Magic Nook Magic
Signed Card to
Sealed Deck
Double
Whizzo
by Jim Gerrish
In memory of Wiz Kid Jerry Catcher, I finished the trick he inspired in 1988. From "Whizzo" to "Double Whizzo", two playing cards chosen by spectators, signed by them and held tightly in their hands, fly across the stage invisibly and change places in an instant. It was great when only one card flew from the deck to a hand, but it is twice as amazing when two signed cards jump between the hands of TWO spectators at the same time and neither of them has any idea how it happened.
Effect: I like to do this with a young woman and a man as spectators. The woman comes first. She gets to freely pick a card from the deck, and whatever card she chooses, she signs it with a magic marker pen on the face, then folds the card in fourths. The folded card will be held tightly between her two hands. I bring up the man and have him choose a playing card from the same deck of cards, and sign it on the face with the magic marker pen. Then he also folds his card in fourths as I put away the deck of cards and stand between the two spectators who are each a good distance from one another (and me). I ask them to listen for the “whizzing” sound the two cards will make as they change places right before everyone’s eyes and ears. The young woman then is asked to unfold her playing card and show it to the audience. She is now holding the card that was signed by the man. I bring the card over close to him so he can verify that the card and signature are his. He in turn unfolds the card he has been holding and shows that it contains the signature of the young woman. He returns her card to her and the two of them return to their seats carrying the cards they signed themselves just before the Whizzo Miracle took place in front of everyone’s eyes and ears.
No need for jumbo cards, you can do this on the largest stage in front of the largest audience using regular sized playing cards and it can be seen as a miraculous simultaneous transposition. Can also be done using kids' picture cards, dollar bills (the serial numbers switch), credit cards (in envelopes), etc.
(04-09/22) I just added a new variation using Melissa and Doug's Childrens Cards:
Effect: Three boxes of children's playing cards for Animal Rummy, Go Fish, and Old Maid are shown. A litle girl (for example) gets to freely pick any of the three boxes and freely choose one card from it. She also chooses a color envelope from a choice of many colors.
