Spiked Punch!

This morning I had an idea for a trick that I think would be called Spiked Punch.

The effect: You show the audience some art you bought. It’s a cardboard box that has a drawing of a boxing glove and spike going through the box. You pull you the spikes and notice the box is upside down. You flip it right side up and remove a full glass of punch!

The trick’s method would basically be like a sword box, with an added bit which is the gimmick from a Wizzy Dizzy Milk.

I think the addition of flipping the box over adds a layer to the trick. Not sure if an audience will notice or appreciate the flip of the box, but it should make it harder to backtrack to figure out the method.

This is something that I’d like to try to make in the future!

-Louie

What to Expect at a Media Spot

If you’ve never done a media spot to promote an event you’re performing at, it can be stressful. I made a quick little video that explains how these typically go:

The biggest challenge is the amount of time you’re supposed to do. It’s can be very fluid to where they say you have 5 minutes and it ends up being a 5 second little intro and everything in between. Personally I carry a quick flash trick that only takes a couple of seconds, a modular trick that can run about 90 second to about 3 minutes and a one-ish minute trick. Between those three tricks I can cover most of the time options given.

Hope this helps you out!

-Louie

The Fortune Teller Card Trick

Currently I’m performing at the Utah State Fair until September 14th, 2025. I did a media spot on opening day to help promote the fair. Here’s the quick trick I did:

The full media spot was 4 1/2 minutes and you can watch it here:
https://www.abc4.com/gtu/gtu-sponsor/magic-music-and-memories-await-at-the-utah-state-fair

-Louie

Remote Control Chattering Teeth UPGRADE!

Last year I added an ankle switch to a set of my remote control chattering teeth. That allows hands free operation of the teeth. I’ve used them all summer and they’re working great!

Here’s a quick demo of them:

@louiefoxx I put an ankle switch into a set of Chattering Teeth! #magic #joke #dentist ♬ original sound Louie Foxx

When my summer season ends in a late September, I plan on making a batch of them for sale. Keep an eye out for them!

-Louie

Stock Magic Jokes and Gags

Social media has created lazy performers. They crowdsource their research without doing the most basic research first, or worst they crowdsource their show!

Here’s an example of a post recently in a magic group:

Magic show jokes

First of all…pulling a condom from the ear????? Without context that wouldn’t fly in the USA.

Now let’s get to the meat of what they are saying, they want to put together a list of bits that magicians use. Here’s what’s wrong with that, most of the bits magicians consider “stock” are simply lines that have been stolen over and over again and no one thought to look for the joke originator for permission.

Here’s a publicly posted video from the magician that made that post’s FB page:

Do you think he wrote that joke?

No, he heard someone else say it and he put it into his act. I know the defense is that “it’s so old, no one knows who came up with it“. That’s not true, with a little bit of research the history of that specific joke can be found, it’s a little murky as it has evolved, but some of the history is out there.

Magic show jokes

That’s all for today, I’ll get off my soapbox.

-Louie

Rainy Day Show

I do my best to not cancel shows at fairs due to rain. Yes, there are times to not do the show, like if the stage isn’t covered and my gear is getting rained on. It’s important to look down the road, and if my show props get damaged today and I can’t work next week, that’s a problem.

Last week I was at a fair and it was the morning show, so it was slower and it was raining. Normally what I would do is stand on stage and work on jokes or routines that don’t involve spectators. But I’m on stage and on mic the for my time slot. I just happened to have my crank organ with me, so I put it onstage and played some music!

@louiefoxx Playing the organ because my magic show got rained out! #vanhalen #jump #organ #music #rainyday ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

After a couple of songs it drew about 8 people over, I gave them chairs onstage so they weren’t on the rain. Then I did a close up magic show for them. It was fun and the show still happened!

Don’t just cancel shows, try to make something happen! It’s fun and takes you out of your normal routine!

-Louie

Vintage Magic!

Magicians always ask me where I get a lot of the vintage magic props. I seek them out while I’m travelling. When I was performing in Napa, CA I found someone with a box of magic from the 1970’s. Here’s a quick video of it:

@louiefoxx Hunting for Vintage Magic Tricks #magictricks #magic #treasure ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

Honestly, this box was just “meh” for me. There’s one thing that I want for my personal collection.

I am kinda excited to try to 3d print the gimmicks the two die boxes. It shouldn’t be too hard and they’re not complex shapes. The challenge will be making the hinge for the yellow die, but even that shouldn’t be too difficult.

For fun, I had AI make me a painting of the magic props on the desk of my hotel room.

vintage magic

Both Sides of a Magic Trick

I was playing around with some ideas of tricks to record with my Ray Ban Meta Glasses. One of the neat things is that if I do a magic trick to a mirror, you can record both sides of the trick simultaneously.

Here’s my attempt at doing that:

@louiefoxx Backstage at the magic show #cardtrick #magic #mirrior ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

I think it came out well and is a good choice of trick as both sides of the card change, so there’s a good reason to show both sides of the cards!

-Louie

Vintage Magic Trick: Nick Trost’s Cardcentration

Today’s vintage magic trick is Nick Trost’s Cardcentration. The effect is a prediction of which card out of 8 that someone will pick, then there’s a kicker ending.

Here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx Vintage Magic Trick: Nick Trost’s Cardcentration! #cardtrick #magic #magictrick #vintage #cardmagic #louiefoxx #nicktrost #closeupmagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

The effect of this trick is great, the method is garbage. There’s no reason for the envelope, you put a card into it, then immediately take it out. This trick would be equally as strong if you did the hot rod force, Quinta force, or the PATEO force. Sure, there’s nothing to sell if you don’t have a gimmick, but those would be superior methods.

I will say that of the three times I did this trick, only once no one asked to look at the envelope after the trick. That confirms to me that it’s the weak spot in the trick. Sure I could have come up with a reason or way to justify the envelope, but I try to do these tricks as written up in the original instructions to preserve what the creator intended.

-Louie

Oil and Water

Something From the East by Haruhito Hirata

Awhile ago I found a set of lecture notes called Something From the East by Haruhito Hirata. In the notes there was an oil and water trick that wasn’t for me, but it did have one part that did appeal to me. The cards were dealt out in rows and then the rows were mixed. The cards then separated by color.

The method was fairly complex and involved. I thought the trick could be streamlined a little bit, so I came up with this:

Then I realized that I could get a bonus trick out of it if the cards had different colored backs, so here’s the second version:

I’d like to get a third effect out of it, but not sure what that would be. Maybe it’ll come to me one day…

-Louie