Epic Magic Trick!

Hello ATS.

I'm bored and seen a post in a different thread about magic and I started youtubeing for magic tricks and remembered I saw a epic trick on America's Got Talent and searched it and decided to upload it to ATS to see what you guys think.

It's a pretty crazy trick and I have no idea how he did it.



What do ya' think?

-SAP-

As per the yt comments, it has to be a sleight of hand before he hands the bill to Howard.

He has 2 dollar bills. One is a copy of the one in the bag, and the one given to him.

He takes the bill given to him, and while talking and walking and grabbing the clip board and distracting (we can't really tell as the camera cuts a lot) he swaps the one given to him with the copy.

Howard reads the copy bills serial, the same serial as the one in the bag.

that's all I can think of and it makes sense.

reply to post by winofiend


Possible I guess and yes the camera does move alot. Two one dollar bills with the same serial number? Seems very rare or impossible. Unless he copied the bill and made it look just like a $1 bill, which again seems hard to do because the dollar came out of Howie's wallet.

It's a crazy trick that's all I know.

-SAP-

Originally posted by SloAnPainful
Unless he copied the bill and made it look just like a $1 bill, which again seems hard to do because the dollar came out of Howie's wallet.

One thing that can be assumed, is the dollar in the trick was not the same one that came out of howie's wallet.
(I watched it again keeping this in mind, I think he switches it right when he grabs it. Either that or Howie is in on the trick, because he did seem to grab that dollar awfully quick).

It can also be assumed that he didn't slip the second dollar into the bag. It's sealed. But he couldve opened it before hand, and slipped a duplicate bill and resealed it.

It actually sounds like it is an extremely easy trick.

reply to post by Ghost375


Again I have no idea, I guess anything is possible. I don't know much about optical illusions... So I figured I'd throw it out there for people who might know more and have a answer.

-SAP-

This is the same trick they do as throwing card behind glass, finding a card in a box, etc, etc... Just a variation. You can search YT and find a number of similar ones, or where they will explain it.


Magic isn't that impressive. Although it's more entertaining than people trying to pass it off as real "magic" as it's sleight of hand... The hoaxing "but it's real!" magic is just kind of sad...

This is not an "epic" trick.

Sleight of hand and Billy Bob reads a copy of the one in the bag.

As per the yt comments, it has to be a sleight of hand before he hands the bill to Howard.

He has 2 dollar bills. One is a copy of the one in the bag, and the one given to him.

He takes the bill given to him, and while talking and walking and grabbing the clip board and distracting (we can't really tell as the camera cuts a lot) he swaps the one given to him with the copy.

Howard reads the copy bills serial, the same serial as the one in the bag.

that's all I can think of and it makes sense.

This is pretty much right on the money. It's a variation of an old trick. In fact, I have a couple of friends who are shock magicians, and they do a variation of this as the finale of their act. If you were at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando last year, you likely saw them ("20 Penny Circus"). He performed it very well though. I can usually figure out any illusion (there are only so many main ways to deceive, so each trick is a variant of one of the basics), so for me, the joy is in seeing it performed well, and he did a good job of it.

Smart people, I wouldn't of been able to figure it out.

-SAP-

reply to post by SloAnPainful


The biggest key to illusions is to play on the audience's preconceived notions. For example, we are preconceived to the idea that there is only going to be ONE dollar bill with a certain serial number on it. So, the idea of there being TWO (a copy) doesn't even enter the non-illusionist's mind. With just that one idea, you could easily fill in the blanks and figure out the rest of the trick. So, the illusion WORKS because it plays off of that idea.

Other key concepts...

We assume that there is only ONE assistant, when in fact, most magicians employ at least TWO (and they are TWINS!) - This is what allows for those "teleport" style illusions, when an assistant vanishes onstage, and reappears in the audience (it's just her sister!)

We assume a table is too thin to conceal a person, when really a trick of perspective, coloring, and construction makes the rear of the table plenty big enough, but it is concealed by fooling the eye of the audience. - This is how those disappear and reappear illusions are done. The person is in the table (and looks to the audience, like they'd NEVER fit), and then when the cover or smoke happens, they emerge from the hiding place.

Misdirection is another key one. For example, let's say there's a stage with no trap door, but we need to sneak the illusionist offstage. Well, you'll likely see a flurry of activity and assistants onstage (all dressed the same). The illusionist changes into the same matching outfit and sneaks off as one of the assistants. Classic maneuver, and used in a lot of big illusions.

There are many, many more of course, but really, it still takes TALENT to time it right, come up with new ways to use the same old tricks, and just put a bit of zazz on it, you know?