Eye Candy by Larry Becker, Lee Earle

Effect: The performer tears a few pages from a current copy of Time, Business Week, or Newsweek magazine, giving the pages to people in the audience. They pass them on to others, ensuring a random selection of helpers. The Mentalist, with two of the helpers, illustrates how our eyes are attracted by the clever placement of text or graphics in almost all magazine editorials and ads.

One participant’s page is torn into more than a dozen pieces to guarantee a random outcome by eliminating any bias resulting from the page layout. Obviously, every scrap has totally different printed content on both sides. While the mindreader’s back is turned , the participant freely discards all but one piece which he holds between his forefinger and thumb for everyone (except the Mentalist) to see.

After verbally ensuring that the helper can read numerous words and phrases on the scrap of paper, and while the performer’s back remains turned toward the participant, he says, “I am visualizing part of a word but it’s somewhat obscured by your thumb. Move your thumb over, please. That’s better. Would you please read for the first time that which Business Week printed on the piece of magazine page you chose. I believe the word ” soared ” was under your thumb. Is that correct?” He exclaims, ” YES !”

• No stooges
• No assistants
• No pre-show work
• No sleights
• No switches
• No writing
• No mirrors
• Nothing added or taken away
• Helper can stand across the room
• No electronics
• Unbreakable
• Not the same words every time
• Fully examinable, even the discarded scraps!
• Eye Candy’s “gaffus” is sufficient for up to 100 performances

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