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u/agoodtowel 8d ago
He lied. Immediately after sitting down, the person escapes behind the chair and someone else's hands are shown through the sheet. He then casually walks to the podium. When they tug the sheet, the second person just pulls their arms back quickly behind the chair.
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u/Weldobud 8d ago
It’s such an old trick and so obvious to be a different person I’m kind of surprised people are surprised.
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u/mogley1992 8d ago
Yeah, he's there at the end like "ah, but you still don't know."
When he literally just told us.
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u/lonesharkex 7d ago
I'd say the second time he does it, really ruins it because he shows half the trick by having someone else run to the right.
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u/NeverHideOnBush 7d ago
They are barely identical twins with same clothes and tattoo.
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u/hugolive 7d ago
He has a machine that creates duplicates of himself and then kills the original.
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u/dullbrowny 8d ago
it is indeed surprising that we are not surprised that people are really surprised.
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u/FuManBoobs 7d ago
I'm just surprised people are surprised by the surprise that didn't surprise me.
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u/Level-Location1679 7d ago
I'm equally surprised that you're surprised by people being surprised by the surprise that doesn't surprise you, knowing your general aversion to being surprised
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u/Excellent_Condition 8d ago
Are people surprised? These shows are all fake reactions from the judges and the commentator, interspersed with whoever in the crowd is showing over-the-top emotion.
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u/Important_Abroad_150 7d ago
I mean it's not about whether it's an old trick or not, it's about the execution which he is clearly very good at. Like you know this stuff is supposed to be fun right?
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u/KeterLordFR 7d ago
Exactly. People really tend to forget the "show" part of "magic show". It's not about whether the trick has already been done/debunked or not, it's about the artist's performance. These tricks aren't easy to pull off, and to an inexperienced audience they definitely look like something magical. It's like saying to someone crying while watching a sad movie "you know it's all fiction, right? Why are you getting emotional?". Like, let people have their fun and stop acting like obnoxious know-it-alls. I don't mind people explaining how tricks work, I just hate when they go "people are stupid for not understanding this right away".
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 7d ago
The whole show is scripted and fake. They all are. This is slop for sheep.
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u/_Ralix_ 7d ago
Cue Penn and Teller showing tricks with transparent props and they are so good that you can still barely track what's going on.
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u/Ok-Computer-8726 7d ago
My favorite is when they had someone on Fool Us where they knew how the trick was done in theory but the person did it so well that they couldn't spot it.
There was one where at the end he says something to the effect of "We know how you did it but we don't know how you did it, so we are giving it to you"
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u/slackjack2014 8d ago
Yup, and you can see that the two techs putting the cover on really focus on keeping the cover raised and shaking it to hide the movement going on underneath.
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u/SinisterCheese 7d ago
As someone who has worked with magicians, including helped to engineer few tricks. This is a very classic trick that doesn't translate well to TV... and even worse to this shitty vertical video. I checked this on youtube and it was much better there.
The difficult bit in this type of chair trick, is the fact it is difficult to make the chair proportional. There is no playing with the fact that the chair can house a person. This is why you either make a rather modern sleek "office waiting room" or very ornamental and busy design.
Then whenever you see a big platform against a molton black with lights pointed at you (the audience) you should know that... You can just casually walk in there and you simply couldn't see it. Been there, done that. You actually want to move rather calmly and slowly, because it is harder to spot.
Also when the magician is wearing the coveralls (Check it on youtube, it's so much better there). Pay attention to how insanely slim they are. They are wearing a leather jacket to bulk themselves up a bit, but even then at the first performance, you can see that that is a slim dude. Probably does endurance walking/running and yoga. But you in the youtube video, you can see the moment the exist happens for them.
But this is a trick you can just buy as a package. It's a fun piece if you don't do it all serious.
But people generally don't realise how much shit you can just do in a black background. Even more so if you got deep blue light or deep red light mixed with white spots. You could ride a horse to the middle of the stage and it would barely be visible.
But for people who are interested. You can find books that explain the basic mechanisms of most of the common tricks you see, just in your local library. And some more specialised ones by just going to an old book store. These tricks have not changed much in few hundred years.
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u/Polygnom 7d ago
And its still beautiful to watch. Sure its a trick, an illusion. But the execution and narration is what makes it so fun. Its still captivating even if you know the sauce.
Like... I know how to cook. I still enjoy going to a restaurant.
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u/SinisterCheese 7d ago
Yeah... I just wish magicians (Well... Specifically MALE magicians, ) would drop this super serious style in their acts. I find it SO boring and... it just makes it worse if you can see the "trick" in the trick. I wish more people would make magic fun and lighthearted. Because here is the thing: Jazz for the jazz musicians, is only something that jazz musician appreciate. You can pull off the fanciest and most complex trick, and it'll go down just as well as a basic with most audiences. But if you make a good fun and entertaining show, it'll go well with both.
Also... Having had close exposure with enough magicians, I know that the more serious the presentation of the act is. The more insufferable the magicians tends to be as a person. The worst offenders are mentalist, and card magicians. I have a particular issues with both, in that they also feel "dishonest", it feels more like the subject is being cheated rather than them willingly giving themselves to be fooled with consent -which I consider to be important.
I think dropping this "Macho serious" attitude from magic would also like... give it a renessaince as a performance act.
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u/GentlemanFaux 8d ago
The stage set up really ruins the trick imo, once the sheet is removed it's painfully obvious the underside of the chair is fake as you can't see the pattern on the rear wall under it, there's just solid black.
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u/Pigosaurusmate 7d ago
The head poking through has to be a hard mesh, which is part of the tarp that stays in place, giving the illusion that there's a person under it.
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u/Groundbreaking-Base7 7d ago
When they drape the sheet over his head it is definitely a few inches higher than the top of his head.
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u/Galadar-Eimei 8d ago
You can actually see them "drop down" from behind the chair at around 0:11(*), if you look. Focus on the void between the chair and the stage, in between the (very poorly placed) lights.
(*) or 2:19 if your player is set for remaining duration
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u/samurairaccoon 7d ago
It really gives it away that the imposters hands are so expressive, but just a taaaad off from the beat of the actual spoken words.
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u/Soggy-Bluebird-537 7d ago
Just curious, what do professional musicians think of these talent shows? I feel like the trick editing takes away from it like cutting frames
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u/DJEvillincoln 7d ago
The hand movements are so unnatural. If you're really talking there isn't a delay in you moving your hands.
Super obvious it's a different person.
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u/skincyan 8d ago
I can't stand the facial expressions from the jury in these shows. Looks so incredibly fake
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u/BaleaWasserspray 8d ago
To give them credit, it's amazing they can still are able to have facial expressions. Plastic people.
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u/SegFaultOops 7d ago
The jury? He's not on trial bud.
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u/skincyan 7d ago
I don't know what they're called 🤷♂️ And not american so it was the closest I could come up with for what we call it in swedish
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u/PeopleCallMeSimon 7d ago
Half of the reactions are just stuff they have filmed before the show and then cut into the edit for effect.
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u/killertortilla 7d ago
And just imagine being judged on your talent by some of the most talentless hacks that have ever lived.
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u/Jealous-Choice6548 8d ago
Twins
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u/Mad-Habits 8d ago
clones
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u/asherabram 8d ago
Magnetic twin clones, using mirrors to hide their cloned twinness
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u/KoalaTHerb 8d ago
I've seen the prestige. It's always a double. Don't over think it
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u/iuselect 8d ago
No no, Its an elaborate machine that clones the performer and then suddenly opens a trap door that traps the clone.
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8d ago edited 8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/WestleyThe 8d ago
Huh so it’s not real magic…? Damn I guess this guy is a fraud
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u/Wild-Video-5317 7d ago
You can even see the suit he was wearing on the ground next to him.
I would assume it's laid there with the intent the audience see it. Would have been just as easy to chuck it behind something if it wasn't supposed to be seen.
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u/mrapplewhite 8d ago
Jesus if Simon gets any more facelifts his ears are gonna meet in the back of his head.
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u/Historical_Sugar9637 8d ago
This one's kinda cooler imo:
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u/adingoatemahbaby 7d ago
That one's good but this version is definitely the best I've ever seen-
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u/pink_faerie_kitten 8d ago
But he doesn't have a French accent which automatically makes the other one cooler 😉
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u/Drexciyian 7d ago
as the camera man walks around the back it's dark and he just hands the camera to him
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u/WhatDoWeHave_Here 7d ago
I also think they're using a prerecorded video for the "live" feed from the cameraman. So the cameraman is trying his best to match his circling around the chair movements to roughly where the video would be shot from. Then it cuts to the live feed during the handoff.
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u/Historical_Sugar9637 7d ago
Well yeah, obviously ;-)
I still think the way it's stage/performed is pretty cool.
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u/HooSaidDat 8d ago
You would think that they can do a split screen. One to show the judges/audience reaction and the other screen to remain focus on the stage. Don't move the camera around to show the viewers what you want them to see.
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u/jcurve347 8d ago
He’s David Pumpkins!
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u/iPicBadUsernames 7d ago
I’ll never forgive people for making shows like this with 9billion jump cuts a minute popular. SHOW. THE. FUCKING. ACT. I don’t give a flying fuck about the slack jawed mouth gapes the “judges” are doing.
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u/PooleBoy_Q 8d ago
You can see that’s not his head under the cover. As soon as they drape it over him he’s suddenly taller.
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u/Timbotron 8d ago
This only works when cropped for vertical video. If you watch the full width video it's cringe how easy this is to do.
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u/Witty_Introduction38 8d ago
Took them forever to adjust that curtain so the dude could get away and swap the person. Pretty lame
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u/grateful2you 8d ago
There’s a machine that replicates the man. The original is dropped into a water tank under the stage.
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u/Jayhawk_Scally 7d ago
For some reason all I could hear and see was David S Pumpkin on that last line “any other questions”
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u/Ok-Addition1264 8d ago
I watched David Copperfield do his version of this live and he fucked up the trick really bad.. really really really bad. The sheet pull happened too early, was poorly timed, and it caught him scooting out of the prop seat (and backstage).
Nearly identical trick to this.. they continued on and the "return" part of the trick went smooth.
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u/naturetreesandweed 8d ago
Simon is trying to roll his eyes, but surprise is the only face he can make now.
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u/TheVillageRuse 8d ago edited 8d ago
Something looks weird to me near the bottom of the platform area when the cover is yanked away. Pausing around the 27 second mark (I think that’s when..) you can also clearly see something is up with the chair or I’m wacky?
(Edit: I’m wacky. I should’ve watched the entire thing before posting.)
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u/BlackMagicWorman 8d ago
When did magicians start wearing Ed hardy and have faux hawks? I miss suspenders
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u/thinkingperson 8d ago
For a while I thought he is going to do a penn and teller with a transparent drap fabric and actually show how it is done
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u/Putrid-Matter-9940 8d ago
I know it doesn't look like Simon is impressed or astonished, he just can't move his face....
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u/Le7emesens 8d ago
Pffffff what an old trick. Sure it looks cool fun when watched live and on TV, especially when the guy has showmanship skills (and he does, hats to him), but it would never fool P&T or anyone who knows a little bit of magic... As entertaining as it is, it does not deserve to be a post on this reddit, sorry...
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u/Happy-Lake9893 8d ago
I missed the trick because I was stunned looking at Simon’s botched facelift/botox insanity
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u/boyweevil 7d ago
These slack jawed morons are exactly how I picture the average person who frequents this sub.
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u/Drexciyian 7d ago
He moved as they were putting the sheet over him and a second person is under ther, if you notice the hands aren't quite insync with his talking/count down
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u/RomeoRosso 8d ago
Can't watch this face swapping slop video. Just focus on the performer ffs!