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October 8th and 9th. Welcome to this episode of the
Tea with Me podcast with me, she and Todd.
Before we get into this episode, let me plug a few things.
Dan, will I have done my secondary SSE by the time this
comes out? Great SSE Arena, 13th of
November, it'll be my second one.
Saturday night, 4 tickets still available.
There's five. You can get them on
Ticketmaster. Put a link in the description
of. This will be the biggest show
that I've ever done. You can come see that.
Also go to poppatreonpatreon.com/tea With
Me podcast with your bonus episode on a Monday, live stream
on a Friday, Dan will post the odd selfie of himself.
It's good value. apatreon.com/tea with Me
podcast. Now let's get into the the two
big hitters. The back This podcast kicking
off with Thompson's tea. Who?
Who are the guys behind Panjana? Now you might not know this, but
these guys started making tea in the 1800s and before that
Belfast was just chaos. You know those times of, you
know, the royal job, the Romans, you know, all these different
kinds of guys. And honestly, when the Thompson
family invented Punjana, it all stopped.
And I think we'll all agree it's been playing sailing here since
I think the catalyst for peace here.
And I hope they don't mind me saying it has been Punjana.
It's been keeping every because, you know, you'll have to bet you
would have had the visions in the past back then.
But all the Thompson family did was pour the cups here, have a
swig of that. Oh, all of a sudden, peace and
love. And yeah, they've been making
tea since 1800s. All people think Panjana comes
from a far away place, like because it's exotic, you're a
far away place. Like, you know, Alicante or
Malaga, That's the best I could do.
But it doesn't. It's made in Belfast.
It's been made in Belfast for 100 years.
It's Northern Ireland's number one selling tea.
You know what Panjana are all about?
You know what their slogan is? Fuck the best with the rest.
No, no, that's not, No, that's all of it.
That's everyone else's slogan. They say they thought about that
one and then they sacked the guy who said that and then they said
fuck the rest, we're the best. That's what it is.
That's what Pajana is. It's Northern Ireland's number
one selling tea. You know it, we love it.
And thanks to them for sponsoring the podcast.
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But let's get into this episode. My guest today is I mean, you
guys might have seen like look, this podcast we're over on tech
talk. We're doing the tech talk thing.
I don't know what tech talk is. I'm on it.
I don't know what to do. I'm like, I'm like your dad at a
Tiësto concert. I'm there and I'm claiming to
enjoy the music but I don't, I don't understand it.
But I've been aware of this guy for a few years, seeing
different projects he's been doing.
And look, I enjoy magic, I enjoy magic a lot.
But it's something I struggle to enjoy because I I need to know
like how it's done. But I but in the last few, in
the last while, I've realised I thought that's what magic is.
You don't know how it's done, you don't know how it's done.
My guest today is Jewel M, but may I drop the M and just call
you Jewel? You may, absolutely.
Excellent be so awkward if I had to say Jewel M conversation.
We're still getting used. People will now say Jewel M Only
reason I call it Jewel M is the surname was too long to spell on
posters and that sort of thing. You're showing Mawhinney,
Mawhinney and well, here we understand it, but go anywhere
else and they're like, but here's what I dropped it.
Joel M also sounds a little bit French or Korean, so that's
nice. You know what I mean?
Joel M Like it sounds like 1. That's true.
I mean, it was kind of Cardi B and I thought, well, I can do
that, but I hate saying it. I.
You know, an Irish Cardi B? Very similar.
We've been, we've been compared frequently.
It is a silly thing when people do say, oh, it's Joel M kind of
don't know. It feels weird, you know, I feel
like you're getting too big for your boots type thing.
You know what I mean? Because I know, I know some
people was sort of stage names or persona names.
Was there anything else in the mix?
There was never no, and it just kind of came across by accident.
I was speaking to another magician.
He said no, When he's terrible, just go Amazon, OK.
And then he's kind of stuck. There's more?
Any sausages? No.
There are yeah, no relationship. That's absolutely.
But that's that's that's proof that it can work.
This is true. I mean, it's, isn't it David
Mooney sausages? I think it is possibly.
Well, my middle name is David, so there's something there did.
You know, work, you make magic out of anything.
Because I don't know what you did there, but there was all the
sudden there was a link. Yeah.
Something happened. No, I've never actually, Well,
maybe. I don't think I've tried Mooney
sausages but I've heard they're very good.
Have you ever had the right magician on like a form?
Yes, well. Because I get weird about
writing comedians. I'm sure I was about to say,
yeah, similar sort of thing. And whenever I the first time it
was weird, was getting car insurance and they're like, So
what do you do? And I didn't want to say
magician because because I barely was, was just just left
school starting to do it and it wasn't really.
Hard time magicians, a weird term.
Yeah, it sounds awful. So I decided what was that I
went for the girl actually felt a bit sorry for when she's like,
right, Well, we go like digital digital marketer because I had
like a Facebook page, you know what I mean?
I've never actually wrote Magician, but now and again I do
have to do it. And I mean, I'll go to any
lengths to not write Magician down because it of course then
questions can ask, you know? Yeah, but you don't need to
write it down. You just look at it, visualise,
and then all of a sudden it's down.
It's. Focused really, really hard.
I get I do get weird about saying comedian.
Like for example, if I'm in a taxi and the guy goes, what do
you do? Oh yeah.
Sometimes I'll say all writer but then they ask me what you
write and one time a guy asked me what I write and I said
literature and then just left it there to make the fucking
talking. About that's not good.
Yeah, I've, it's a, it's a weird one because I think with
magician people, they can't just leave it there.
They want to say a trick, obviously so.
Seem exactly. They're like, tell me a joke.
Yeah, that's worse than do a trick, Yeah.
That's way worse. But do you?
Will you always do it or? If they ask, I'll do it.
Yeah, if they ask, I'll do it. I mean, because you don't want
to meet a magician and the one magician you meet not do any
magic, you know what I mean? It kind of ruins it for
everyone. So I will do something.
It is tricky though. If it's like a taxi, what do you
do? He's driving the car, you know
what I mean? So you have to.
All of a sudden you cut your fingers and you're driving it
and he's in the back. I see that.
Would be. I wish I could use magic for
actual useful stuff like that, not just not just tick tock.
What's your go to? What's your go to?
Go to well, it depends. I mean, if I'm with the person
and there's no barrier like a car for example, they're really
quick car trick or something like that.
Some really fast tricky in Northern Ireland in the winter
where your hands are reason cold.
That's a tricky one. Or the.
Magicians can't work here for four months.
We're. Actually useless no I did an
event the other day and it was it was indoor but it was Saint
Georges market and are in I was like I don't know if I still
have this in my hand like locked free.
Did one in Yuri couple years back and I had to just revert to
just basically chatting to people towards them because I
just couldn't do it. Hands locked, freezing gold.
The ultimate trick in Yuri would be taking diesel and turn it
red. That would be.
My uncle's very good at that. He's magalbris #1 magician.
He actually is, Yeah, the joke is true, yeah.
Which we work together now is. I've only done a few gigs in
Yuri now and a half the the both being interesting ones.
Well, I will loads of stuff. I want to ask you, but I only
know performing from a comedy point of view and and there's
comedy clubs, there's established comedy nights and
you want to be a comedian, You go to your spot there and you go
to that one. But magic seems like something
that there's not like, unless you tell me different.
It doesn't seem to be like a circuit where once a month this
venue has a magic night that's. Not really.
Well, there's there's one in Belfast, but that's only recent,
maybe four years ago. There's one, it's not even on
the minute because I because I could obviously, but it was
called Midweek Magic and that's kind of one of the, it's like
the one place I went to test new stuff and it was black box and
you know the green room. Yeah, me too.
Yeah, a few people I know are like that.
It's a good, good starter spot. I did my first ticket to there
as well and the green room, good fun.
But they did a night called Midweek by the way.
It was good fun. Did you?
My first ticketed show? No way.
Yeah. Big room.
Say any. Say any food on three that just
comes in. Say any food that comes in your
head on three. So you know what's mad is when
you're a magician, the pressure now is on is like, he should get
that right, even if it's not the same thing.
We'll get this right ready. Go are we talking favourite food
or is that no? Just a food that's in your head.
Yeah, have it, have it. So I've got, I feel like I've
got yours. I don't know if you have 123
avocado. Avocado.
So yeah, I did week magic. It may have.
Sounded like I said something different there, but I did
actually say avocado. It's just, I just, I need a
drink of water. See, I just misspoke very
quickly, but we're In Sync. I mean, midweek magic.
I mean, I don't know. I think I don't even really want
my. I feel like I want weekend
magic. This was the thing, it was on a
Wednesday night, you know what I mean?
She didn't really get a mad crowd.
I know where mad. They had problem.
Mad Magic. You know what's a weirdo?
Because I growing up in Bangor, I thought I was the only
magician in the country. Because there was like in London
you have the magic circle and stuff like that.
But here I didn't think there was anything like that.
So when I heard about this magic night, I was like, holy smokes,
there's there's more of us and there are, there's not many, but
there's a few. It is very much like that.
Yeah. And it we're a very odd group, I
have to tell you. I don't.
It's a straight, it's a strange thing.
I mean, I certainly was the youngest by a good few years,
like at least 10 years. And still, I'm weirdly haven't
been a whole lot of new young people that have kind of sprung
it up, which is obviously good for me for night, but.
That's. It's strange, you know?
It's not that different to comedy really in that I think
when I was starting there was quite a few people in their like
1819, my age doing it and then and now the youngest people, or
maybe I'm just getting older, the youngest people doing to
feel like they're like mid 20s. There's no.
Like people drop off as well. There's a lot of people that
kind of start and they'll will do it and then so don't.
But you know that's I want. To know about like those first
gigs, but like take me backs you're saying about growing up
in Bangor, I feel like everyone gets it.
Everyone has that time where you see your first card trick from
like your dad or an uncle or someone and that if that doesn't
ignite, you want them to do that trick.
I don't know who you are because as soon as you see a card trick,
you, you want to do it. Teach me how to do that.
And the first time you get taught it and you do it in front
of the people, that is such like a rush.
It's an addiction, like for sure.
I think that's what keeps most people doing it, you know?
My my first one was thing was my dad got a pen sitting side by
side in the sofa. He drew a circle.
He said one I'll make his pen disappear 2-3 and all of a
sudden gone. No pet.
No, I don't want it. Just in case you want to use
that. I don't want to tell you how he
does. It I know.
But, but let's just say on the back of the sofa there might
have been a pen and there might have been.
But when I saw that I couldn't explain it.
I thought I have seen real magic.
And then he told me it and then when I showed it to people.
Yes, that that. Feeling is as a kid, you're
like. Old would you been?
22. You know what?
Most magicians do get into magic in their 20s.
Like weirdly enough, I always thought most people were just
like me because it was 5 or 6 years old for me.
But most people, it's older and they get into it usually as a
way to pick up girls. That's what I that's what I
find. Yeah.
And then they find they actually
like it and they kind of keep it up.
But did you and find it doesn't work on picking up crazy
anyways, you know a by least you can do magic tricks, Yeah?
Did you, would you say about you were five or six?
Yeah. Did you see some?
Was something on TV you saw or? Or it wasn't.
First trick I saw was in real life and it was because my Papa,
grandfather, he wasn't still his big fan of Magic, especially
Paul Daniels. He used to watch him on the TV.
So we were out in Orlando. I figure it was where is it
where there's Disneyland? Paul Daniels.
Me and Paul Daniels, we were having a good time and it was
weird he was hanging out with a 5 year old.
That was strange looking back. But he could, if people looked
at your passport, he could change the age on it just like
that's. True.
You know, it's very yeah, I can't.
I laugh. But anytime was at magic clubs,
I always was so, so young. I remember the first time I was
dropped off at a magic club, my mom, like didn't leave.
She stayed. She was like, this is, yeah.
Weird, you drop your kid off at a.
Moment. Well.
What you find as well as you hear, like magic club, that's so
cool, it's like a wizard school, but really it's just a bunch of
guys drinking pints, like showing each other car tricks,
you know what I mean? Anyway.
You were on a family trip to Orlando.
Family trip to Orlando and five or six years old and there's a
Magic shop not there anymore shut down sadly called Magic
Masters and Papa wheeled me in there and we stayed for most of
the holiday. That was that was kind of it
Nobody else had any interest but they.
I remember the tricks pretty vividly and I remember being
really shorts. I couldn't quite see the tricks
he had to hold me up type thing but most people think getting
the magic because they're like that's really cool I want to do
it for me it was that pisses me off.
I don't know how you did that that's me so teach me I want I
want the logic behind it. You know, that's always been
what it has been for me. Like obviously, you know, yeah,
Rush and the entertainment is fun, but like I just problem
solving head turns on them like high on earth.
So that's what it was more of a problem solving thing as opposed
to I want to do this for other people, you just wanted to.
Know it was a selfish thing for sure yeah.
Which I think you get into magic for two reasons.
Either that and there's less people get into for that reason.
Usually those people end up creating magic rather than
performing it. Or you get into out of like a
place of insecurity. And it's quite a quick
fraudulent way to impress people, you know.
So you do get a lot of people who maybe don't have social
skills, whatever will get into magic.
And it's a good thing. It is a crutch, I'll say that.
But yeah, yeah, it is a good thing.
So I got into it. I just like high on Earth.
And still now if I see a trick, can't figure it out, wrecks my
head. So except for ours and ours
trying to piece it together, you know?
Yeah. Because.
Because I would think the longer you do it, the more I would
think you could look at any trick in the world.
I know, but is every trick so different?
Well, no, I think it's more that magicians, we are quite creative
people. So there's always new stuff
coming out and there's no way aligned to it.
But like comedy, I mean, you're hopefully never going to run out
of jokes. People just keep coming up with
new tricks. And I mean, I hope, I mean,
we'll see. Yes.
For me it was just it was that I wanted to figure out how the
tricks were done and just kind of kept that.
I do remember the first one I ever because my Papa bought me
the tricks, which is another weird double standard magic,
which is you can't reveal the secret.
Yeah, unless you like pay up. So it's like, OK, if you're
charging for it, you know what I mean?
Anyway, paid up, got this little card trick and got a trick with
that. You might even seen it.
It was a pen trick as well actually, where you stick a pen
through a banknote and then RIP the banknote and it goes back
together. So it was my first 2 tricks and
got a Marvin's Magic kit from a friend Christopher.
That was it. When did you, when did you see
that? When did you start to go oh I
want to perform these? Straight away, straight away.
As soon as I got it, I was back to the hotel and I was
practising. I have a weird memory because in
the, I don't know, it must be an apartment.
We were standing or hotel or something.
Got robbed. I remember my first thing was
like, oh, I wonder was the magic trick storm?
And I wasn't. So I sat in the hot tub inside.
What a weird vibe. This is actually learning a card
trick in a hot tub at six years old.
I remember that. It was pretty good.
Never kind of topped up. Yeah.
So much self-confidence back then.
Don't have anymore. I was, yeah, weirdly remember
that vividly, like. And then I just kind of kept
learning them, you know, I didn't know anything else.
That was it. And I used to find it weird
growing up being like, what do people do in their spare time if
they're not learning magic tricks?
Could never understand. I was just.
That was everything that I did. You thought they were.
They were the weird ones, correct?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it's strange because of
magic. The most interesting part is the
stuff you're not really meant to talk about.
So you have this huge part of your life, which is like this
big secret that you spent all this time by yourself.
So in my head, I was like, well, what do people fill that time
with? You know, I'm just sitting.
I remember being so little that I couldn't understand what the
magic books meant. So my mom used to sit for Simon.
She would read through the pages and kind of tell me how the
tricks worked. Then eventually I learned how to
read, which was a good moment in my life.
Read the magic books herself. And at what point do you go want
to be a performer like like on a stage or you want to take it
more seriously, Imagine like as supportive as your parents maybe
were. It's a tough one that to to go,
you know. You know yourself.
It's it's one of those things. You know, uni and stuff sounds
great. Magician.
I want to be a magician. Let's see what the comedian like
it. It totally you.
Worry about I definitely worried about what people would say, not
my parents, but I was worried about what the general reaction
people think 100% do this. Oh, my dad, he like lectured at
Queen's uni for a while and stuff.
So and they both went to uni. So that was kind of the route
that was meant to take credit to mom and dad, they were really
good. They let me take a, a gap year
and then it's like another gap year and another gap year and I
think I'm on gap year number 59, you know.
So they were good. Their whole thing was if they
saw me working hard, they didn't really mind.
So I did my levels. That was the deal with do my
levels and get a year and nothing really did happen in
that first year, but I wanted to do it when I was really little
credit like to me in a way. I knew that that was going to be
a weird conversation to have at 18, so I started doing shows
early so I would at least there was something there by the time.
I. Like I got my first job at 11.
I was doing, there's a cabaret club in Belfast and I used to go
around the tables doing magic tricks at the little booth.
So I got that and it was that was I think probably the first
like residency gig or whatever I had.
So 1111 you. Get it?
Do you ever get? Definitely wasn't you getting.
Any shit or? People Oh yeah, yeah.
Load Well, I got more the older I got.
Like when I was younger at 11, they were like, oh, bless them,
you know, and then you do something good and it would be
good. But I, I stopped that when I was
16 and I was at the point where I was looking to do more stage
stuff and less close up. But the abuse started to get
worse and worse and worse. You know, which you have to
expect part of the fun, to be honest.
You know, if you can learn to do cabaret, you can do most crimes.
I can understand people. Giving shit to someone like me,
like a comedian on stage who's going I'm funny because people
do find that like people take that kind of personally of like
how, how dare you think you're funny.
But do my I, I can't imagine, but you're telling me different.
I can't imagine people giving shit to someone who's doing
tricks. It's less like.
Oh. He's in the box.
It's not. Really, that thing, it's more
than I think. And to be honest, I've only got
it really in Northern Irish, Northern Ireland, when I travel
to other places, do shows, I don't really get this as much,
but they're more just having the crack, you know what I mean?
But when you're doing magic and a big part of supposed to show
is that some things have to say secret, you're nervous about
people striking stuff out. I'm not so much anymore because
I've done enough shows to know that people don't.
It's more like wisecrack uncles. They'll try and ruin the trick
on purpose type thing. It's less shouting out from the
audience. It'll usually be someone on
stage. You know, because you do.
Is there? Any audience interaction, like
on stage, in your in your show? Oh, so much, yeah.
And you know, you just. Have no idea what you're what's
going to happen. That is part of the fun though.
You know well exactly that makes.
It yeah, I think I'm literally saying the podcast before this
that we that we recorded that when when you do crowd work and
stand up, people find it so impressive because they know
that they go and see you and you're telling stories and 1% of
people will think every night this is a totally different show
and he's making this up from scratch.
You're not you've been working on these stories, trying to make
punch lines better, all that sort of thing.
But when you're doing off the cuff crowd work, the audience
go. I'm not saying it's magic.
But the audience go, this is unplanned.
And they're like, I think they can.
I think they can look at it and go, well, I could get up there
and tell a story. I don't know how funny, but I
could do it. But when you do good crowd work,
I think they go, well, that's what I couldn't do.
Yeah, I think is what? Separates from good magicians as
well as the ability to do that different sort of thing.
But, yeah. And I think a good magic show
should feel like it's happening once and it's not going to
happen again as well. That was always my problem with
the really, like, big box Vegas stuff is you could tell every
night the girl gets in the box, she gets cut.
Yeah. And that's just for me.
That stuff's amazing. And I couldn't do it nor afford
to get those big props. I like one comedian.
When I go and watch comedian, he fucks around and I go, I know he
didn't mean to say that, but he just thought of it on the spot
and he's enjoying it. Yes.
Like I like to see. I think it's more fun
definitely. And if you do have a show, this
audience interactive, just by nature, it's going to be
different every night anyway because every single person is
different for the most part. But how did it go down in
school? Like what?
What sort of school life did you have?
Because it's. It's it's.
Weird. I try to be honest, looking
back, like in hindsight it was grand, you know, I never got
like ferociously bullied or anything for doing the magic
thing. Like I know some people did.
But I think that's in fairness, people were pretty nice to me.
I went to an all boys school, so I just there was no pressure for
me like use magic to like impress a girl or something.
So I just kind of I used it just to have the crack, you know what
I mean? And I didn't really do a lot of
magic in school in fairness, more for the teachers have
anything like the teachers like watching it and that was cool.
I used to tell teachers their bank pin codes and stuff when I
started doing the that was fun. I usually don't wear some
tights. See even not.
Like you're saying that like just like a quick one?
I can't fathom, you know, I like, you know if.
You guess a pin code. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I. Can't understand.
I can't understand that I can't understand.
That's a whole different side of.
It so I started doing all the classic card magic and
manipulation stuff, all that and pickpocket in classic stuff.
And then at some point I made a shift to the mind reading.
Not it's not psychic like obviously it's there's a trick,
yeah. And so I moved into that and
then got really into the hypnosis stuff, realised that
wasn't for me because it was just a bit too serious, you
know, and there is a bit of risk with it as well.
Then kind of move back more towards just the magic thing.
And then now I mix them, you know, like the pickpocket stuff.
Like, that is nearly one of the most impressive things.
Yeah, that's, that's cool. Still all magic like that.
Is like when you just take someone unaware like that's as.
I was pickpocketed once as well and I didn't spot it.
And I think after that happened, I remember then seeing a guy
called Apollo Robbins and I kind of saw he's an amazing guy.
Should watch his Ted talk. He pickpockets people after he
tells them he's going to do it. So he'll he'll look at you and
say in a minute, I'm going to steal your belt.
You won't catch me. And he steals their down belt
and you're like high on earth. But when it happens to you, you
don't see it. So I don't do as much of that
after I heard a Horror Story friend of mine, he's doing an
event, wealthy people of that event, big, good booking, good
booking and stole this guy's Rolex off his wrist, which is
cool. But also he dropped the Rolex
and smashed the face. So after that I was like, I just
don't know. I just don't know.
I mean, I would do with a Magician Casio.
Or something like. His they would survive anything.
I have a few myself. No hate.
I have a few myself if a
magician. Smashed the face of my Casio.
I would say it's alright mate, don't worry, just fix it, yeah?
And I like. Surely that's part of the deal,
you know what I mean? Yeah, he could track.
Do people ever do? That sort of shit where they're
like, they do listen. Sort that out for me, can you
do? You know what's funny You?
Get two types of. Two types of people where what
you'll get say this is classic when I used to do tables and
Cadbury as you do the tricks and you get the same stuff every
single night and you know yourself, you hear the same
things every single night. The classic one is you meet my
wife, disappear and you're like good one mate, good one and he's
like no man. Like seriously.
Seriously. Yeah, it comes up to you.
And the wife wants the exact same thing as well.
And the other one was you make the bill disappear, make the
bill disappear and you're like, oh, good one, good one.
And I was a real. Now I I'll kind of call them
like I have a fun with it. Back then I was like a real
people pleaser. So I'd smile, laugh along with
it as well. But you know after the 900 and
then you go and pay their. Bill Yeah.
Yeah, it's magic. I make nothing off the night.
So you hear there was ones, but then what you get is yet people
and I should do something and you'll be like a good one.
And then you realise they're being serious.
You know they're being absolutely.
So you get asked for lottery numbers all the time.
I'll get asked to gender reveals to get asked to do like dicing
to see what gender the child is, things like that, you know, and
you don't want to offend them by laughing because sometimes
they're being deadly serious, you know, and sometimes they'll
ask you to do things, which I suppose in their head they
thinks possibly like that is like you'll do a card trick
right on whatever happens, card jumps to the top of the pack and
they're like, well done. And then they'll just suggest
something outrageous like could you make go on that light bulb?
And you're like, I believe you think I can do that, and I look
awful, but I can't do that. The worst was, you know, the
magician Dynamo. Yeah, yeah.
He was like, right at the primers fame whenever I was just
starting to do starting to do gigs.
And the classic 1 you get all the time is can you put my
mobile phone in the glass bottle?
You'd get that all the time. And like, if you went up to
Dynamo and asked him to do that, there's a chance he might not be
able to do that either, you know what I mean?
So because there's a certain amount of prep.
But yeah, people do expect, like, actual miracles.
And of course, you can do some stuff which would rival that
point. I kind of want to choose.
I was going to ask if you take us up.
To 1000 patrons, I will I. Will I take cash for jobs like
that? You're.
All the accounts I don't, I am, yeah.
It's not really magic, but I mean it gets the job done.
What? What's like?
No, I, I can't be a hypocrite here because I I do material,
but being a comedian, it's one of the only jobs for people
asking for a live demonstration of your job when you say you do.
Yeah. So I, I'm hesitant to say you
show us a little bit of something because I would love
to, but if, but I worry saying that because that's like if I
was on a podcast, someone can tell us a joke.
I don't really have one liners so I'd have to go only really
tell stories and I don't know. But I would love to see.
Something, but I understand if you I I.
Have to tell you the truth, yeah.
I do all this stuff on. Camera.
I can't do anything in real life, right?
It's all fake, right? Yeah.
Fair. So.
Like and what was the moment? No, I'd love to show you that
love to show you something. I see how much we can get you
boys down the back involved as well, but of fun.
I have you so have you seen have you seen many magicians live
before? I was like, he's going to.
Have to ask us to cut that after the.
You know what's funny as well is you do get more and more.
There's a lot of. I'll keep this here.
Don't want to be a bad boy. There's a lot, by the way.
See No. Anything you do, I'm watching.
It's like you setting something up.
That's the other thing is. See, as a magician, people just
watch you for the weirdest stuff.
I was doing a live YouTube show last weekend and after I did all
the tricks, I was in the green room after showing tricks review
and I actually had so I've I've bad discs in my back so and I
had like sciatica going down my legs.
So I'm shifting around my chair like this.
They're like, what's he doing? What is he doing?
I'm like, my back is really sore.
Leave me alone. Or you might like reach in your
pocket to take out your phone or yeah.
Yeah, but I also. Understand that because that's
me when I go see a magic show too, like the guy walks from one
side of the stage to the other, like what's he getting?
He's getting something, you know, and usually to be fair to
them, usually I'm doing something so right.
They are right to watch it in fairness.
But I always going to say is jokes aside, like I joke about
them not being able to do tricks like that is like a problem
that's happening these days is you get a lot of these magicians
who they'll do magic on social media because it's a low barrier
entry to pokes on the line. Like, but then they'll get
booked for a show and they've never, never, ever done a trick
their person in in real life because they've learned it over
lockdown or whatever. Well, that's like.
People that maybe do sketches and get known for like, or maybe
like, you know, around to the camera, Yeah, where it's got
punch lines, but it's not stand up.
And I'm not. Yeah.
As time's going on, I'm. I'm less snobby about stand up.
You might see someone like that say they're doing a live show in
the waterfront. There are times, I'll admit,
where I would have been like, they shouldn't be allowed to do
that. Yeah, you know, and now I'm not
fair. I get fucking.
Go. I'm like.
Do it for it, but you should know that that will be really
different to stand up 100%. You see it take venues on and
and when it in front of a live audience.
You can see people just not have that comfort where if they are
naturally funny, which a lot of people, if there's people on on
tech talk and they get on and rant about a new subject once a
day. If you have like funny bones and
decent delivery, you can make it work.
You could. Get in but.
Just get in at the bottom level and enjoy it and learn.
I think that I think it. Is smart when you're doing Gates
particularly, it's good to start small.
I mean, I'd be mortified now if the next gig I was going to do
was a huge theatre and I hadn't done all those shows back in the
day. I think that builds those.
Yeah, exactly. You also.
Enjoy being the person with the person on the bill with no
pressure. You know you're doing a 5 minute
spot. Yes, enjoy that because you get
the mess around and you get to do it wrong.
That's what that thing. Midweek magic was for me back in
the day, but it was also a great night.
It was good fun. But you had the choice of doing
a wee stand up. And that's when I started doing
stand up. Rather than doing it in the
Cavalry Club with 100 people where they would just hurl abuse
at you. I'd rather do it in a kind of
safe part where they're there to see magic as well.
Yeah. Like doing a comedy night, like,
although maybe you get some headers.
They are there primarily to have a good night, you know what I
mean? But it's better going in there
rather than cold, like a corporate event.
Yeah. And you've never done the trick
before that, which, you know, that's palsy.
Yeah, well, with that said, I should probably do something and
say, oh, what's in my pocket, what am I doing?
What am I doing? Oh, should we do a card trick?
Everyone needs to everyone. I'll be impressed.
By everything, can you just pretend to be?
Impressed. No.
No, Genuinely. Mad.
Like the first magic I remember watching a lot of was David
Blaine. Unreal, I was watching.
One of his TV specials yesterday.
I love him, he's amazing, but I I'm.
So impressed. But yeah, I'm so impressed.
But you know, I remember. There was a magician, Criss
Angel, right in the States, Yeah.
And I was obsessed with him as a kid.
And I came across an old interview with him from was like
Hard Stern. I think it gave me the fear.
This is this is years ago. I saw this because he does the
trick and then Hard Stern just breaks down exactly how he did
it right after that, which was funny because it was a really,
it was a really obvious trick. It was so uncomfortable to
watch. And he was kind of like, because
he's pure, like my freak and all that.
But the magic is. Actually, it's the illusion.
It's a presentation. It's all, it's all the thing.
And there's lots. I was.
I went on Nolan last year and I was like, is this lad just gonna
watch and then reveal exactly how this trick is?
But but of course they don't know I because it's it's hard to
remember that not everyone knows how the tricks done.
Like when you've done 100 times and you can see what you're
doing, you know what I mean? But eh, the question is, I was
about to say, I wonder will I move in a little bit tighter
see, because. My some sets a light.
I firmly. Believe that when I went
downstairs and me a peeing coffee he.
Did something there when? He did that.
We did I. Threw him a tenner and we just,
yeah, we sort of, you know, I used to do that sometimes
whenever I did early gigs. This is this is another mad
story. When I started doing cabaret,
actually, I had to be followed around by a bodyguard like one
of the bouncers because I wasn't meant to be there.
Like I was too young and that. So this massive big tall guy and
he was sweetheart type. Like when he used to hug me when
I came in, I thought I was going to suffocate.
Huge big man. But we figured out because he
was following me every week, we may as well just take advantage
of that. So I used to have him doing like
the system bits behind the scenes.
So he used to do this trick where I would take like a ring
and I would put it in my hand like this.
And while they're looking here, I would sneak in the ring.
It's over there. And he would go round the back
of the bar, stick on a wine glass, stick the glass back
together and then have one of the servers serve it to the
table. So I used to have loads of fun
getting not that I've done that with yourself, but just keep an
eye on it does look like he could meddle, you know.
Oh, he looks. Like.
If ever a guy look like a magician's assistant, it's that
guy there. I see.
Yeah. Like for the since I've started
hiring people, I have a like APA and if we're right in a bite, I
have to forget it's not OK to introduce him as my assistant
because people then think he's a magician's assistant, right?
And like people don't like to imagine Tristan in a sparkly
dress. I found that out.
They just they don't see him like that, but with a name like.
Tristan, that's a magician's assistant.
It is really. You know what I mean?
Yeah. And he would look good in a.
Sparkly dress if I was your assistant.
I would say I'm a magician's assistant because I'm not lying.
Do you think it was very cool? No, you can't.
I don't have time. I would like to be like, if I if
you could teach. It's just, it's just a big
undertaking. Isn't it?
Yeah, It's a big undertaking, right?
Do you play cards at all? I play Jack, change it, it's a
good game. Professional.
Back to Vegas twice a year. This way here.
Oh, hang on, I want to turn back.
Maybe if I do. How is this?
Does that work? This is good.
This is part of it. This is part of the show.
Yeah, that's because I look at. Them when they were saying that
so I don't know what you've you've done.
I'm actually just going to every.
Time I need them to look away. I'm going to mess my mic up on
purpose. Well, that's good.
I'll. Tell you what, I'll leave the
coffee on the floor to save more space.
Do you know that's actually the hardest part of being a magician
is the mic management, because usually I have a Britney mic on
or whatever because I kind of fancy myself as a bit of a
Britney. But yeah, that's the hardest
thing. You'd turn up the 8 gig and I
would forget to choose mics and you're having to do a full magic
show with like a handheld. That was a tricky 1.
Is the level above that. We're we're all right, right.
So I figure camera here. I'm going to show the guys at
home. I mean you can you can kind of
observe and try and catch me out.
Spoiler I won't be able. To he might.
He's smart. Smart guy, quite a little smart
guy. I'm going to flatter you first
and then hopefully be nicer. I know.
Can you see all the cards are different, Jen, can you see all
the cards? They're all different.
They are different. They're kind of ugly cards
actually. Shouldn't say that someone sent
me them, but they're they look like a like a, like a kids
painting, don't they? They're not, they're not
perfect. Your choice.
Do you want, do you want to pick a card or do you want to think
of a card? I'll think of it as good that's.
Good. Think of a car.
OK, in that case, let's see. Let's see if we can if we can do
this. Alright, hang on, I'm going to
take a stab. OK, now you see, here's the.
Thing right this is. The car I'm thinking of, yeah.
I won't be able to. Really.
I don't think I'll do the rest. Maybe we're starting to big.
Maybe keep thinking that we'll come to it in a second in that
case, because we don't want to start off with the best thing
first. We've got to got to work our way
down, right? We have the table between us.
If you were right here and have you poke your finger up.
If you tell me to stop what I go through, stop.
Here do. You want to go again?
Are you happy here? I'm happy there.
You're. Sure.
I'm going to put that there. Are there any mirror so I might
be able to see? If you show the reflections,
I'll close my eyes. I'll give you this.
Oh, that was a good shot. That was great.
Good shot. I'll close my eyes, you can show
the fellows in the studio. I'll shut my eyes like this away
from the mic, so you know my eyes really are shut.
Okay. Are you happy with that card?
Well. It's not the.
One you were thinking of, any chance was it?
That would be weird. It's not the camera I was.
Thinking of or the part of thinking of?
Sorry, I feel like I'm on the love magics.
Hard. It's hard.
Yeah. Am I good?
Don't my be a shit assistant? Yeah, you can.
Open your eyes. Be a brilliant assistant.
It's a camera camera. Will be really good as.
If we were actually this was the setup and they thought that we
were messing around secretly, you were doing the magic.
Okay, I'm. I'm showing you guys at home one
more time. The cards are different.
That is important. You're happy with that one?
Yeah. You want to switch or you're
good. No, I forgot my.
Original card and I've remembered.
Yeah, well, you can change that. Anytime you want.
I mean, no one's going to know but me, so it's all good.
OK. No, I remember.
Happy. Yeah, it's a lot of.
It's a lot of thinking work for a magic trick, like it's a lot
of ears. I'll close my eyes again and you
throw the card back into the back face so I can't see.
So I'll kind of scatter them on here like this.
OK, I'm going to close my eyes and you go ahead and you throw
the card in for me, probably. Oh, it's in already.
Yeah, Yeah, it's in. Oh, it's not that one, though.
You threw it in earlier, did you?
Sugar. OK, we might have to.
And we've infected. But I'll leave.
You know, it's fair. That's OK.
So you picked the card, you saw the wrong were different and you
threw it in somewhere around them.
Yeah. OK.
So I obviously. Can't know what your card is,
more so where your card is. My eyes were shut.
I'm going to try to find it with one hand and if I can do it, all
I ask is just a polite round of applause just for my ego, you
know what I mean? That's all.
That's all I want. It can even be a one handed
right Now watch me because you might think I'm going to cheat.
I'm actually going to do what we call a square UPS.
You know, sometimes traditions hold like funny breaks with
their fingers. Yeah, that's.
Fair. Isn't it?
Yeah, that's right. So we'll leave these right here,
OK? With one hand.
I'm left-handed, child of the devil.
That's what they tell me. So I've just shake like this,
shake like this, and then you go up like this, do like a little
clink like that. And when you do that, a car
jumps to the top of the deck. Except it doesn't.
Wasn't it a hearts? Was it?
That would have been so good. Do you know what it was?
So usually there's a think card cart called card control, right?
So when you would have put the card in, I would have spotted it
and be able to see. But I can't see it. 2 rules in
Magic, right? First rule, Do you know what the
first rule is? No, never tell him how the trick
is done. That's the first one.
Second rule, it's never did the same trick twice.
Third rule, it's my own little rule.
If you get a trick wrong, fucking own it.
You own it. So what am I going to do?
It definitely wasn't this one before.
I move on. Was it close to that?
Yeah, it was. Yeah.
Really. Yeah.
Like close in number. Yeah, close.
Well. Yeah, close in number and face
colour. Yeah.
Was it really? Yeah, What was the?
I don't tell me just yet, I'll tear this one up.
What was the What was the card 5?
Five hearts. I'll leave this here.
For a second, it was it was the five of hearts.
Let's see what we got. Let's say 55 of hearts.
You sure it was the five of hearts?
Yeah. You didn't think?
Is that the card you thought all over?
The card you picked? No, that was the one I.
Showed them second, if you know what I mean.
Yeah, 3. Three.
It was a three of. Diamonds that I showed you,
Let's see, was it? What was the three of Hang on,
let me see. I think we're missing the one I
pulled out of the deck. Was.
The second was the three. Which card did you?
Pick. Which card did you pick when you
said think? Of any card now I.
Forget that one. 03 of them. So it wasn't.
Oh, OK, OK. But not that it are.
OK. Three of three diamonds.
OK, that's all right. Well, we can, we can improvise 3
this one. Yeah.
Right. OK, so that's that's tricky.
That's tricky. Can I borrow your hand?
I'm gonna have to stretch away from the mic for a second.
You put out your hands and see if we can do this with, like,
kind of getting completely out of shock.
Can you still hear me? OK, hang on.
Can you still hear me? OK.
Look, Three.
It was definitely the three diamonds.
The bear might. You could have picked any card
you wanted. Yeah.
Yeah, but it wasn't. It wasn't this one.
No. All right, so we'll leave this
on top of it and squeeze it between your hands.
So here's all the we'll mix these up, mix these up, shuffle
them. I can go back to my relaxed
position. Whatever you do, do not move
your hands because I'm not see what to happen.
In fact, I'm going to take these little pieces.
Of the card that was not. To be reached towards me.
I'm going to slip these inside. Slip them inside.
Yeah. OK, we're going.
To cover them all up like. This so right, We have a card
that was not your card ripped up inside your hand and the card
that you did pick, which was the three diamonds.
Yeah, that's fair. And again, like, guys, could, I
could, I had anyone who wanted squeeze tight, tight, tight,
tight. The apprehend.
Imagine nothing happened. It was a big waste of time.
The word like worst position ever.
Squeeze tight. Yeah, I'll do this.
We're all adults. But let's pretend this does
something. That's always my.
Favourite thing in magic is the magicians like as if they stalls
anything, you know what I mean? All right, reach towards me.
Reach towards me. Here's what's mad.
Yeah, If I reach, lift up a little bit.
If I reach it, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think this has worked. My hands are sweating but.
It's making errors that's so mad because that.
Part goes back together again. This is your fibre hearts.
Was that the one you said? Yeah, that's the one You.
Is that the Wait? Hang on.
Hang on which? Means inside your hands.
Yeah, those pieces. Check them out.
Show the camera. It's three diamonds.
Oh. Oh, but how?
Hold on. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Now I.
Thought I'd. Messed that up.
I never, never, never. Never never.
That's honestly is half the fun of my job is just kind of like,
Oh no shit, wait what? And then you see people panic
then when the trick works but hold on, get more more mileage.
The card. I saw you wrap it up, yeah.
And it was in. It and.
Then but you you originally. Said to me, think of any card.
Yeah. And I thought of a card anyway,
I don't worry about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And then I showed them the three diamonds.
So they thought I'd pick the three diamonds.
Yeah. But actually it was 2 cards
because I'd thought of 1 and I'd picked 1.
Double Wally. Tell you, but how did you give
me? Give me the pieces, Give me the
pieces. I'll get rid of this.
We'll do. We'll do different.
Tricks. Well, So what part's confusing
you? I'll break it down for you.
Because do you know what? After the show, we'll teach you
one trick for real. Because everyone needs to know
one card trick. You have the pen trick, but you
need the card trick. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Why? Well.
Well, well, you think I just have the pen trick?
Oh, you see my? Thumb.
Yeah. That is.
Your thumb. What about that?
Oh, see. That's beautiful.
That is beautiful. And from my angle as well, that
was perfect. Do you see another trick?
Yeah. Please I have I can put a little
man OK? Inside.
My body and I can make him talk. Go.
So what? How old?
Is this man? 73.
OK. So look, here he is.
He's invisible. He is very.
I was. Right to say because I don't see
him. OK, so.
What do you want him to say? Because you can make him say
anything. Your balls will.
Thank you. OK, he does struggle.
With the letter B. But here we go.
Here he is. Ready.
Yeah. And it does struggle with.
The letter B your. Walls will thank you.
OK, here we go. I think he's.
He's waking up. Oh.
This is. Good as good do.
You know what my favourite thing to do?
For and actually, I'm really surprised you didn't because
most people do. After I do that trick, everyone
always says we'll put the three diamonds back together.
So I have to take the pieces and squeeze them and then this is
that I used to do that one. Check it.
I. Already know you've done it.
That's that's. But that does.
You can check the pack if you want, but hold on hold.
On you said right at the start of this, you didn't, you said
think of any card, right and you didn't.
I just thought of. That yeah, yeah.
That's one of my feet, but I wasn't looking at it in the.
Park when I thought of it, or was it?
I think that's better. To be honest is when you have
someone think of something, I'll tell you, I'm sure another one
if you want. It's a bit more like that.
Yeah. How you bought it is all of you.
Actually, our phones are on an aeroplane, but can we take our
phones off aeroplane? Well, I don't need to take mine
off aeroplane for a second. I.
Forgot that I set the phone under the table and I went to
field for it. I went Where are you, bastard?
That's. That's actually how I make my
how I make my living. I just steal shit.
You're just a thief. I.
Am so you want. Me to take my.
Phone off 30 WhatsApp. Notifications, I have never had
that in my entire life. Everyone suddenly wants a hold
of me when I get on this podcast is if I'm going to use the
calculator right now. Listen, there's about how we
doing doing on time. Ah, listen, we're flying because
I like to bake this one up. All right, I'll tell you for a
while because what always happens is I leave and you've
always have conversations and people rationalise the weirdest
things so I'm going to take you through a journey here.
You want to come on a little journey with me?
Yeah. OK lovely.
Do you want to come on a journey?
I think yeah, yeah, do. You guys take your phones as
well I. Know these are working hard, but
like we can, we'll multitask. We're not good at multitasking
men. That's not what they say open.
Oh maybe. Well, should we do it?
Or the bonus round. OK, if you get this question
right, you get a special price, right?
OK, if anyone gets it right, you get a special price.
So isn't mad. How much?
Do you feel like you're regressing the childhood here,
guys? There's.
Something that is true. You're not the only person to
say that. And it's, I think what it is, is
that it, and it sounds really woo, but magic does kind of snap
it into being really present. You're not thinking about what's
happened this afternoon or what happened this morning.
You are, which is kind of what it's like when you're a kid, you
know, which sounds really deep. It's not really it's, it's a bit
of magic, but there is a certain element of that.
And like, what did you say that shit?
Never is thinking about what's. Happening.
That's what's joking. I make him disappointed talking
about, you know. In this case, I shall, I shall,
I shall. How long do you need him gotten
for? Oh, just ever.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's that's fine.
You come come work for me. My my podcast.
I don't have a podcast. I don't have a podcast.
I don't have. A podcast?
Do you pay stuff? No, I just.
Hypnotise them. And that was the other two
people used to make for years and years.
I've been with my girlfriend 8 years and that was the class of
Joe was like already hypnotise you because she's a lot better
looking at me. So.
And at one point was like stop, stop telling people how I'm
doing it, you know? Yeah, yeah, I do.
There's a girl who used to hypnotise people and when you
hear this, I can't even say what the brand is because they
sponsor me now. So I can't even tell them this.
But there's a brand that may or may not sponsor me that I enjoy.
And this girl used to hypnotise the staff in the place to get
free product every time she went in.
But then. I'll tell you, but we.
Will have to come a night well tell us after but.
Hypnosis. I feel like I'm, I'm.
I don't feel like I'm. That was so funny.
And you might not be. That's The thing is there's a
lot of probably suppose hypnosis like everyone can be hypnotised.
It's not not true. If you don't want to be,
firstly, you won't be, you know. But I was at a show and there's
a hypnotist and I was like, that was like, there's not a hope.
I'm too, I'm too smart. I'm tuned in, you know what I
mean? Hands were stuck together.
I couldn't pull them apart. It was the weirdest thing.
But I was too young to be at the hypnosis show.
So he noticed that I'm stuck my hands and Darren Bryan
hypnotised me as well, one of his shows.
And that was, see, I feel like even if he hadn't, I would have
played long because I wouldn't have wanted to ruin the show.
But he stuck my arm right like that.
It was a weird old thing, Yeah, but it's it's less, you know
what? It's it's not as weird as you
think. It's just suggestibility, like
you say. I love.
Hand do cocktails.
There's something about that you.
Find people. Never been booked for a.
Hand, do you actually believe it or not?
It's like the one type of event that I haven't done.
I've done a gig. At the Galway Comedy Festival
where it was, the audience was 90% a hand do.
Wow. And it was horrendous.
Sure it was. So bad it.
Was so many people we talking? Oh. 80 well, not 90%.
Because that would be huge. But there was a big hand doing
what cocktails? What cocktails do you like at
this? Moment in my life, I don't
drink, but if I were to drink, it'd be an espresso martini.
Have you ever drunk? Yeah.
Absolutely just. Just knocked in the head for a
while. Not even Yeah.
Just I there was a phase there where I was getting the fear
like halfway through a night out rather than the next morning.
I was like, ah, there's something wrong here.
I think part of it was as I was because, as I say, you get asked
to do magic and sometimes opportunities would come up on a
night out where you'd meet someone or whatever.
And I always had this fear, like what if I meet like the one
right person and I'm just clueless?
So I usually stay away from it. But it's certainly not a thing
for life, you know what I mean? Love a gin and tonic as well.
Make it feels. Disappear.
Certainly. Can.
But you know what, I kind of live vicariously through my
brother. He's just a header and he goes
out. Well, The thing is when you and
you probably know this yourself, if you're doing a lot of events,
often if it's a nice event, it'll be a free bar or or I can
drink sponsor in the event. So he he takes them up on the
offer. He absolutely does makes up for.
Listen if I'm not. Drinking.
He he may as well, you know what I'm saying?
Yeah, I'm a tea man. In fact, I, well, I I went.
Coffee because I want a. Little boost, you know what I'm
saying? But but do like but there's
caffeine in tea. There is I.
So much there's as much caffeine in the cup of tea.
And I didn't know that was true. Yeah.
Is it is it that there's more in in tea or is it that like the
tea bag itself has more caffeine, but you only guess.
I don't know. There's something to it.
I don't know either but. Next time you come.
On it'd. Be better etiquette, I think if
you had tea. I think so.
Well, I. Mean I can.
I can do that. Yeah, I do love love a couple.
Sorry before we talk. No, not at all.
I will. So here's the question, right?
And there's a, there's a bonus here if you can get the answer
right. So the question is, which
website on the Internet, not counting the dodgy ones, has the
highest word count? Not that the dodgy ones have a
particularly high word count anyway, but no.
What? What do you think?
And not counting social media, so not Facebook and Instagram
and stuff. Part of me feels.
Like the right and there's no the right answer.
And I feel like if we're talking words, well, I said out loud, go
for it, Wikipedia Bond, as you know, boys.
He's got it absolutely right. And do you know what?
Your prizes What? You can choose and.
That's the name of magician. I'll just do you know what?
What can your prize be? I'll give you.
I'll give you the gift of good magic luck for your show
tomorrow night. OK.
Yes, yes. No, no, no.
I'll take. It no, you absolutely take it.
I have to do an event tomorrow night.
It's not sure that sucks. Yeah, you come next time there's
there's a chance I'll be in. London.
But if I'm not, I'll be there all my life, I promise.
That's part of the trade, that level.
Butter. Butter.
No, I swear I'll. Dance guy, Where was he?
Going with the Oh yeah, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Yeah, go
to Wikipedia. You've always do it as well.
Go to Wikipedia. This is a follow.
Yeah. So there's we're going to do
some math. You've always good at math.
Anyone here? I'm.
I'm not great. I failed my maths.
GCSE four times and the first time I took it when I was in
school I took in a novelty Smarties calculator.
That's true story. Maz was always my weakest
subject as well but I feel my driving test 4 times that's why
I was shouldn't be on the road. I shouldn't.
I actually, I actually believe that.
I do believe that. This guy, I know that it's 13
times. I'm like, at what point are you
just a risk? Like even when he passed, it was
barely, you know? Anyway, you're on Wikipedia.
Yep. You're always on Wikipedia,
right? Here's what we're going to do.
Would you actually on a separate tab or the same one?
Search, search. How many articles are there on
Wikipedia and then on a separate tab I well.
It doesn't really matter. How do I don't mind?
You can go back onto it in a second articles.
Because here's the thing in a second again, I get used to
think of some stuff and people constantly think, oh, but like,
how many articles really are there?
How many words are there? And they rationalise it.
Maybe this is just guessing, you know what I mean, which it maybe
it is, maybe it isn't. But can I grab your phone once
you've got it here? Because I'm going to do we've
it. We've it right now.
I'm going to show you. What do you want me to read the
answer? If you even.
Here, let me can I see what you've got, because it does
change. It might.
Just be higher. Let's.
See what we got? I see.
That's good. Can we do?
Is this the top one that gave up for you?
Yeah, right. We'll do that.
OK, so you can check. Don't look at any other tops.
I will get a promise, not turn. It to the camera I shall not
right. It's telling us we're typing the
word pay to. Search anything there's.
Yeah, it's a risky, you know, I've seen I do a lot of magic on
mobile phones and you do see some stuff.
You will if you see. Some stuff.
We'll, we'll keep quiet. We're going to cut our eyes.
All good. OK, so there's 6.
That's just a big number. We're get the Smarties
calculator, right? Right now we've got 6,000,000
articles, 640-5357. That's if you multiply that by
the amount of words out of words per Article 6.
No, sorry, 9.4 billion words on that website as big because each
of you are going to think of one, right?
And I don't want you driving back tonight or walking, don't
know what you say. I don't want you just going back
thinking. I bet you everyone just thinks
of the same thing and there's only a certain amount of words,
right? 9.4 Now of course there's
already so many words in the English language, but that
probably is every word in the English language, right?
Today's featured article, let's not use that.
I'm going to let you search for something else.
Take out there, right? You fellas do this as well.
This is important. Now don't think of the featured
article because I saw it was that's too easy.
Here's what I need you to do. I want you to think of something
Wikipedia or just think of anything, but don't go for some
obvious people will now at this point, go for Punjana, manscape,
lights, camera action, look over something like that, which makes
it really obvious, right? Go for something you don't think
I'd get, like just a word it. Can be anything.
You want. Guidelines maybe?
Like a celebrity, a country of food, like it, but but you
actually can go for anything. That's just in case right now,
before you do anything, I can read your thumbs.
So I'm going to face this way here.
See, when you're done, I want you to take your phone.
I'll lock mine for like, take your phone, hold it to your
chest like this. Yeah.
So I can't see anything. Don't lock it.
Don't lock it, keep it. To yourself, I'm going to look
this direction here and you guys search something too as well so
you have some. Should I start typing?
Go for it. Start typing.
And then once you've hit search, hold your phone to your chest
like this. I'm just going to stare at the
clock. Dan, what's your question
usually? I make eye contact.
With someone at this point, but everyone in the room is taking
part in the trick. So do you have a query?
Then We're all good. I just have to behave with the
microphone. See.
So there's a lot going on. Have you got some Shin?
Yes. You guys have you fellas got
some? Right.
So this is what I'm not even going to look in case you flash
like in you're not wearing glasses.
So that wouldn't really happen. I'm probably safe.
Here's what you need to do. Glance down like this.
Yeah. And then Scroll down.
To about halfway down, three quarters, 2/3, whatever you want
to do, you guys do Scroll down like this and then whenever you
want, stop. OK, you got some.
Yeah, OK. You've always do it too.
So here's the here's the important part of the trick.
You've got to think of a word, right?
But if you just go for a really simple word like we she bought,
hey, it's a really shit trick. So do that.
Go for a nice big long word, like 78910 letters.
If you can get one. Importantly here you can change
your mind on the words. So like don't just go for the
first one you spot you got some. Do you want to change it?
No. OK, so hold your phone to your
chest again. You guys got word each as well.
All right, so to make this harder for me, take your phone
and scroll again. Scroll again.
If I delete the tab. Delete the tab, you guys.
Delete the tab too, unless you think you're going to forget the
article. But have you done it?
Lock your phone, Lock your phone, lock your phone.
OK, that's a big setup for a trick.
But what I used to do is I used to have people think of
something and then like write it down or something.
And people would say, oh, he's probably just read what I wrote
down when I wasn't looking. Can't happen in this case.
Not even to mention the fact that you're thinking of a word
that you just scrolled out somewhere randomly and it's in
your head. Would you describe that as fair?
It is pretty fair, isn't it? Fair, fellows?
OK, listen. So don't you, under any
circumstances, tell me what you're thinking of, OK?
Don't. Do not.
You can put your phone away if you want, by the way.
You can relax as long as you remember the two things.
Or even just a word, OK? Invite.
Most important, you remember the word.
Just a lot. I know.
You're going to get this. Well, I was about to say.
It's the one trick. I'm going to grab a piece of
paper. It's the one trick.
This doesn't work 100% of the time.
It's not like that Rhino. The car is going to be at the I
might get a wee bit wrong, but I'll try to get it close.
I'm going to go off the mic here to get a piece of paper so.
You can do. That yeah.
What's your favourite song? I enjoy Thunderstruck.
By ACDC, don't know if I know. It.
Well, I know ACDC, obviously. I don't know if I know that
song. I'm just going to sing it.
What? OK.
Actually pretty. Very, very.
I've heard it's the whole song, basically.
OK, here's what we're going to do.
So this is a bit like that game 20 Q to remember the little
console thing you got as a kid. Right.
So just to check, because, again, people do think everyone
just goes for the same thing under pressure.
Like maybe everyone thinks of whatever.
What word do you think? Enough.
What word? Yeah.
Civilian. Civilian.
OK. Did you think of the word?
Civilian. No, that would have been math.
That would have been whatever you did with the word civilian.
Tell me what the article was. Do you think?
Are they pretty? Is a loose link?
Yeah, it's loose. Loose Like what?
In fact, you can tell me what's what was the article?
Battle of Britain. Oh, good.
So that's actually a great one because you went really obscure
as yours. As obscure as that.
Yeah. OK, do you know what?
Let's just go for you because you're on the camera is what was
what was the word you thought of consolidated?
Consolidated. Do you reckon your word is as
hard to guess as consolidated? Similar sort of tear, no?
Slightly, slightly less than. Consolidated.
Got it. And what was the article?
Vikings. Vikings are there.
That's mad that he's went for both seas.
Yeah, there's a little link. In the dude did you go for in
fact, don't tell me, don't tell me because if you did, then I'll
be able to guess really obvious. So think of the word see the
article you thought of ignore that.
That's forget about it. Don't worry about it.
Just think about the word. OK, so you guys at home watching
right now, you're going to see in his face, you're going to see
this happen and you're going to watch your back and you're going
to see it happen. But even it's one of these
things, the harder you try not to give this away, the more you
give it away. It's a bit like if I tell you
right now, don't think of a pink elephant.
It's all you can think about. Right.
So if I tell you try not to think of that word, it's just
kind of blast in your head. OK, so just try and relax,
relax. And here we're going to give
this a good give this a good go. So I'll wash this out slowly but
surely. Question before I do it.
Was this the first word you pick or did you change your mind?
It was the first word. Effectual.
Did you think about changing it? For a split second.
You saw another option you could have.
Picked and then you went back or just you just saw one just.
I was happy with what I had. You're just content.
Yeah, I like that. Decisive, OK.
I think the first letter, yeah. And I try not.
To give this hold, the iPods are going absolutely nuts.
You're trying to say have some sort of tail.
I don't be the one to say it, OK?
Do you? Ever win?
When you play Jack, change it. Yes, yeah, I've.
Never been defeated. Really.
Might play a game. Afterwards, right?
Think of that first letter ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPGRSTVWXYZ.
Like, there's a couple of things happen there.
Firstly, I think he's getting a little bit confused with the
actual thing that you thought of that still in your head to try
not to think about the article itself.
It doesn't start with an R, does it?
Yeah. Yeah.
OK, I'm going to write down. I'm going to write down the
letter R Think of the second letter, by the way, just just
for the sake of it. It wasn't an article.
We just like one word in it. There's loads of options.
And I guessing that you could have gone for.
Oh yeah, loads. Yeah.
OK, loads. Think of the second letter.
Yeah. Hey, VCDEF, That was an easy
one. That's good.
Do you know what happens there is people, It's funny you see
it. How people are tense because
they don't want to give it away, but the second the letter
passes, they can relax a little bit because they don't have to
pretend anymore. You know what I mean?
I used to do it where I would say, can you?
Can you? This is a tricky one, but put
your hands just like this. Yeah.
OK, in. Your head.
Just can't count too many letters.
Are in the word. I can't use my hands.
If you do, it's going. To help me so.
This is it. I know, I know roughly how long
it is. That's OK.
It's probably 9 or 10. OK, you have it.
Yeah, OK. I don't even.
Voice. Hang in it.
Take it. To get it, think of the 3rd
letter AABC. T.
EF Alright, I have. That's OK, This is what I've
got. Close your eyes for a second
there. I'm going to show them what I've
got. Can I take my hands off you?
Can relax while you. Keep your eyes shut while I show
them what I've got. OK, it's one of two words.
I'm going to say, oh wow. OK.
Don't look at what I've written there, but take over that there.
You just don't, don't look at it.
Just keep it close to your chest for a second.
Yep, OK. I'm committed.
For the first time, God help me if this doesn't work.
What was the word you thought of recommend?
Recommend? I was very close to take a look
at what I recommended. Really.
Yeah, look at what I wrote. Look at what I wrote.
But like. Yeah, it was.
It was recommended right how you should the camera.
But. So there's drops by.
The. 6 billion articles. Right or whatever.
Yeah, don't tell me the. Article you thought of by the
way, because I could go for that too if you want.
I do want you to do. That yeah, most people.
Just leave it there. But I feel like it'll be more
satisfying for the podcast, you know what I mean?
But but but. But see the thing I picked?
Yeah, it couldn't have been more at random.
You couldn't know why I picked that?
No, no. Which is this is The thing is I,
I like it that way because that way.
That's the other thing. I know it's weird.
If you'd gone home and you'd pick Punjana, you would have
thought that is impressive, you guessed it.
But he probably would have known.
That's why I like people to go Battle of Britain or Vikings or
whatever, right. We'll do the article by will the
same. Usually I don't do this second
bit because it is harder to get in the word.
I do it letter by letter. So if I don't get this one right
just there. Let's just let's just remember
the trucks that they that were good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You like that, You're happy with
that the single most. Impressive thing I've ever
witnessed. Oh, look at that.
See. Plaster on the website, That's
good, that's good. I'll pay Pay Commission on it.
Thanks. OK, listen.
So, right, hopefully you guys are watching at home as well.
You'll pick up on little things here.
So remember the game I said 22. Yeah, play a game of that.
But there's a catch, because there's got to be a catch.
The catch is that you have to say no to everything but you, I
think. You know this even before we do
this and I don't know how that's possible.
Do you say you're from anger? And I think you're from space.
Similar place. You know, it's no, I don't.
I don't know yet, but I should be able to get in about 5
questions. Well, that's my average.
But I could have picked. Even the framework you gave us
was very loose. Yeah, yeah.
Having. Said that, I'd say you probably
still, this is just a guess. You probably still have gone for
one of the categories that I suggested because most people
do. You did.
Yeah. So I'll tell you one of the
little secrets behind it. I don't, don't say.
But what I'll typically do, and I can't remember what I did
there because I dragged up the trick.
But what I usually say is think of a like a food, a place,
country, a person and the one I want them to go for.
I'll just look at them when I say it like a person.
I can't remember if I did that for you.
So I don't know if you thought of a person, but that's you can
pretty much guarantee what topic to go for.
Anyway, here's the 20 questions game.
So sometimes you'll be telling the truth, sometimes you'll be
telling me a lie, right? Big fib.
The answer is no, no matter what I'm saying.
Can I just say? Before we start this please.
Despite what casting. Agents think I'm a great actor,
I think. I think you're a wonderful actor
and we're about to shatters and dreams here.
So we'll say think of do you know, just to make this harder
for me, right, Just to make this harder take take a second to
settle because right, we're going to say now do you
understand the rules? Yes, Yeah.
Well, no. It's worth checking so.
If I said to you, your name is Shane Todd, you'd say correct?
Yep, say yes. You're going to say you're going
to say no to everything. OK, right.
There's the game. So is your name Shane Todd?
No. You're damn right.
Is my name Joel M? No.
Are we in a?
Fantastic studio right now, no. Where it's.
Absolutely lovely. This is very comfy chair, by the
way. It's going to say I'm going to
do anything I can to put you off here to try and make you crack
and lose for you. OK, Think about the category and
say no. Is this a place?
No. Is this a person?
No. Is this a food?
No. Is this a person?
No. Is this a?
Person No. I feel like you guys.
Will figure this out for me because you know his interest.
He says he's going for some random money.
He'll probably go for something. OK, keep saying no.
No matter what. Is this is this a man?
No is this a woman? No.
Is this a man? No.
Is this a woman? No.
Is. This an attractive.
Woman. No.
Is this a woman from Northern Ireland?
No. That's a woman from the States.
No. Think of the 1st letter.
ABCAB. I don't look for.
A second think of the second letter ABCD E F G H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K H A H G
F E C P N. Oh, that's probably.
Is it OK say? No.
Is there so many? Things I would know say no, no.
Is there so many things other? People in the room would know.
No give up. Right, I'm going to take.
I'm not sure. Like, because you're OK, I must
say, because I'm a good actor. You are a bloody fantastic
actor, right? Keep it OK.
Forget the game. We're back to reality.
She and Todd. Back to reality.
Sorry man. He was really, really.
Into that as well, yeah, yeah, do.
You have like a buzz after. Yeah, Yeah, I feel good, Yeah.
It's just part of the craft, I feel.
Like I also. Did something, had a strategy
there? Did you?
Yeah. What was your strategy?
Maybe it's best not to tell me. Do you want me to tell you?
Yeah. Go on.
Because I you are he hard to read.
I'm joking, but you are tricky. So I was saying no.
And. Then I was shaking my head.
Yeah. And then when I wanted you to
think it was the thing I was lying about, I didn't shake my
head. Yeah, I picked up on that.
But no, but no. But I, I I didn't raise your
date on purpose is what I mean. You actually might have, but I
still think I've got it to be honest.
Do you guys think I. Have no.
Link to this thing? Do you think you know who it is?
OK, so be honest. They say it starts with the
letter B, doesn't it? Yeah.
Britney Spears. No.
If it's not Freddy I. Know the other one?
It's a girl that starts with the letter B.
Who's it? It's not.
It's gonna be one of these other pop stars.
Who do you think it is? It's one of the other Britney
Spears Award. No, Forget the yes or no.
Game if you're killing me, it was.
Which one was it? Neither.
Barbie. No.
Bruce Jenner. No.
It's probably someone. I just don't know.
Then I don't know. It's not.
Fuck you, it's not a person. And you know, it's not a person.
I don't. I don't.
You do. Do you know everything?
You're in my brain. Right.
Well, you've hijacked. How close am I?
Well, is that a girl? At least tell me that.
No, it's not. A or I'll take another guess
then. Right, so tell me the topic.
It's a place. Banger.
No. It's a place I've never been.
Belfast, OH. No and I have no.
Link to so you could Mali Bolly Rd.
In Larne, no, it's not a place. Here is it not?
Is it somewhere I've never? I'll not know because I'm they
didn't joke me a level. You will have heard of it.
Well, I, yeah. I.
Know you could tell us. I don't know.
I'll take defeat on that one.
But that's OK. I know I was because I got the
letter B. That's good.
I know.
That's it. Go on, turn it over.
What was the place before we? Turn it over.
What was it? The place.
Was Bulgaria. Oh.
My. God.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Come to come to all my shows and give me that support.
I've never I've. Never been the Bulgaria.
Nowhere have I I've. Heard it's nice.
But that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying.
Did you make me pick? Up was it?
This is The thing is. There's two types when you're
doing mind reading stuff. It's either you're popping some
a thought into someone's head, or you're pulling how.
Can we move on from that that quick?
Is that you said any article in Wikipedia?
Yeah, OK. You did say a country, a place.
Yeah, that's it. But even if even if it's a
country or a place, sell a lot of countries.
There's over 50. Countries.
How many countries are there I. Actually don't know the answer
to that. That's some countries.
I wouldn't know that, no. But.
I it's not like I went with, you know, somewhere a big Tenerife.
I have a Tenerife loads on holiday.
I survive good. Spot.
Good spot, but stop doing that for me.
Talk about the thing that you picked.
Let me tell you if. You ever get the chance because
if you like that my the stuff I do on stage because you've big
cry, you can do a bit more cold reading.
I'll so we you're so. Bizarre or come to live.
I will. I'll follow you like a Messiah.
You're the Messiah if you. Start a cult.
I'll join it and I have fool. I'll even waive the.
Membership fee for my cult. You boys can get in for free as
well. I'm glad you like that trick.
And you know what? I'm glad that you're impressed
because some people, they're just, they don't think about it
enough and they just think, well, that's cool.
But like, everyone probably thinks of Bulgaria.
And that's why I like when you guys think of something that's
different. You know what I mean?
Well, I promise you, I promise. The second cameras go off teach
you a mind reading trick that you can do more importantly.
By more mind blowing than that down.
Why did you pick the bottle of Britain?
That was a good one. I assume it was put in my.
Head by well. Yeah, it's something I think
about often. You know, I can't say I was
there, but in a past life. That people think some really
weird. Stuff though like you get some
I'm. I'm impossible to throw off, so
I thought I I we could have a conversation about anything.
You could change the sub in a normal conversation.
Yeah. You could change the subject to
anything. Yeah.
And that's why I think people like the podcast is because we
talk about any sort. Nothing's on the limits,
whatever it is totally. But you do not.
I can't concentrate because I don't know.
I'm very sorry. I'm very sorry.
I am human partner like you're like.
But you know what it is. It's a it's a weird.
I'm very flattered by the way, truly, thank you very much for
it. So nice.
But you do. It's not that I don't find it
cool. I love it.
And the way I enjoy it is by kind of sitting back and just
watching people kind of like squirm a little bit.
I find that really, really fun. But you do do these tricks
enough times where you have to remind yourself like it's
someone else has seen it for the first time.
You know what I mean? Because in my head, I've, I've
done that 1000 times since I was like 13.
But you need to remind yourself that like, that's a, that's a
new experience for some people. So that's.
Incredible. Thank you very much.
That's incredible.
Appreciate that. I don't I'm glad I got it right
because I don't take the pace whenever I say the sometimes
doesn't work, sometimes doesn't like it's like and magic tricks
do go wrong, especially the mind reading stuff because that's the
other thing is people can just lie.
But I trust you. And you had no way of knowing,
but I had when you were saying as a person that's Beyoncé's
pretty. I knew.
Yeah. You didn't think that.
Yes. I go.
He's got this. Yeah.
But I there's nothing on me that's a tale.
Although. Although I do think there's
something that's not going to give you a full answer.
But, you know, if I say thinking between 1:00 and 5:00 and you
want there's more people smile a bit.
Don't They were the first one. Totally, Totally.
And I think it's we didn't do that.
There's there's layers. To it like there are layers to
it and you get some like an onion very.
Magic is. Like an onion funny, most magic
is you're usually just missing one or two key pieces of info
and not having access to those two pieces of info makes it
impossible to work it out backwards.
Like you can't figure out because the trick usually is
that the moment it's important that you have to catch you
forget about you don't remember that.
So it could you know, you have the luxury of watching this back
and you'll see what you were doing, But it's a fun one.
Let me ask you about a. Couple let me try and please
property interview. Please let me ask you about
about TV stuff. So you had a was that your was
this your first series? It was on BBC or are you That
was my first series you've. Been on things.
With the first. Series it was so much fun to do.
We got lucky that we just filmed that right before everyone shot
behind so so we got lucky with that one and then it was like
over a full year before the before actually came out.
So that was my first one. What was that?
Like versus what you thought it would be like the experience of
it was could you? Because you're like, I've done
some TV stuff. Yeah, we do more of my own
stuff. But but you control everything
when you're that. That was the.
Trickiest part of it, to be honest, was going from being a
creator. Whoever I wanted to poke
something, I just did it and suddenly there's no I love.
The whole thing was amazing and what they'll just under their
unreal to work with. They're so good.
It's just of course there's more moving parts.
There's more pressure. Like when I'm doing a trick, I
can't just be as like like fasting around like this and
having fun with it. It's like this has to be 2 1/2
minutes long. This is when the magic reveal
has to happen. It has to be really tight.
Been looking at this camera this.
So it was there's a lot more going on and I did feel there's
a lot more pressure on me because usually I just have a
bit of crack with it. And that's kind of all my tech
talk and Instagram videos are basically that like I'll just
sit down with my brother with three magic tricks and be like,
watch these. He's crazy.
I. Love them, yeah.
Best friend he's so good, but he moved to Liverpool to study
there recently, so every time I want to film videos, got to fly
him back over, you know, but it's it's you know what, we
enjoy it more now because we see each other less, you know, much
more people think he's. Lying when they're in the
airport. Where you off to?
Yeah, my brother's a magician. And you know what as well is see
an airport that is my worst nightmare for travelling for
shows. Like see the amount of shit you
have to carry in your bag as a magician, like magnets and big
ropes and needles inside them. And like I I'm yet.
Yeah, yeah, the rabbit's called a real news.
And doves. That's the big one.
Does your brother? Does your brother, have you
taught him enough stuff? So when he's in liver is your
way for uni? He's right for uni, yeah.
So did he. Did he come to my show this
week? I'll actually.
I'll let me just ring him now and say now I do you know why?
I don't know. I don't know.
I know he watches your I know he watches your video.
Then you went to fire. I'm.
Just wondering why I saw that in your story.
Like it was, actually. It was probably more likely he
caused the fire. That's one thing, person.
He is. That's what I'm thinking because
he. Tried to do a trick for me and
it's it's not going well. It's gone haywire.
Like, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
How was Liverpool? It was unbelievable.
The venue. Went on genuinely went on fire
to Fire Brigades came so it wasn't like a.
It wasn't a fire test. The fire was real, the manager
told. Us specifically this is not a
test the venue is on fire run so.
But here's the thing, I just bought it as a lovely coat from
Zara so even though I heard it was real fires, I can't see
flames and I went to the green room to get.
The jacket because I bought it. That day, may that be me.
If there's ever firearms or whatever, I don't take this
advice, but I will run the grab. I will, Yeah.
Yeah, but that's gonna go. Back so we went outside in the
cold, me and me and the whole audience for an R and 20 are we
just chatting amongst them and. Yeah, yeah, too far, but I was.
More like conscious of like, am I gonna have to cancel this?
So I'm trying to figure out what's going on. 2 Fire Brigades
go down, sorted out. She was supposed to start half
nine, which is late. She was started 11:10.
Oh my goodness, how long? Is this set I was supposed to?
When I, when I realised we could go ahead, I was like, I'll do
45. Yeah, yeah, I did an R and 10
minutes because it just was the best show in my life.
That's unreal. It was.
Classmen. Incredible.
Because I thought the show would be dominated by people wanting
to talk about what just happened.
But it wasn't. They were like the best.
They were like, oh, that's cool. They were excited and all, but
then because of what had happened and the giddiness, but
then they were like, OK, we're here for the show.
That's savage. That's.
Lovely that isn't it? So good.
But does your brother, does your brother know enough tricks that
he he can go over there to you know, is he is he running about
halls being he actually knows? Nothing.
This is what is quite funny is maybe four years ago, I I came
to this realisation that Ethan doesn't actually know how any of
the tricks work because growing up, like my girlfriend knows how
they all work. My parents know a whole bunch of
them. Some of my friends know because
they just saw me practising. Brother just wasn't paying
attention. So I remember one day like back
almost maybe longer than I go back when I was with mom and dad
and I came in just to test something that I was going to do
the show and did it on him. And when I say he freaked out,
he freaked out. He was running around the house.
I was like, I didn't didn't know.
You didn't know. So it and it was perfect because
he's always made YouTube videos and stuff himself.
So he was happy enough to be on camera and that's quite good
for. Natural reactions, yes, the way
we do it is. I plan out with tricks I'm going
to do that's not off the cuff. I never lie about that, but I
never tell him what we're going to do.
And then we just see how the reaction is.
So to like get a video with three, usually my videos are
three good reactions or anything.
It might take me like 7 tricks to get the right ones, you know
what I mean? Yeah, I don't lie, but you know,
it's going to be yeah, yeah. That was the other thing with TV
that you didn't have the advantage of with like tech talk
video is if I filmed the techno video and it wasn't very good, I
could just film more and just wait until guys.
We couldn't do that with TV because the episodes we did was
with one group of people and kind of followed the story.
So it was like if they didn't react to the trick, it was like,
yeah, yeah, yeah, all. Right.
Yeah, that. Was that was challenging I
suppose I want to also. Ask you about just social media
and in general, like I, I sort of say like, I don't know what
all these apps and, and I mean that I'm 33 and it passes you by
very quick. I think the last thing I was
like, OK, I sort of know this is maybe Twitter and Facebook,
Yeah, even Instagram, like I'm on there.
I'm doing a lot of stuff, yeah. And people be like.
Oh, you're you're, you know what you're doing on that end.
I don't really. I can figure it out, but I don't
know all the cool features and totally don't know what the
fucking rail is and all this in order I.
Really, to be honest, I think that you can get really caught
up in that stuff and then pay no attention to what you actually
put night. And then, like the people who I
know who are the best with social media don't necessarily
have an audience because like, they're spending so much time,
like with their perfect hashtag strategy that they forget that
the video has to actually be entertaining, you know?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I always find that if you
just get some, that is by nature very good.
And it's it's engaging. The rest kind of does sort
itself out. I mean, you know yourself.
Look what you've managed to grow already without really knowing
what you're doing is you're saying, you know what I mean?
It was kind of the same as me when I started Tick tock.
Hadn't a clue, hadn't a clue. And like, I know a little bit
more now. I like how algorithms work.
But even knowing it doesn't mean that you're necessarily going to
like smash it. You know there are certain types
and tricks though. Like it's like it's mainly to do
with the content itself, the sheer amount of followers.
You have where you still put something out.
Do you go, this is far, this is great, Yeah.
And maybe vice versa. And absolutely.
Times you think this is the one and I just and things.
You think, well this is grand and they they kill because 100.
Percent yeah, with some of our podcast.
Clips, like we put them up and we're on a few of them.
We're like we're over 1,000,000 views, We're 1/4 of a million
likes and that's like we're not setting up to that to be a clip.
That's just part of something that's a really I saw.
One in the 4U page yesterday that he's put out without was it
like all painters or drug dealers or something like that?
I pissed myself but a second I saw that I didn't even look at
the likes and you that would have done fairly well, you know
right, right. It's 90% of it is the 1st 2
seconds of the clip. That's that's the secret.
Like, I don't know, because you could have the I mean, The thing
is you're used to probably you're doing longer form stuff
and people invest into it and they're going to stay.
But people who are just kind of going through mindlessly, you
need to really capture them. And yeah, yeah, I think you can
have the best video in the But if it doesn't, if you don't
prove that within the first couple seconds, they'll never
watch on, you know what I mean? And then we'll get shown to more
people. So I suppose the law.
The short form stuff was we've told like not because it was all
like when me and me and Mike went tacked together and we
started like putting out social media videos where like
sketches, like when, but 12 years ago, that's not like the
thing. I was doing something then maybe
10 years ago and it was all about you wanted to be lot 4
minutes. Sometimes we do stuff for 10
minutes and it's a sketch. And then Vine became a thing, so
it was like it has to be 10 seconds ahead and then that
change and it was like we're back to the long form I prefer.
The middle, I prefer the middle ground where that's why I do
about 30 seconds for me, which is enough time.
That's middle. See.
I think for me, yeah, a minute. And a half two.
Minutes is middle for me. We'll see.
This is a. It's different.
Different I never did really look, this is funny me said in
every long form where I do like 2 hour one man shows, but like
on the Internet, is that what you're is that what you're
showing? Should be in interval in the
middle. Or whatever.
But I am, so I'm used to yapping away and doing bits for ages.
So whenever I started doing the short form stuff I was like, hi,
I'm supposed to get this across in that short period of time.
You can't do it though. I mean, I think it's about
really cutting the fat and not being too like precious what
you're losing. Yeah, and that is?
Hard because there'll be so many clips that I'll have to cut out
of a video with Ethan and I'll just think that's the funniest
thing I've ever seen. Like the way his face went up.
But it's an extra 3 seconds that like someone who doesn't know
Ethan probably doesn't care about, you know, so you got to
be kind of ruthless. Or you can just post loads and
wait till something sticks. That's just more work.
Yeah, You know what I mean. Let me, I could talk to you for
hours, 100%. But I want to ask you about
Elijah. She's doing Ulster Hall.
Yeah, yeah, you've done Ulster Hall.
Before, Right. Yeah.
Oh.
Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah.
You're past that. It's.
Bigger things. No, no, no, no.
I I it was high as Ulster Hall AM.
I in for a good night for I played it wrong.
First time I did it OK, I played it wrong and I sort of let the
occasion get to me a bit and I just wouldn't do that, No eh.
But also. I don't know, I I.
I was out a little bit rabbit in the headlights, but then I've
looked at me to have done it for the first time and that's not
the case. Yeah, I just sort of like I
don't know what I let myself get to know.
Maybe it was in the venue for too long in the run up to it or
whatever, but there. But but then I did it a couple
the year after that and then the year after that with a couple of
shows. And I think from I wouldn't, I
wouldn't, I would, I would always go back to like I'm doing
SSE tomorrow night and next week.
But next year I might do, I might do Black Box.
Yeah, from the solution. Totally.
It's just I like different venues, different experiences.
And then and also hall was great.
And then when I went back I was like, oh, I've been here.
So it's fine. And like Waterfront is maybe
like acoustically and stuff the best purpose built I want to do
waterfront at. Some stage.
And I think the reason for that was I remember seeing Darren
Brown. He did.
That was the first magic show I ever saw live.
When I was 12, he did Waterfront.
I was like, one day I'll do that.
Yeah, we'll do that. Someday, but it's.
An awesome awesome awesome for that type of thing.
And what is your show? You know you're doing a little
bit of stand up in it or you? Yeah, it's amazing with the
crowd, to be honest. I try to make.
The show as much about the people there rather than me, and
that's not like that. I don't want the attention.
It's that's what makes it funniest.
And like it is a funny show. Not because I'm a funny person,
but because people are funny, you know?
And. Yeah, Yeah.
And you're putting them in such a weird situation.
And the whole show's all these interactive, all of it, every
single trick, maybe with the exception of one, it's all
getting people involved, getting people on the stage.
And I just. I just love it.
Are you excited for it? I.
Can't wait. Yeah, I.
Mean live shows are my favourite thing.
What did? It in 18th, 18th of December
right up till right up near Christmas.
Great. If you're on give me a shout,
I'll come to that. I genuinely.
Like I'm final officer, very impressive.
I'd love to see you live, but let me ask you this a final
question when you're doing the show so before every show,
including Saturday, yes, I go into the venue, have a look have
a look at the lights Yep, we're happy enough here check it all
out I go to Nando's, Oh man, I love and then.
I come back. So what are you doing before
Ulster Hall? What are you thinking?
Do you might you might be somebody doesn't eat before
shoes. Well know if you guys, you know
I, I do. That like one meal a day diet
for the most part so I have like all my food and one bake that.
I just like it that way because I forget to eat during the day
anyway so I absolutely will be having dinner.
It'll be between 3:00. Options right?
It'll either be. Nando's, yeah, good location
for. Ulster Hall Superb location.
Superb. And I love a Nando's.
Yeah. It could be Abujan, but.
The only problem there is heavy. You may, I might like fall
asleep on the stage. That's the one thing.
That's the one. That's the.
Ball, but even then. Like it still packs upon, Yeah,
you know, so on between the two, I'm probably go in Nandos, yeah.
Or it's. Go for a steak or in the Bullet
Hotel. That's my favourite spot.
That's ball or. I would do that.
It's that sounds like some that's my as my go.
To spot if I'm feeling have a good day, I'm taking myself off
for a rib eye. Do you talk like a big.
Napkin in your neck. I I let them do it.
For me, I just sat down. I'm like, that's I'm.
Here. It was funny actually in the in
the Bullet. I went in one night and the
manager in there is an amazing guy called Pedro and he comes in
and he recognised me either from tech talk or whatever.
It's so good to say here. We started this, this celebrity
like autograph book and I was like, well I'm not a celebrity
but I'll take it. And he gave me the book and it
was only one signature before me, but I didn't see who it was.
I wrote mine down. I felt like a baller.
I was like my name on the Taylor Clay book person before, had
been there the night before in the same state and it was Wayne
Rooney. What a downgrade.
Can you imagine? Can you imagine that personal
has to look through that book and they're like, well, they
probably don't ask. Everyone to do it.
Because here's the thing, I've been a bullet before.
Oh. No.
Well, see, I think I. Sit with a pen in my hand, we'll
go together. Sometime and we'll get you in
the book, we'll split a we'll split a page. 100% on a stick.
I see. Yeah.
Yeah, we will. It's not cheap.
You know what I mean? I know.
You'll pay for it. Yeah, well, you'll, you'll pay.
For it let me see that card machine.
I'm still working on that one. Honestly, like I'd be I'd be
unstoppable money off that because I have.
Paramilitary connections if we team this synergy is.
Really going now. Let's do it.
That's. That's so much more.
I could chat to you. About but 100% that is that blue
that honestly blows my mind thank you so much appreciation
for that art thank you because not otherwise you know poetry.
What are you doing and but but yeah Joe thanks so much for
coming on. I really appreciate you for
having me there and. But how did?
How? Are you?
I'll I'll tell you. Can you give a secret Where are
we off?