The Definitive Resource on the Blindfold Q&A Act
If you're not familiar with Cicardi (aka Dr. Charles Scott), you might want to check HERE first to fully appreciate the importance of this new DVD release. In a nutshell, Cicardi is -- quite simply -- the mentalist with the longest-running live television show in history, period. The show MIND PROBE ran weekly for 11 years, amazing and entertaining over 15,000 studio audience members and countless others at home.
Many audience members came to the live studio performances over 100 times, several came over 200 times, and a few actually made it to over 300 tapings. That fact alone is a powerful testimony to the impact Cicardi has had on his television and live performance audiences for well over 30 years. What could possibly elicit this kind of loyal response from Dr. Scott's audiences?
The Main Attraction
Dr. Scott once told me that there was literally one thing that kept people coming back, week after week: "Flashes of Thought in the Darkness of the Mind", his Blindfold Question & Answer routine. The Q&A act has been a part of human culture for literally thousands of years (if you don't believe me, just look up the term "delphi oracle" on Wikipedia), and it's well-known in the psychic entertainer community that the Q&A act has a universal appeal.
In fact, some feel the ability to present a credible Blindfold Q&A act to be what separates professionals in the field from everyone else. There's no question that it can be challenging, but any Q&A practitioner will tell you that it is a supremely gratifying form of entertainment, for both the performer and the audience.
Why, then, don't more mentalists include Q&A in their presentations?
For many, it comes down to one of two (or both, for some) issues: methodology and ethics. Let's address the simpler of these two issues first.
Paralysis of Analysis, Part One
Have you ever known someone who was waiting to learn the perfect method for a given presentation, and as a result, never performed it? I thought so. And while methodologies are interesting (I've collected way more than I'll ever be able to use in this lifetime), it seems a shame that some people spend years looking for the perfect method for the Blindfold Q&A act, and as a result deny both themselves and their audiences the end result -- the satisfaction of fielding and answering questions.
Don't get me wrong -- as soon as someone comes up with an improved design for the wheel, it will only make sense to use it, but until then, doesn't it make as much sense to use a time-tested, proven model? On this DVD set, Dr. Scott shares his version of two classic methods that he's combined, refined and used exclusively for over 35 years. His sophisticated handling of this technique is very effective, and very powerful. It's so good, in fact, that when he shared it with some members of a professional association a number of years ago, it became the new standard for Q&A practically overnight.
Here are just a few things Dr. Scott will share with you...
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The best type of Q&A card to use
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His ingenious update of a classic Q&A card
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How to guarantee audience members fill out the card correctly
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The best way to collect Q&A cards
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Step-by-step instructions on reading the Q&A card without detection
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How to deal with illegible cards
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Pros & cons of blindfolds
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If you've been holding off adding Q&A to your repetoire because you've been looking for the best way to perform it, you can cross that off your list of reasons. The other main reason not to do the Q&A act is a little thornier, however...
Paralysis of Analysis, Part Two
Many performers wrestle with the idea of including the Blindfold Q&A act in their presentations, and wind up avoiding it entirely on ethical grounds. "Who am I to play God with other people's lives?", they often ask themselves, "And what if the answer I give someone winds up putting them in a worse situation than they're in now?"
It's a compelling argument, to be sure, and for some people the decision not to perform Q&A is entirely correct.
What many people who make this decision miss, however, is that there is a way to perform the Q&A act that avoids ethical problems altogether, and I'm not talking about the approach in which non-personal information like pet names, first kisses and Social Security numbers (eek!) are divined and repeated back. The approach I'm talking about -- the one taught by Dr. Scott on this DVD set -- allows you to field serious questions and respond with meaningful answers... in a completely ethical manner.
An ethical approach to Q&A is of paramount importance to Dr. Scott, and I suspect it's one of the reasons his audiences continued to come back to see him, week after week, year after year.
So, chances are you can cross the ethical concern off your list, as well. What's preventing you from performing the Q&A act, then?
How about... knowing the most important aspect of doing it successfully?
The Most Important Part, Revealed
Without a doubt, the most important component of the Q&A act is not how you obtain the questions, but how you answer them. I know -- that sounds like a ridiculously obvious point to make, but judging from some Q&A acts I've seen, it's one that must be made. Luckily, that's exactly what Dr. Scott can teach you. Viewing this DVD set, you'll learn...
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How to avoid problem questions
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How to deal with ethical considerations
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How to answer confidential questions
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When NOT to answer questions
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How to empower spectators
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The most interesting question in Q&A
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Really, what we're talking about here is the difference between showing your audience how amazing you are, and performing a flawless presentation that actually helps people. Trust me -- people will (hopefully) think you're amazing, but if you can't send them away without improving their lives, what's the point?
"If I had to name the single most important person whose advice has been essential to my success and development as a mentalist, that person would be Dr. Charles Scott.
He has been a friend and mentor for over twenty-five years, and words cannot express the gratitude I feel every time I perform and realize how much I owe this generous and brilliant individual."
John Riggs
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The Blindfold
Over the years, I've seen and read a lot of explanations on the subject of blindfolds, and I must say that Dr. Scott's clear and concise explanation on this DVD set is the best one I've seen, hands down. The simplicity and effectiveness of this blindfold make it such a thing of beauty, you'll understand why it has been adopted by so many working professionals over the years.
You'll learn every aspect of this insidiously clever system, including:
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Dr. Scott's time-tested table set-up
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How to apply the multi-layered blindfold
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How to pick the perfect assistant
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An amazing learning aid
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How to remove the blindfold (painlessly!)
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Dr. Scott's signature effect
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So, you've got everything you need to know in order to perform your own professional Blindfold Q&A Act -- the blindfold technique, the best way to collect and read the audience's questions, the correct philosophy needed to answer the questions ethically, plus a myriad of practical, real-world tips that make the whole act flow smoothly. What else could possibly make this 2-disk DVD set better?
How about...
The Performances
To make this DVD set the most effective learning tool possible, we've included Dr. Scott performing five separate presentations of his version of the Blindfold Q&A Act, "Flashes of Thought in the Darkness of the Mind", exactly as they were seen on MIND PROBE by the studio audience and the viewers at home.
Now, while the best way to get good at something is to actually get out there and do it, it's also true that it can be immensely helpful to see how something is done the right way, so you can avoid potential gaffes and problems in the first place. This is exactly what you'll see as Dr. Scott applies his years of experience and expertise under the heat of the studio lights, handling a wide range of questions from the live audience.
As I mention on the web page for the CICARD PROJECT Volume One DVD set, this MIND PROBE footage is something that, previous to the release of these DVD sets, was not available unless you knew someone ... who knew someone else ... who had a 4th or 5th generation copy of a VHS tape that was bootlegged in the first place. As with the video footage on Volume One, these five performances come directly from Dr. Scott's own private collection which is comprised of shows that were copied off the original broadcast studio master tapes.
"Dr. Scott created one of the best devices in mentalism, Psi-Grafico, which I have used in every every one of my shows for over 20 years. Now, however, I am switching to his handling of the Hull Card.
On Volume Two of The Cicardi Project, he teaches several improvements and tips that update the method and make it better by far. I personally highly recommend both volumes of the Cicardi Project!"
Tony Razzano
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Bonus Materials
With every Cicardi Project Volume 2 DVD set, you'll also receive a full-size reproduction of Dr. Scott's own Q&A question card, which will enable you to clearly see the possibilities when designing one of your own. You'll also receive a ready-to-use list of sample questions that Dr. Scott used in his own performances with great success. And, as they say in all the infomercials, "Wait -- that's not all"...
You'll also get hard copies of printed promotional materials used by Dr. Scott, including:
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Two articles demonstrating how to make the most of press coverage
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A flyer used to promote Dr. Scott's TV show, MIND PROBE
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A tent card Dr. Scott used to promote his personal appearances
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A pocket-sized promotional handout
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A copy of Dr. Scott's MIND PROBE newsletter
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Admittedly, these are copies of photocopies, so the quality isn't what I'd like it to be, but it's good enough that I'm willing to bet you'll be inspired to incorporate some of Dr. Scott's ideas into your own promotional materials.
The Wrap-up
If you're looking for the latest gee-whiz method or trick, please don't order this. Seriously.
However, if you want the best Blindfold Q&A presentation taught by the best teacher, buy this now. This DVD set takes the mystery out of the Blindfold Q&A act (for you, that is), and allows you to learn this timeless information from a working professional who's been in the trenches for over 30 years. Clearly, this isn't something you'll watch in the morning and perform the same night, but it certainly places in your hands everything you could possibly want to know in order to put this powerful presentation into your repertoire.
And while I'll admit that this is blatant marketing hype (really?)... it's also true that people have started religions and cults with far less than this. What you do with it is entirely up to you.
The Disclaimer
If you've read all of the above, you should know by now that I think this DVD set is an incredible value, and belongs in every serious mystery worker's DVD collection. But, if you've dealt with me in the past, you know that I like to be as up front about the Pro Shop's products as possible. So...
In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that while the MIND PROBE footage that appears on Disk One of this set was produced in a professional broadcast studio, the interview with Dr. Scott was definitely not -- it was a one-camera shoot with absolutely no bells or whistles. We're not professional videographers by any means, but rather professionals who have a passion for this material.
So, if it's high production values you're looking for ... well, you can find plenty of excellent DVDs out there, but they won't have the invaluable content that you'll find on The CICARDI PROJECT Volume 2 (or Volume 1, for that matter).
