As previously noted, the coke bottle gag is just straight physics. The levitating hand is pressure on his foot, which is why the table is covered with a black cloth. The invisible touch happens 5 seconds earlier than the show pretend touch on the other person. Looking away from where the spike is hidden he can still see enough. Covering his eyes with the blindfold he can still see enough so that he knows exactly where the spike is. By the way he holds his victim’s hand he can non-verbally communicate the correct answer.

Way way ordinary stuff here. As for Derren Brown. Sure he’s a better showman at times, but most of his so called ‘explanations’ are as much misdirection as the rest of his act.

How much did you like this guy’s delivery? I thought it was fine but not outstanding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBDL2NkV8a4

TED is meant to illuminate. Now I’m just confused and afraid.

If you don’t want to take that trip, please don’t bother watching. If you do, enjoy the hidden artistry but don’t try to extrapolate any scientific or cognitive principles based on what you think you’ve seen.

BTW, if you want to see arguably the greatest mentalism show ever, check out the brilliant English magician Derren Brown’s award-winning live show “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” a 74-minute PhD in advanced scripting, routining, and performance.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1402638741983898688&hl=en

The only one I’ve (maybe) got figured out are the floating hand / gesture / feel illusions:

“In a moment, you’ll feel a certain pressure. I want you to be aware of the pressure. And I want you to allow your hand to float slowly back up from the tabletop as you feel the pressure release.”

The pressure is on his foot (Mr. Barry is stepping on it). Neat that the illusion is really in what he verbally communicates rather than sleight of hand.

Uh, great.

If you want to see something truly impressive and VASTLY more enlightening, try Darren Brown. Not only does he fool you, but he actually then goes and shows you HOW he fooled you and why you are a dumb sucker. Unlike this guy, he makes the assertion that you can be fooled, fools you, and then proves that the trick was actually entirely in your head.

While entertaining as a magic show, I found the talk to be uninformative and rather disappointing for TED talk.

I’ve seen that last trick go wrong many times, too, and I question the morality of a magician risking the innocent audience member’s hand instead of his own.

Fascinating for sure.

Thanks Mark,

I’m not sure about the synchronized arm up and down trick, but that may work because the “hypnotized” assistant is expecting a sensation and when actual sensation doesn’t come his brain develops one.

The breaking coke bottle might be just physics, but the blindfolded driving and spike under one cup tricks are so impressive it would probably be disappointing to know how they are done.

Check out the video where he manages to come out on top in a simultaneous game against a group of chess Grandmasters and Masters. Or, as someone else pointed out above, the Something Wicked This Way Comes live show, which I also enjoyed a lot.

Don’t forget the ‘E’ in TED. It’s also about great performances.

Yup. I watched a few of his instructional vids for magicians, and he is pretty up front with that.

The hypnosis/NLP stuff is there to provide a plausible explanation to keep the real trick obscured and to reinforce his stage persona.

Just about all of his tricks actually work through prearranged circumstances. Situations that seem to be random or offer a lot of options, but in reality do not.

Frankly, I was riveted from start to finish by the illusions. They’re not tricks– that’s something whores do for money.

I’ve done a bit of magic and hypnosis in my time. It’s a constant that people who consider themselves rational and intelligent (basically all geeks, then) hate the idea that they can be so easily distracted, fooled and manipulated. The most common complaints I hear revolve around the techniques being too simple, or an illusion’s mechanism being obvious when you’ve re-watched it a few times and had time to think.

This is all true of course, but doesn’t change the fact that they were completely taken in by it, which drives people crazy. The vast majority of people are extremely uncomfortable with the idea that, as a species, we’re easily distracted, irrational and suggestible.

He moves twists his hand when the camera is turned away on the first trick. It isn’t real magic if you use camera tricks.

Secondly, he only ever has then man examine the wood block with the spike in it. Meaning that they could easily be different weights, something he can quickly check when he moves them last. or the spike could be tall enough that it touches the bottom of the cup and can be felt or seen when any pressure is applied to the cup.

None the less, TED does do entertainment, but I think most people are getting his trick. He lies, and that is the source of the magic. he can see through the hood, his hand rotates out of camera, he has set up something with the man, and he can feel the difference between the pieces of wood.

Presto!

ReedRoll??

I can’t say I’m too impressed with any of the tricks aside from the coke bottle. I remember seeing Paul Daniels perform the blindfolded joyride many years ago. I always assumed that he’d memorised the route beforehand.