did you ever get a time when right after you have performed a trick, someone from the crowd pops up and shouts the secret to the trick that you have just done. like for example he/she saw what happened 'behind the scene' and decided to spill the beans to everybody that was watching. what do you do when encounter such situation?

i usually get very nervous. my hands will tremble, and i cant think of anything to say. how?

at times i continued on to another trick and this time to the heckler. sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn't. they are still not convinced. any suggestions? maybe throw what ever is in your hand and run? :P any other?

Well, if i am in your shoe, i will probably ask him to come out and show him a heckler proof trick to let him keep his mouth shut. If that fellow still insist on creating trouble, i will definitely say: "Hey, can you please keep quiet! Can't you see that i am performing tricks to people? Would you stop being rude when people are listening." You need to be firm and confident when you are facing these type of hecklers. Make them feel embarrass in front of everyone if you need to.

The most important thing is never stop showing tricks halfway and walk away to let the heckler wins the situation. As a magician, we need to know how to handle different types of people and situations. :)

I simply NEVER admit or concede to whatever they say. Most of the time I will just frown, and ignore whatever the fellow has said, and continue with the trick, that eliminates whatever he says.

For example,
a simple coin retention vanish:
- "I saw the coin go back to the other hand!"
- "You did? I mean, it could be anything." Followed by a hand-wash or a complete vanish etc.

or

ACR
- "The card you put into the deck wasnt my card! I saw it! It was a 6 of spade!"
- "You wanna look again? Why not this way, you take YOUR card, and put it into the deck yourself." Followed by a riffle pass or if he put the card too deep down, hermann shift.

Things like that can really come in handy. Or just, simply ignore, if you do not want to compete with the heckler. If you do, theres plenty of ways to do so, but you're definitely bound to "damage" your performance a little. Or even worst, suscide, if the heckler takes over your show. So unless you're really sure you can win the heckler, just ignore.

why wanna use words to win hecklers in a one-one or group situation?
to prove u can speak better so u can shut his mouth up? well, jus entertain. theres a big difference between a magician and a performer.

do research on your own. understand them, apply the sleights and knowledge you know and not jus another magician trying to use Heckler Proof trick to shut them off.

Here's my advice, after i perform a trick if there's a heckler spoiling the secret i'll do the next one, but before I continue I'll say this: "for those who know the secret, please feel free to shut up..." this will usually get a laugh, and your audience will not be offended.

-Alan-

happened once when this guy saw thru 1 of my tricks and was shouting it out to the rest of the audience..

so i was like "wow ur quite sharp eh? how bout this"

then i did like the revolutionary coin vanish and stumped him and the crowd.

then i said "guess i was wrong.. y dont u go sit over there and think ur little brains out. i know ur trying to steal my limelight, but dont try too hard ok? u can have it after im done"

By saying 'ur quite sharp' simply acknowledges the fact that the heckler was right, that is certainly not advisable...Do not challenge, it only pulls you in deeper. Not sure but that is just personal experience...

A heckler is not really a person, simply a state of being that an individual is currently in.

Anyone can go from receptive mode to heckler mode, depending on your interaction with the audience.

Saying things like, "y dont u go sit over there and think ur little brains out. i know ur trying to steal my limelight, but dont try too hard ok? u can have it after im done" will show you up as a complete jerk with no class.

Make the heckler your friend. Don't embarass him in front of his friends. If you're a good enough performer, you can survive interaction without using any magic at all.

And if people start turning into hecklers during your performance, that means you need to brush up on your performance skills.

well..sorry for digging this old post up..
the usual thing i do is," oh my god! it's you again..shh..don't tell them anything and i won't tell them that you are gay/les/bi/etc"
OR
ask him to come over..and say you will know attempt to read his mind..." stare deep into his eyes..then use a favourtie quote of mine..when i stare into your eyes, i see the back of your head!" :lol:

I totally agree with kryptikalism.

Well nobody likes to be embarrassed, so don't do that to others when you won't like it.

This is usually what i do when i get into sticky situations. If hecklers see thru my tricks, which they seldom do :P, you can offer to show the "Same" effect again, but this time using a slightly different method, thus using what they know against them.

This usually impresses them and they'll probably even spread the word that you are a really good magician :lol:

i will insist it is not done the way he said and if possible(no gimmick or removed already) i will hand the deck over to him and call him to repeat the trick since he knows it.

but that might anger him.. and it won't be nice for your reputation..
no offence, but it gives people a "i-know-magic and you-don't" kind of feeling..

just my 2 cents.

(by the way, i agree with the insisting part. make it sound like what its meant to be.. : magic! not card arrangements or something.)