perceived as an authority figure. Be careful of
the effect you have on others.
We must always keep our egos under control. I realize that even if I
become the best entertainer that ever lived, Im still just an entertainer. And by
the same token, the power-mad, ego-tripping CEO of the world's largest
department store is still just in the business of selling shoes. I think that a lot of
successful people forget this simple truth. And neither one of us will ever solve
world hunger, cure AIDS, or do anything else other than provide people with a
service that they don't really need.
But being an entertainer is the greatest thing in the world. It beats working
for a living. Remember, everything that happens in life is a miracle!
Love and Light
Yer pal;
John Riggs, March 30th, 1996
61
My Books
Heavy Mental deals with strong presentations of Psychic and
Psychic reading techniques.
The Compleat Fortune Teller is a treatise on the Question
and Answer effect, with some Pseudo-Psychometry thrown
in.
The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller is a continuation of
the Q & A discussion.
The Psychic Agenda is about ways to develop a reputation
as a real Psychic, with many routines of strong mentalism.
Psychic Soirees deals with Psychic Parties and small shows.
Phrenology for the Psychic Entertainer is an easily-learned way to perform
Phrenology readings.
PW-The Mentalist's Secret Weapon is devoted to Pocket Writing.
The Suburban Charlatan. Elegant mental mysteries for the Yuppie
Psychic, with contributions from Psiman, Pecor, and Ron Martin.
The Messiah Process. No mentalism routines, but an in-depth discussion of
psychological techniques to create a magickal experience in the sitter. Past life
regression, astral projection, hypnosis, implanting false memories. Three case
histories of people who created small cults using these techniques.
Fat-Free Mentalism. Tired of carrying around a trunkload of props? This
book has routines using minimal props or preparation .

John Riggs - The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

John Riggs - The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Even MORE Discussion on

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Copyright 1996 by John Riggs. All rights reserved.

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Ancient Oracles

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The ORACLE OF DELPHI performed the Q and A Act!

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Should I marry so-and-so?

Anna Eva Fay's Q & A

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Erik Jan Hanussen

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

agog. In February 1933 , he delivered his most fateful prophecy.

Erik Jan Hanussen's Q & A

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Richard Ireland's Q & A

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

One 1" strip of tape across eyes

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

conceptions here last week. They're on the upturn this century.

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Watch out for this horny Marine, right down in front.

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Dealing with difficult or weird questions

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Famous Double Envelope

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Cicardi's Full Head Blindfold

Two half - dollars taped over the eyes with

Four 6- inch long strips of 1/2 white surgical tape

One eight-inch piece of 1 white surgical tape

Two large putty eyepads,

One sponge rubber pad covered in black cloth, 5 x 8 x 2

A fourth cloth covers the lower half of the face, bandit-style.

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Entire face is covered . . . But you

get peek here.

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Compleat Blindfold

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller

Making the Blindfold

A roll of 2" wide black duct or cloth tape.

A black or dark blue bandana, folded into a rectangular pad.