111 entries in Mental Magic / Effects / Gag
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Friedrich "Fritz" Hügli Wenn zwei daselbe tun... writing "the same" as spectator on a piece of paper, joke
1930 51
Dr. Edward G. Ervin Comedy Slate Test humorous message appears on one of two slates
1937 33
Robert Parrish The "Direct" Divination joke, spectator choked if he does not comply
Related to 1939 17
Len Barker Phoney Telepathy gag routine, one sucker
Aug. 1939
Chap's Scrapbook (Vol. 2 No. 2)
4
George G. Kaplan Card, Crystal Ball, and Panties impromptu stooge, card visible in crystal ball, then performer reads spectator's mind with gag revelation (paper panties)
Related toVariations 1948 301
Herb Runge Go! closing trick, spectator choses word "go" from a book and performer does just that
May 1952
The Phoenix (Issue 255)
1020
Stewart James Hotelepathy names written on cards are selected and appear on suitcase, two times and ends with a gag, uses Jack Hughes' Attaboy
1957 26
Don Tanner Royal Box image of skull appears on blank card in a box, spectator has thought of any dead president, gag
Mar. 1957
Ibidem (Issue 9)
10
Sydney Bergson Psychiatrix comedy drawings, stack some are selected and divined
Inspired by
  • Roger Price's Droodles
1959 33
Norman Houghton Chinese Mindreading comedy routine in which the performer doesn't read any minds at all and is alway wrong on purpose
Mar. 1961
Ibidem (Issue 23)
21
Paul Marcus The Tehunga's Secret comedy routine, question is answered, answer appears on unknown language on slate and performer translates
Mar. 1963
The New Phoenix (Issue 378)
339
Terry Nosek Stock Market Manipulations cards with companies and their price of the stock, selected stock checked in the newspaper loses and performer's stock is worth more
1966
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1965-66)
42
Ernesto "Ernest" Pracchia Transmision Gags gag, bills are produced, thrown on the floor and then performer blindfolds himself to pick them up, hole in blinfold
1967 57
George B. Anderson A Guide for Word Divinations puns/lines to use for divining each letter of the alphabet
1968 20
George McLean Colorvision Gag practical joke with colorvision
Related to Dec. 1969 306
Roy Johnson Burst comedy routine, stack of picture and word cards, one is predicted and water appears from card
1971 6
Roy Johnson, Morty Rudnick The Schmuck Prediction! four way out prediction envelope, "all schmucks choose ..."
1971 39
Billy McComb "P" pea can, spectator writes letter on billet, put in tube, changes into water, pee gag
1972 132
Anthony Raven Number, Please apparently telephone number is divined, 'my number'
1975
Magick (Issue 138)
689
Richard Merry, George Mackenzie Humoristische Vortragssplitter und Magische Gags various gags
  • Begrüßung
  • Freiwillige Helfer
  • Geld (Münzfang)
  • Handguillotine
  • Kopfguillotine
  • Karten
  • Mentalmagie
  • Schwebeeffekte (Sambakugel)
  • Seile
  • Verschiedenes
  • Wenn das Weihnachtsfest vorbei ist
  • Zauberstab
  • Zigaretten
Also published here
  • The Gen & Genii
Nov. 1975
Intermagic (Vol. 3 No. 1 & 2)
24
Robert Cassidy Presidential Portraits American president is named, dummy picture is shown and name show on the back of picture as a kicker
Variations 1977 7
Steve Beam Mental Address Book gag for getting phone number of spectator
1978 1
Rudolf Braunmüller Spaß Muss Sein "Vortragssplitter und Gags für Magier und Conferenciers"
  • Afghan Bänder
  • Applaus
  • Assistenten
  • Geld
  • Finger Guillotine
  • Handschellen
  • Hund
  • Karten
  • Kinder
  • Manipulation
  • Mentalmagie
  • Ringspiel
  • Pistole
  • Verschiedenes
  • Würfel
Oct. 1978
Intermagic (Vol. 5 No. 3)
102
C. L. Boarde Brass - Variation B divination of word from a book, with gag prediction
1978 125
Larry Becker Snakes Alive comedy routine, no gag and spring snakes in tins in combination with "just chance"
Inspired by
  • Ken de Courcy's "Four Color Chance" marketed through Supreme Magic, 1977.
1979 26
Paul Maurer Mentalmagie Eröffnungseffekt baby gag, person and amount of money in spectator's pocket is predicted on business card, nail writer with a pen / ink
1980
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 41 No. 4)
139
George B. Anderson A Daylight Darkroom Seance routine for just one spectator on stage, à la Power of Darkness, Hermann rope tie to imitate a Dark room Seance
1980 9
Gene "Phantini" Grant The Impossible Thrown-Out Deck tossed out deck gag
1981 104
Phillip Young It's Gone Astray marked coin under ashtray, joke
1982 32
Stephen Tucker Weird comedy routine, one to five fingers gag with handkerchief, rubber fingers in small box as prediction
Also published here Nov. 1982
Spell-Binder (Vol. 2 No. 19)
362
Tommy Tucker The Con! out for situation where spectator won't name the word and says "You Tell Me" instead
July 1982
Magick (Issue 308)
1538
Steve Beam Lock & Key producing a lock, to add humor to a prediction, wordplay
1983 9
Steve Beam Math comedy prediction, unsolvable math question, in envelope
1983 14
Steve Beam Name-Calling toy license plates, performer tries to divine spectator's name, holds up wrong plate and puts it in an envelope, name on plate transforms into name of spectator, comedy routine
1983 17
Stephen Tucker Letraset magician's gag, prediction faking to write with a nail writer
Jan. 1983
Spell-Binder (Vol. 2 No. 21)
401
Robert Cassidy The Religious Coin prediction of date of coin, gag
1984 77
Thomas Alan Waters, Stanley Collins Kineslate gag divination, won turns into one on a slate
1985
Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Fynys)
748
Don Tanner Noch ein paar Effektideen - 2. skull appears on business card in card box prop (freely named but dead person)
Related to Dec. 1986
Intermagic (Vol. 12 No. 3 & 4)
183
Steve Beam Bird Brain joke, dove poops as many times as thought of number, see p. 421 for comment an alternative effect
Related toVariations 1988 419
Dr. Dan J. Alessini Couch Potato two decks with cards, names of famous people in one deck and occupations in other deck, spectator selects name of husband and "couch potato"
Mar. 1988
Magick (Issue 403)
2013
Karrell Fox The "Just Right" Prediction "You are right" on prediction changes into name of actual card
1988 96
Richard Bartram, Jr. The Dunninger Dove gag, variation, bird on a perch
Inspired by 1989 481
Stephen Tucker Bizarr! comedy routine, one to five fingers gag with handkerchief, rubber fingers in small box as prediction
Also published here Oct. 1989
Intermagic (Vol. 15 No. 1)
20
Philip T. Goldstein Musicon humorous prediction, cards with names of various tunes, prediction in form of cards with notes on it, letters on the back form name of selected song
Apr. 1990
Magick (Issue 437)
2185
Thomas Alan Waters No/No named number is predicted in sealed envelope, with No gag, carbon envelope
Also published here July 1990
Magick (Issue 442)
2209
Marc Roman The Write Price prediction of product from a store, bar code gag, prize predicted on back
Nov. 1990
Magick (Issue 448)
2241
Larry Becker Borgia's Goblets using invisible goblets which are destroyed with a real hammer, shattering noice can be heard, number of last goblet is predicted, using a Crazy Hammer
Aug. 1991
Magick (Issue 459)
2293
Manuel Muerte, Guillaume le Grand Magic Fingers finger falls off hand, gag divination of thought-of number
1991 80
Philip T. Goldstein True Hue colors on cards used for selection of a color, this is predicted, includes sucker gag prediction
Aug. 1992
New Sorcerer (Vol. 1 No. 2)
8
Steve Beam Fantasy Vacation I vacation prediction, no gag, spectator sits on envelope
1992 809
Thomas Alan Waters No/No. named number is predicted in sealed envelope, with No gag, carbon envelope
Related to
  • Gene Grant's "Vision of the Future" in "Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets", 1960
Also published here
1993
Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Magazine Miscellanea)
454
Al Mann The Street Challenges answer when someone says "Tell me what I am thinking"
1994 4
Joseph Dunninger, Marvin Miller Destiny's Diciple with addition by Marvin Miller (see reference)
Related toAlso published here 1994 5
Steve Dusheck Unpredictable one spectator cannot read the prediction, another one can, first one sees "I don't know how to read"
1994 66
Christopher Caldwell Body Parts cards with body parts, fake eyeball as prediction
1994
Syzygy (Vol. 1 No. 6)
26
Jim Magus Ghost in the Machine total of added numbers reads ghost when reversed
Mar. 1994
Vibrations (Vol. 16 No. 9)
6
Gary Dudash Phone-Y ESP apparently twin calls, to reveal written thought, toy phone
May 1994
Vibrations (Vol. 16 No. 11)
8
Yes-No Gag
1996 6
Peter Duffie The Supernal Datebook diary with objects written next to every day, date chosen with number cards
Inspired by 1996 17
Mark Edward Reigning Cats and Dogs three spectator select either the word cat or dog before the show and each choses a letter, performer divines words and places people in order so word can be read, humorous routine
1996
Syzygy (Vol. 3 No. 8)
211
Karl Fulves Greeting Card Wisdom gag cards with prediction of date of birth, has to be known in advance
1997 161
Philip T. Goldstein Just Chintz just chance with paper bags, five bags contain rubbish and one gold, selected by throwing a die
Also published here July 1997 8
Quentin Reynolds A Clever Party Stunt psychological game à la the Cube, kokology
Dec. 1997 9
Chris "Doc" Dixon Psychic Buddies paper fortune teller routine, as love predictor ending up at "love at first sight"
1997 28
Steve "Banachek" Shaw Comedy - Club - Routine presentation for Key-R-Rect, with lots of gags, and apparently divining spectator's phone number
Feb. 1998 1
Karl Fulves Guess Your Age (Part Two) spectator guesses age of person on photograph, calculator arrives at the right age with spectator's guesses, baby gag
1998 26
Rudolf Braunmüller Gags im Zusammenhang mit Tricks Eröffnung, Daumenfesselung, Afghanbänder, Fischtrick, Geldfang aus der Luft & Münzen, Handguillotine, Handschellen, Karten, Mentalmagie, Persiltrick, Schallplatten, Schaumgummi-Backstein, Schwebekunststücke, Seile, Würfel, Zeitungen & Zeitschriften, Party & Restaurant
1999
Intermagic (Vol. 23 No. 2)
63
Philip T. Goldstein Automantic deck with message cards, two cards are selected and they predict an action
Variations 2000 3
Philip T. Goldstein Automantic deck with message cards, two cards are selected and they predict an action
2000 4
The Amazing Johnathan AJ Attempts To Read My Mind
Sep. 2000
Genii (Vol. 63 No. 9)
41
Philip T. Goldstein Automantic deck with message cards, two cards are selected and they predict an action
2000 4
Cody S. Fisher Fifty-Two Thoughts four consecutive gag predictions (no, animal, bar code, fifty-two-on-one print) as paper is unfolded, print of all cards is torn up, one chosen and divined
2000 1
Philip T. Goldstein Just Chintz just chance with paper bags, five bags contain rubbish and one gold, selected by throwing a die
Also published here 2001 3
Eric Mead, Michael Weber Gone Fishing coin chosen from bunch of coins in a handkerchief, first comedy divination, then coin and date are divined
Related toAlso published here Apr. 2001
Magic (Vol. 10 No. 8)
72
Philip T. Goldstein Automantic deck with message cards, two cards are selected and they predict an action
2002 6
David Berglas Would You Make a Reliable Witness? routine with Reality/Fantasy ambigram, Lubor Fiedler's Posi-Negative and stroop-effect, people read words and experience them differently then others
Related to 2002 364
Michel Huot Baby Prediction baby gag with celebrity, name of celebrity is then shown on back
Also published here Dec. 2002
Magic (Vol. 12 No. 4)
90
Philip T. Goldstein Just Chintz just chance with paper bags, five bags contain rubbish and one gold, selected by throwing a die
2003 4
David Acer Get Bent! as magician tries to bend spoon, tie becomes bent - then spoon suddenly bends
Also published here Sep. 2003
Genii (Vol. 66 No. 9)
28
David Acer Get Bent As magician tries to bend spoon, tie becomes bent - then spoon suddenly bends
Also published here 2004 285
Chris Hannibal Lethal Weapon humorous prediction, No-Gag, no can be unfolded and forms name of famous person
Inspired by 2004 215
Jim Steinmeyer I Know What You're Thinking
  • Conjuring
spectator thinks of a three-digit number, three gag predictions pulled out of an envelope and on their back are the three digits
Jan. 2004
Magic (Vol. 13 No. 5)
86
Diamond Jim Tyler Ghost Writer "NO" gag with named number, number later appears on bill when it is heated with a lighter
Dec. 2007
Genii (Vol. 70 No. 12)
35
Philip T. Goldstein Infantastic clock trick meets baby gag
Related to
  • Phil Goldstein in "Magic Manuscript", Vol. 6, No. 2, 1984, p. 25.
2008 81
Ryan Pilling Fool (Proof) Prediction dictionary in bag to predict "any word"
Also published here
  • Half-Baked Magazine, No. 8, April 2002
Sep. 2009
Genii (Vol. 72 No. 9)
17
David Corsaro Getting to Know You spectator's name appears on blank faced card in deck with name cards, with comedy predictions to begin
2010 13
Ronnie Lee The Proof one of three silks chosen, predicted, with three gag predictions
Related to 2010
Prolix (Issue 7)
448
Marc DeSouza Baby Hugh-y prediction of celebrity, baby gag update
Sep. 2010
Genii (Vol. 73 No. 9)
22
Maurice Fogel, Nick Lewin Fogel's Invisible Piano comedy routine with an invisible piano and the gag prediction of a tune
2010 69
Patrick Page A Prediction yes / no prediction, envelope
2011 286
Patrick Page The Legend gag prediction, picture of celebrity in a frame
2011 287
Robert Orben, Terry Herbert The Baby Gag classic baby gag
2011 298
Mel Bennett Alliance "A Forceful Routine"
number prediction on clock, tie gag
2011
Xtra Credit (Issue 10)
69
Dee Christopher BPQS gag message appears on spoon after spoon bending
2012 42
Max Maven Just Chintz just chance with paper bags, five bags contain rubbish and one gold, selected by throwing a die
Also published here 2012 3
Robert Cassidy A Useful Gag with a glove, for billet reading routines
2013 162
Kevin Ho Ni__a Please thought projection gag
2014 24
Michael Murray ATM (Actual Thought Manipulation) divination of an emotion and apparently of spectator's PIN number
Inspired by
  • Haim Goldenberg's "Cryptext"
Related to
  • Michael Murray's "Your (Redundant) Number" in "Psychological Subtleties 3"
2014 38
Michael Murray Personal Identification Number apparently divining the PIN code of a spectator
Inspired by
  • "Subtle Telephone" in Banachek's "Psychologcial Subtleties 1"
2014 230
John Lovick Saint Jack cards with predictions, any selected one becomes true, clown nose sight gag finale
Inspired by 2016 99
Alexander de Cova Comedy Card Prediction prediction unfolded with funny messages every time
Inspired by
  • "Comedy Card Prediction" (Cody Fisher)
2018 115
John Graham Buffalo John combination of Million Dollar Bill Mystery, Barcode Gag, Before Your Eyes prediction on dry-erase board, bill transformation in Himber wallet, Hat Tear, $100 bill switch
Inspired byRelated to 2021 153
Nathan Kranzo Tips On The Classic "No" Gag
2021 69
Nathan Kranzo Lotto Mind Reading Opener Joke prediction for lottery ticket
2021 85
Nathan Kranzo Handful of Balls Gag Gag to use lots of ping pong balls to choose "random" spectator
2021 89
Nathan Kranzo Frisbee Gag Gag for using frisbee to choose spectator
2021 105
Fränz Prodigy Prediction one chosen word from stack of business cards is divined and name of animal written on business card by second spectator, with comedy animal drawing prediction, name of chosen animal written on back
2022 41
Michel Huot Baby Prediction baby gag with celebrity, name of celebrity is then shown on back
Also published here 2022 142
Steve Skomp Camouflage 4x4 grid of face-down papers, pairs are exchanged by spectator, yet when collected and laid out again the baby gag image forms
Also published here
  • MAGIC, Dec. 2008
2022 809
Ricky Smith Egg Bag Routine any named object appears in bag in form of an egg, baby gag presentation
Also published here 2023 11
John Graham Free Choice comedy prediction effect for magicians
2023 57