# Mentalist stage acts: how do they do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** theater-stage-dance\ **Created:** [August 18, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107 "2021-08-18T17:38:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/21 "2021-08-18T21:59:39Z")
AGT is obviously just a set piece. The classic mentalist act is described in the movie “Nightmare Alley”. An accomplice circulates through the crowd picking people and objects for the blind folded mentalist to identify and describe. Stuff like identifying an object as a driver license and then reading the license number. It’s an elaborate code between the guy in the crowd and the one on the stage. I saw the act years ago at the California State Fair. Very convincing for a kid. I’ve seen it since and understanding how it is done makes it better, the skill is impressive to watch. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/22 "2021-08-18T22:00:01Z")
The book is copyright 1989, so I doubt the number still works… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/23 "2021-08-18T22:03:16Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > The classic mentalist act is described in the movie “Nightmare Alley”. An accomplice circulates through the crowd picking people and objects for the blind folded mentalist to identify and describe. Stuff like identifying an object as a driver license and then reading the license number. It’s an elaborate code between the guy in the crowd and the one on the stage. I saw the act years ago at the California State Fair. Very convincing for a kid. I’ve seen it since and understanding how it is done makes it better, the skill is impressive to watch. I was talking with some friends last week (a husband and wife), who were telling me about how they had learned to do that trick for a charity event. They described how they had to memorize dozens of coded keywords which would be used to reply to the blindfolded one, and thus communicate the answers without overtly doing so. They told me that, from what they had read, professionals who do that trick have “vocabularies” in the thousands for the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/24 "2021-08-18T22:05:03Z")
Rats. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/25 "2021-08-18T22:21:45Z")
Typically a mentalist on AGT only talks to the judges. So the scenario I’m sure is much more like the one described by Starvingbutstrong, and not like a Nightmare Alley, involving accomplices. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/26 "2021-08-18T22:25:10Z")
I just dug out my copy of _Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends_ and called the number. It works, but goes to the Penguin-Random House switchboard. I didn’t connect to their operator, but I wonder what their response would be if you asked “What’s my card?” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/27 "2021-08-18T22:33:19Z")
A couple of points: - when people try to remember a trick, they often forget details or say something that didn’t happen. (On a TV show, you are at the mercy of the Director) - Penn and Teller are **really** good. (Watch their show [Penn & Teller: Fool Us (TV Series 2011– ) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1811179/) ) They use the 3♣ a lot - and even have it inscribed on a gravestone! [penn teller gravestone - Bing images](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=bTsX0VfP&id=C993A92DB19FCE21A080156B3185CCD6F8FB932B&thid=OIP.bTsX0VfPUAiu1NQTrSSfWwHaFX&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fi.pinimg.com%2foriginals%2fa7%2ff9%2fca%2fa7f9ca72c746b7e12a741700caf6687e.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.6d3b17d157cf5008aed4d413ad249f5b%3frik%3dK5P7%252bNbMhTFrFQ%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=361&expw=498&q=penn+teller+gravestone&simid=608035475092634498&FORM=IRPRST&ck=BAD0461C55CD404873E2419E3573DF60&selectedIndex=0&qpvt=penn+teller+gravestone&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/28 "2021-08-18T22:39:24Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Rats. Don’t lose hope. Penn & Teller have an app that is a very cool trick you play on your friends. No skill needed. You ask someone to pick a card, then tell them you know Penn (or Teller) and you have them in your contacts list. You hand the person your phone and they text Penn, “what is my card”. “Penn” answers with the correct card, of course, but first says a sentence or two to make it seem real. I’ve done it and it is smooth and very clever. It takes zero skill. You can edit the displayed contacts page on your phone to make it more realistic. You don’t have to text “Penn”, you can put any name you want as the person that is “texted”. Even better, you can populate the rest of the fake contacts screen with real names that look legit, such as your spouse, friends, co-workers, etc. I recommend it. [Link](https://techcrunch.com/2009/09/14/tc50-penn-teller-show-off-their-iphone-magic-trick/) mmm ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/29 "2021-08-18T22:50:59Z")
> [@solost](#): > > It basically came down to having a conversation with the ‘marks’ beforehand that planted mental triggers in their brains that unconsciously led them to make the decisions that he needed for them to make in order for the trick to work. I used to do things like this at parties. I’d say, “Draw any two geometric shapes—a square or whatever.” Most people will draw a circle and a triangle. They won’t draw a square because that was already mentioned. Of course, there would be the occasional outlier who would draw an octagon or something. I wasn’t a professional performer, so I could laugh it off and call them a weirdo. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/30 "2021-08-18T22:58:16Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > The classic mentalist act is described in the movie “Nightmare Alley”. I was going to suggest giving the original novel (by William Lindsay Gresham) a look! It has a ton of information about how mentalists and fake psychics do their stuff. BTW, I am _super_ excited about Guillermo del Toro’s new adaptation coming out in December. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/31 "2021-08-18T23:32:57Z")
Jay Sankey at [SankeyMagic](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2X0s6-0luc_Egd01fZX2Tw) shows how a lot of the very small audience mentalism is done. The concepts of; force, control, sleight of hand/misdirection, and preparation are fundamental. ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/32 "2021-08-19T00:17:54Z")
👏 👏 👍 thank you! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/33 "2021-08-19T01:29:59Z")
Penn and Teller also had a deal with some delivery pizza places in several large cities. If you ordered delivery and told them it was the Penn special or something, they would put the pepperonis in the 3-Club shape. I think that there were a few restaurants that would put the card in a dessert. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/34 "2021-08-19T02:30:37Z")
I had a math professor who wrote 1, 2, 3 and 4 across the whiteboard one day. He had an index card in his hand and pointed to a girl in the class and said “pick one of these numbers”. She said “3”, and then he immediately turned around the index card, which showed 3. He immediately explained that 60% of people pick 3, and he’d been doing that trick for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/35 "2021-08-19T04:56:00Z")
Similar to a trick we used to do at school. Get someone to do some basic arithmetic then name a vegetable. Most would say “carrot” and we would uncover a piece of paper with carrot written on it. I don’t think the maths is necessary to the trick, I just asked my partner to name a vegetable, she said “carrot”. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/36 "2021-08-19T18:02:19Z")
This thread inspired me to think up a trick last night that I preformed on my son. I set it up beforehand. Then waited until he wandered into the living room on his own while I sat on the sofa watching TV. “Hey, Hampshire Jr. Want to see a trick?” “Sure.” “See that six sided die on the counter.” “Yep.” “Make sure it’s legit.” “Okay.” “Now give it a roll.” “Okay.” “Was it a fair roll. Are you satisfied with it? Do you want to re-roll it?” “No. It’s good.” “Okay. What did you roll?” “A two.” “Interesting.” “Why?” “Go look under the mouse pad on the desk.” Goes to look. “What did you find?” “A piece of paper.” “What does it say?” “Hampshire Jr. will roll a 2.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/37 "2021-08-19T18:11:42Z")
So where did you hide the other five pieces of paper? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/38 "2021-08-19T18:12:44Z")
A villain on Columbo used the same trick You’ve got a piece of paper under the phone that says “Hamilton Jr will roll a 3” and other pieces of paper hidden around the room, too, right? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/39 "2021-08-19T18:20:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So where did you hide the other five pieces of paper? 😀 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107/40 "2021-08-19T18:28:35Z")
The one act that really had me wondering recently is Derek DelGaudio’s [In & Of Itself](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11916302/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentalist-stage-acts-how-do-they-do-it/949107.md?page=3)