Favourite Trick

Magicsquirell: Hi Paul, thanks for coming on the boards. I hope you can answer the following questions for me.

Firstly what is your favourite trick you have ever performed?

And could you also tell me if there was any magician that inspired you to become a magician yourself.

Paul Daniels: I have never had a favourite trick. That would be too limiting. For the first 7 years I never knew there WAS another magician!v

Magicsquirell: Wow! Have you got a worst trick or a trick that you dislike?

Paul Daniels: Have you got a worst trick or a trick that you dislike? There is no such thing as a bad trick, just a performer who hasn't found out how to make it entertaining yet.

Hulk Hogan Syndrome

Gary Scott: As the 'pioneer' of how magic should be presented on TV and your knowledge of magic being so profound, I ask the following question with the utmost respect.

You have been performing magic on TV longer than most people on this forum have been alive, and yet you still manage to enthrall people with your shows.

How much longer can Paul Daniels keep going and do you ever see yourself getting ' burnt out' ?

A few years back, I was a professional wrestler and still follow the TV programming today.

Hulk Hogan is still going strong some 30 years later after his debut, and although people want to see him, his skill and ring movement are dwindling with age. Because of who he ' believes' he is...he will not step down and let someone else take the lead at the forefront of the business, even though his skills have dwindled.

When do you see yourself ' retiring' ,as it were, from regular performing?...and do you see anybody now that you could 'pass the torch' onto?v

I once again say that I ask you this in utmost respect of your skills and knowledge as ' the' TV magician.

I never want to see you retire though

Paul Daniels: Debbie is watching me carefully at my request and if I start to stumble/make errors/cease to be topical in the patter and that sort of stuff, she will tell me. I do not want to be a doddery old fart in the public eye.

At the moment audiences still seem to enjoy what I am doing and I do still work at speed so retirement is not on the immediate horizon.

As for who would take over... hey, times change and as I only work for the public, I am not the one who knows what they will want next.

Gary Scott: Thanks for taking the time to be here and thanks for providing something to look forward to on a Saturday night for 15 years.

My questions...

My favourite routine that you do is 'Chop Cup'... Absolutely killer stuff.

Fluid, perfectly paced and loading to die for.

I have been doing ' Chop Cup' myself with 2 different types of presentation, for 2 different types of shows. 1 to music and 1 as the challenge game.v

What would you say is the secret to a ' professional ' Chop Cup routine and did Don Alan have any influence on your work with this?

Paul Daniels: I saw the Chop Cup being demonstrated by Ken Brooke. I bought the Chop Cup and analysed it the same way I do with every trick. I threw half of it away and 'cut to the quick'.

18 months of performances later, I had it right! Well, right for me. There is so much psychology behind that routine that the vast majority of magicians seem to be unaware of.

I met Don Alan years later. He was fun to be with and told me some great gags from his TV shows, but he had no influence on what I do at all.

Angry specs...

Rammeh: Again may I start off by saying thanks VERY much for spending time answering questions from us all.

I was at your performance (An audience with Paul Daniels) in Halstead at the empire theatre the other week. You asked if there were any magicians in the theatre and my girlfriend shoved my arm in the air...Then you made me stand up to do a gag about these guys need your business because there here!! (Thanks for that by the way...)

I really enjoyed the show, the way you handled peoples questions was fantastic! Also lots of magician foolers in there, which really enhanced the show for me!! (The polos at the end!!)

When you went to do what I thought was going to be paper balls over the head you had the guy on stage jumping out of his seat on the third "throw get-ready". Now he actually looked quite distressed. Now I cant imagine what it was like for him and at the end he seemed fine, but have you ever had a spectator get angry about something like that and cause you trouble.

Paul Daniels: Nope, never... and that is the truth. I'm glad you enjoyed the show. It's a really nice little venue to work. Why don't you put a show on there?

Rammeh: I’m actually thinking about a horror illusion show, with a friend. Just not sure EXACTLY what is involved yet... what advise would you give in regards to that?

Paul Daniels: Isn't there a Circus of Horrors out there? I'd go and see that for a start. Then I'd list ALL the illusions I could find and before buying them think about HOW I would make them scary.

Most horror magic shows start off with 'Pick a card'. LOL

Rammeh: Ok, nice one. That’s something for me too think about, what about the actual organizing itself, anything "in your opinion" to especially keep in mind, make sure is done etc.?

Paul Daniels: Time is running out ... organising is sitting down and making lists of EVERYTHING... reading that list and adding to it and making schedules of who should be doing what where and how much... etc. The show, when you get to it, will be easy after that lot!