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The ‘Levitating Matchbox’ was in one of the very first magic books I had as a kid and even at a young age I thought it was lame and too easily figured out.
I attempted this trick. I think it works better for someone like Randi who doesn’t have my *ahem* youthful, elastic skin. I couldn’t make the matchbox keep pinching the back of my hand.
I liked the vanish at the end. Nothing quite like showing folks how to do the trick, and then performing a better one.
I love Randi! He is one of my Rationalist Heroes!
Back many years ago when I was in high school, my friend and I took our magic act to the Indianapolis Psychic Fair. We were the only ‘act’ there who admitted to be entertainers, as all of the palmists, dousers, aura readers, and other assorted psychics claimed to be displaying actual paranormal skills. I must say it was the easiest audience we ever had, as the assembled woo-mongers just assumed that we really had ‘real’ magical powers. They were impressed even if we screwed something up and fizzled the trick!
This is bullshit. Jesus made the matchbox move and disappear. Don’t you people get it?
That’s a great story. The funny thing about that is that I knew of that magic trick as a kid like 20 years ago. It came in some book I got from the Weekly Reader Book Club thing we got at school.
I’ve had the great pleasure of hanging around with The Amazing Randi on a group tour of the Galapagos Islands. He sat next to me at dinner one evening doing tricks that were completely amazing. But the reason that he is my hero is because of his wonderful working promoting a rational approach to life and exposing Jeebus-brand fraudsters. He is truly a great man.
James Randi rocks! I think watching some of his videos should be mandatory in school — maybe it would get kids to develop their critical thinking skills.