remote control chattering teeth

Remote Control Chattering Teeth – USB chargeable

One of the most requested products I get from magicians is for me to make a USB-chargeable set of Remote Control Chattering Teeth. There’s a reason that I haven’t made them before, and that’s because I sell what I use. Personally, I prefer using disposable batteries. If I forget to charge them, it’s not a big deal; I just swap them out.

Well, in my show, I’m having more and more things that use batteries that need to be charged. From things like the phone that I use to run the production of my show to mic pack batteries. Charging things is now a bigger part of the end of my performing day than it was a few years ago.

I’m learning to install the battery and charger, and I have my first working set of USB-chargeable Remote Control Chattering Teeth.

joke remote control chattering teeth, with a cord plugged into them

The next step is for me to use them so I can gain some confidence with my design. I already noticed one thing to change. I have an on/off button and not a switch. With it as a button, you don’t know if it’s on or off. Going forward, future sets will have a switch!

-Louie
PS: you can learn more about the currently available Remote Control Chattering Teeth at: https://www.magicshow.tips/product/remote-control-chattering-teeth/

Chattering Teeth by Doug Malloy and Terry Seabrooke

Last year, I picked up a Chattering Teeth by Doug Malloy (routine by Terry Seabrooke). This is Terry’s routine that I first saw in the mid 1990s on a VHS tape of his called The Vidiot and the basic routine is also in his lecture notes that are still available from Magic Inc for about $6.

I thought the fan in my unit was broken, it had two AA batteries in it, and I changed it to a 9v battery, and it started whirring…but was super loud! I changed out the fan and here’s a before and after video:

I thought the unit I had was unusually loud when I got it, but after posting that video, I have the impression that all of them were pretty loud! This isn’t a knock at the maker, it was made with 1990s technology, and it appears Doug fabricated the fan from scratch!

When I changed the fan, I also added a remote control to it. The remote is two channels, so my remote control chattering teeth and the fan can run off a single remote contol!

Here’s what it looks like:

I’m glad I finally got around to updating the Chattering Teeth prop! Working on this set is actually a stepping stone for a version of the trick that I want to build for myself.

-Louie

The Magic Guys Podcast!

Recently, I listened to an episode of The Magic Guys Podcast, and in the random episode I listened to, they talked about one of my tricks! It always blows my mind when magicians talk about my stuff…of when I meet magicians and they’ve heard of me!

In this episode, they talk about my Remote Control Chattering Teeth and brainstorm a bunch of routines to do with them. A lot of what they initially come up with is basically Terry Seabrook’s Chattering Teeth routine. But then keep brainstorming and come up with some really cool ideas!

One of the things that I think I heard Mel Brooks say in an interview, is that you need to exhaust your vocabulary of things you know to get to the new idea. It’s work, you have to push past what you know, or what’s known to get to the fresh idea! It was cool to listen to it happen in real time!

-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

Remote Control Chattering Teeth

It always fills my heart to see people using the magic tricks and props that I’ve created!

Fredric Desmarais is working on a routine using the Remote Control Chattering Teeth that I make!

If you use anything that I make, please send me pics of it in your show!

-Louie

Making Remote Control Chattering Teeth!

I just finished up making a batch of Remote Control Chattering Teeth. There were two reasons for this batch, the first is that I was out and needed more in stock. The second reason, which to me is the more important reason, I wanted to make a new version of them. I made a batch of six sets of Remote Control Chattering Teeth: Four normal and two experimental!

The thing I’m going to start to test is having them run by an ankle/magnetic switch, instead of a traditional push button remote control.

I’ve already learned a huge lesson when making these teeth. The magnet switches that I had on hand were cased in glass and they broke fairly easily while assembling them. I just ordered a batch of plastic cased magnet switched and will give them a try and see if they work as well as the glass ones!

I’ll be using these in my family/kid shows in December to see how they hold up. If they work well, I’ll probably offer these as an option.

-Louie
PS: If you’re interested in the standard Remote Control Chattering Teeth, you can get them here: https://www.magicshow.tips/remote-control-chattering-teeth/

Remote Control Alarm Clock as a Running Gag!

When I made a remote control alarm clock a few weeks ago, my intent was to use it with my Vanishing Alarm Clock stand. This summer for the kid shows I’m doing, I put in the remote control alarm clock in the place of my Remote Control Chattering teeth as a running gag in the show.

At the beginning of the show I take out the alarm clock and say “It’s time to start the show” and the alarm clock rings. Then throughout the show whenever I say the word “time” the alarm clock rings. I don’t call attention to the connection of the word time and the ringing of the alarm clock. I let the audience discover that, and the do fairly quickly.

This gag definitely has it’s roots in Pee Wee’s Playhouse with their use of a secret word and when it’s said everyone screams. I like the gag because it’s not exactly a look don’t see as it’s an action that’s triggered by something else happening, so it’s funny, but the kids don’t feel a need to explain anything to you after the connection of the word and action are established.

I have a feeling this is going to be a great lead into the vanishing alarm clock once I have finished making the couple of extra props that I need for it.

-Louie
Click here to learn more about building your own magic props!

Below the Camera…

One of the things about doing virtual magic shows is that I think the audience has no idea of what is going on behind the scenes. Here’s what people see of the set of my virtual show:

Then there’s what’s really going on just below the camera’s view:

Normally my set up is what’s just below my working tabletop, however the show from a couple days ago I had to over prepare as I was told I wouldn’t be able to interact with the audience.

It’s crazy how quickly we all had to learn and figure out these virtual shows. Early on in March or April 2020 people were still trying to do their stage shows (unaltered) on Zoom and I think pretty much everyone has figured out there’s a better way to do it!

-Louie

Telegraph to the Rescue!

Not too long ago I added the remote control chattering teeth bit from my in person shows to my virtual shows and to my surprise, it was a hit! Honestly I didn’t think it would play as well over the screen. After trying it, it’s staying in the family virtual show!

One thing that I didn’t like is that my hand had to drop out of frame to push the button. Honestly, this really isn’t a big deal, and I don’t think that anyone notices it and this isn’t really a magic trick, but a comedy bit. I was going to build the remote transmitter into a foot pedal, then noticed I an old telegraph key kicking around. Here’s what I built:

I had to 3d print the base under the telegraph key to hold the remote transmitter and battery. The telegraphy key simply sits on the floor and I push it with my foot.

I’m a huge fan of props with things that no one sees but you, and there’s some embellishment that only you know about. I know I just built thing, but whenever I look at it, it makes me smile!

A Gag Saves the Show!!

Right now some of the only live, in person performing that’s available to do are masked, no contact, socially distant, small group magic shows. These are magic shows for kids. The big challenge with these shows is wearing a mask when performing for younger children (ages 3-5).

One thing that I’ve added to the show is a prop that I built for a show a couple of summers ago, but the routine never played well. The prop that I build are Remote Control Chattering Teeth!

I started out using them as a warm up, which is right out of David Ginn’s book Comedy Warm Ups for Children’s Shows. However, I quickly moved the routine deeper into the show, and it’s not a warm up, but part of a full routine that I was working on.

The teeth are now used in the Silk to Peach routine, and that routine has built out into a 7 minute routine full of laughs! I’m glad I dug the teeth out again and started using them!