Christopher W. Barnes Comic-Magician & Playwrite Show #161

I have not worked with Chris Barnes; but heard great things about his almost "cartoon" approach to Comedy/Magic. It was a fun interview where he shared his views on magic, entertaining kids and adults, and how comedy really opened up ideas for both his magic performances AND in writing plays. He also has some really fun videos...visit yaytaco.fun
and enjoy the crazy, almost "cartoonish" magic of Christopher Barnes.

Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards

Transcript

Announcer: 0:04

This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee, celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business, stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and MC. Scott at words.

Scott Edwards: 0:21

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Stand Up Comedy hosted him see, I recently had a chance to interview a very funny and talented comic magician. Christopher Barnes, for one of my other podcast called The Magic had a comedy magic discussion. And he was so interesting because he's taken his comedy and his magic and he's done some playwriting. And he's done some great videos that I'm going to edit a couple shows together and present him on this podcast. So I think you'll find it entertaining and interesting and some great information on being a professional entertainer. But we talked about a couple different things that I found fun, and I wanted to share it. So thanks for your patience. And listen to this great interview with comic magician Christopher Barnes. Ladies and gentlemen, let's talk to one of the funniest comic magicians out there. Christopher Barnes. Thank you. Well, Chris, we're so excited to have you on the show. You've been doing so many things with your talents. And I'd like to jump into it. I love your flamboyant style. It's very entertaining, bright, colorful. As I mentioned, you haven't actually worked for me, but I did my research of let's go back to the beginning. How did you kind of get started in magic back in Atlanta?

Christopher Barnes: 1:51

I think it's like every magician story. So I got to you know, the uncle gave me a magic set when I was nine years old. And that's pretty much how it all started. I try to

Scott Edwards: 2:04

everybody for the podcast, right?

Unknown: 2:09

No. And then there was a magician that always came to my school, David Geffen, who was a, you know, an elementary school performer. And that plus the magic said, became obsessed. And it's been nonstop ever since.

Scott Edwards: 2:23

Now, you were starting at nine and you and you're actually correct. I've interviewed several comic magicians at this point. And they all kind of started around the same age the same way. What most of them started off with kid shows maybe did a few school shows. Did you follow that? path? It at what point? Did you kind of go pro?

Christopher Barnes: 2:42

So yeah, basic. So my mother, I my original and I still do magic for children. That's like 90% of my like, bread and butter. My mother was a kindergarten teacher. And so my earliest audiences were little kids because I could just go into a classroom and do it. And my hero at the time was the magician who came to our schools. So he did kids magic. So yeah, I immediately started doing magic for kids. I did, you know, my first quote unquote professional show for probably, I don't know, 25 bucks, which even in like, the 90s was not a lot of money. That was way under accounting for inflation. It might have been 50 it but it was like teachers enter school whose child was having a birthday or shirt shows and things but those were my quote unquote, first professional gigs. And then I kind of dropped it all. I was also involved in like community theater, high school theater. So I went to college at New York University to be an actor, I was going to be a famous movie star. That was the goal. And then of course, that led to me being a bartender.

Scott Edwards: 3:56

Real Hollywood story.

Unknown: 3:58

Yeah, basically. And then. So back when I was growing up, you know, every Christmas and birthday was like, I don't know if you remember. Well, I don't know. Hank Lee's magic factory was like the place to shop no longer exists for reasons that I would make list of what I wanted for Christmas and birthdays. And I'd get some of it. And then one day while bartending I was like, hey, I can buy my own magic. I don't. It's like I'm an adult, I could buy when, whenever, whatever I want. And then for some reason that just led to me saying, Hmm, why am I not actually just doing this? So it started kind of part time on weekends, while I was still bartending, but then it eventually became full time and now that's just what I do, which is kind of crazy.

Scott Edwards: 4:41

Well, it's interesting, because you're absolutely correct. Most magicians, male or female start off kind of the same way and follow the same path where they're doing shows for friends or you have a little bit of a leg up because of your mom being a teacher allows you to perform in schools probably before most Most did. But it does usually lead to the church show or the talent show at the school or something. And I think that the fact that you decided to go into theater, and I alluded to it earlier, you're a successful playwright. I think that's so awesome. I want to chat about that a little later. But as a magician, you're doing these shows? At what point? Do you feel like you are adding the comedy aspect, because you're now known is a very, very funny comic magician. But there's a big difference between that kind of high school straight magic, and the comedy magic that you're known for. Now. How did that transition come about? Oh,

Unknown: 5:46

it was sort of always there a bit, because so here's my quick anecdote. Speaking of playwriting, I was going to playwriting class in college. So every week you wrote like a 10 page still play and then you pass it around in class, everybody would read it, and you get comments. And I the very first assignment, I was like, I'm going to make people cry. Oh, man, I'm gonna make them feel I'm gonna, oh, I'm gonna get them. So I wrote this really meaningful feet. Beautiful piece, passed it out, everybody started reading it, and they laughed their asses off, oh, they left their butts off,

Scott Edwards: 6:21

or whatever. But that's hilarious.

Unknown: 6:24

They laughed the entire time. And I was like, defeated. I was like, Oh, I didn't do what I wanted. I wanted them to cry. Other people have to work really hard to make people laugh. And somehow I don't I accidentally do it. So. So then I just sort of realized that sort of a superpower to, to make people laugh by accident. So then, it's just always kind of been natural. So for me, it was just a natural fit. It's just, I've always been funny. I've always loved magic. And so pairing the two together, just sort of. And by the way, I'm not patting myself on the back about always being funny. I don't always try. And people just laugh at me for my face or something.

Scott Edwards: 7:07

You alluded to the fact that it's your superpower. And I will say that anybody in the comedy business as I have been for over 40 years, there is a power to taking strangers from a quiet mood to a happy an endorphin filled happiness. There's there's a real power in that. And oh, yeah. And engaging with the audience means that when you make them feel good, and they laugh out loud, it makes you feel good. So it's kind of a selfish adrenaline hit. And 100%. Yeah, yeah. And I think, Chris, that it is fascinating, that you are trying so hard to bring one emotion, and another emotion came out. And so you mentioned this was in the college years. So I would assume that most of your magic up into that point, might have had funny moments, but it was pretty much straight magic. And in the college years, let's say in your late teens, early 20s, you kind of found your superpower.

Christopher Barnes: 8:10

It definitely came more and more over time, the I wouldn't even call it Yeah, it's probably when you're starting out, I wasn't even me. When I started out. I was that magician that came to my school, I was David Copperfield that, you know, you're like everybody else other than you, because you just sort of see what they do and think that, Oh, I'm supposed to be dancing around with beautiful women around me or whatever.

Scott Edwards: 8:33

So what I'm gonna interrupt and just say you kind of created a character, and then the character was the magician. It wasn't the real Chris Barnes. Would that be kind of your transition story?

Unknown: 8:47

The biggest moment for me in terms of what I do, because, like I said, the majority of what I did, starting out and even now is magic for children. And I just was, it was a big, I think anybody who's involved in comedy or magic or both, is you have to figure out, you know, who you are, what is your point of view? What is what is your character, and there's an old train and magic. You know, your character on stage, it's just a bigger version of you. But I think magicians kind of confused that and think that that just means I'm going to talk louder. But that's not what it is. It's about kind of like objectively looking at your life and yourself and saying what, you know, what am I what, you know, a bigger version of you can actually be shyer and quieter, it could actually be darker and, you know, whatever you you feel you are and I got lucky because my mother called me one day, my nephew at the time was like six and he she was telling me how he asked her why does Uncle Christopher get to live up in New York all by himself? And she said, because he's a grown up, he could do what he wants. And my nephew apparently said he's not a grown up. He's just a big kid. Now At the time, I had the time I was like trying to figure out what is my character? What is my who am I? And when he said that, I was like, Oh, that's it. And all the clues were there because I don't I have money. I don't pay my bills on time, even if I have the money. I know. Like, I got pulled over by a cop. He's like, why didn't you, you know, resign up for your registration. And I literally looked at the compensate. I'll be honest, I'm not good at being a grownup. And by the way, I got away with it somehow. He just gave me a warning. So funny.

Scott Edwards: 10:29

Well, but I think I am a big kid. Yeah. But I think realizing that is a smart thing. I think a lot of actors and you went to acting school, they have to figure out who they are, what their what their voice is, whether it's an acting voice, a comedy voice, their magic voice in magic, it's your it's the persona that you're presenting to the audience. So Chris, you were talking about how you were starting in, you know, after high school and into college, you kind of found your comedy voice. Were you doing that through written patter and in verbal expression? Or because you're kind of a bigger than life cartoon kid? Was it kind of physical humor? What was it that worked for you, or you started with first?

Christopher Barnes: 11:21

It's sort of like a like, do you script or do you not script? And my answer is yes. The answer is, whatever works for you. But also, it's tricked by trick, like some trick. For some reason, I have to sit down and write a script, but some, they just, it's more, it just depends. But for me, my process, and this is whether I'm doing magic for children, or whether I'm doing like a comedy club magic for adults. My first step right off the bat is just asking, is the trick itself funny? Because 99% of the time, I think the answer is no. Like you can restore a newspaper that's not been at the heart of the trick, you know, cut and restore wrote, that's not funny. And so once the answer is 99% of the time, no, my next question is just how do I make it fun. So instead of like worrying about the scripting, or everything I'm doing around the trick, because I think most magicians who do comedy magic, they take a standard trick, and they add a bunch of funny comedy lines to it. But my goal is to start from a place of, can I make the trick itself? At the heart of the trick? Can I make the comedy concept around it? So that basically, I'm ahead of the game. So on top of now, an already funny trick, I might in funny lines, I'm adding funny bits of business, so that it's like cherries on top of an already funny. Sundae. That's a terrible metaphor.

Scott Edwards: 12:44

No, no, but I get it. And I'm going to bring up an example on one of your very funny videos. Under the pudding classic, you, you take like the thimble trick, which is a prestidigitation illusion of moving a thimble from around your finger and doing different gags with it. And in your case, you created some what looks like a fake putting, like your finger was dipped in pudding, and you use that to do the same trick. So it's the same illusion. But by changing the thimble to what looks like putting, you're adding humor. So is that a good example?

Unknown: 13:24

Yeah, it's pretty much an example of what I always try to do, which is two things. Number one, I generally try to make sure that my magic never ever really looks or feels like anything another magician has done. And it can be as simple as putting some brown paint on a thimble. So it looks like pudding instead of a symbol. So that and then the other one is just my favorite comedy concept. In terms of like sketch comedy, it's called mapping, which the idea is if you put two ideas together, but don't necessarily fit, it's often funny like Big Bird, Big Bird, as an accountant, that's, that could be your Hitler as a kindergarten teacher, like these things don't fit. And so generally, you'll get something fun and so almost everything I do with magic is like a simple trick. What can I pair it with that doesn't necessarily work as a symbol. So putting, okay that works. So just taking two ideas and pairing them together. That's generally the starting point of any What am I is another example kind of like the pudding. I do a classic bullet catcher routine. I don't if nobody knows you put a bullet in a gun and they sign it and they pointed at your face and shoot it and you catch it in your teeth. But I use as an old comedy Prop A leaf blower with a paint roller duct taped to it and toilet paper shoved on it and when you turn the leaf blower on it shoots the toilet paper 20 feet and so I load assigned dime into the toilet paper. They pointed at my face across the stage and blow the entire roll of toilet paper all over me but I catch the diamond My mouth. So it's the same idea. So okay, I've been taking a bullet catch. What other weird thing? Can I pair with it that doesn't necessarily work together. But by pairing them you get something interesting and different and then know whether magicians doing. So that's that's always my starting point.

Scott Edwards: 15:15

Well, I think that's a great starting point Chris and in your genius and how your mind works and that you're a lot like amazing Jonathan. Las Vegas Acura. Yeah, he worked for me many times, I did a great interview with him, everybody should go back and listen to it. It's amazing. You're taking a regular routine or an illusion? And what can I do to dress it up to make it more exciting, more funny and different for the audience? Now, when you're doing adding comedy, did you find this? I would think it would work with kids, but adults as well? Did it help you interact and engage an audience?

Unknown: 15:54

Oh, the comedy? Yeah. Yes. And, you know, I talked, I mentioned that, you know, I tried to make people cry during that script. And I realized, Oh, that's easy to make. But I've actually learned over time, that I can make people feel and experience the cry or sadness or any other emotion. By starting with comedy, I find the easiest ways you make them laugh. By making them laugh, that is an emotional response. So you're bringing them on an emotional journey already. So then if you veer into something a little more serious or meaningful, they're more willing to go with it, because they're already on an emotional path with you. And not only that, but they just making people laugh. That's such an amazing connection that that they feel for you, they care about you. So again, when you veer into something more meaningful, I find it a lot easier to do it took me 20 years to realize that but once I focused on comedy, I realized I can use comedy to figure something out. But yeah, just I don't think that answered your question at all. But

Scott Edwards: 16:59

no, it's great. It's great, Chris?

Unknown: 17:02

Yeah, I can't imagine maybe somebody out there. I cannot imagine doing magic for children. Without comedy. You can definitely do magic for adults without company. But I would be shocked if I could see somebody perform magic without comedy for kids, and lasts more than 15 minutes without the kids getting bored.

Scott Edwards: 17:22

Right? Right. But definitely, that being fair to the, you know, the local neighborhood magician or something. There's a lot of magicians that get the thrill of entertaining in front of a group of kids or adults that are doing those magic tricks out of the magic kit. And they're basically memorizing the patter that came with the junk. So even though there might be something funny in it, it's a huge leap to go from the you know, book prepared patter with the linking rings or the scarf trick. And being like you creative now, some magician, comic magicians will, as you said, will write unique pattern to make the trick funnier and more engaging. You find a more of a I still like the term cartoon attitude. And in use that to make the trick funny and unique and different from everybody else that does it. Because one of the things that's been discussed is that magic, there's only I think, something like seven or nine true illusions. And it's, it's what you do with them. And what I thought was interesting, early on, you mentioned that when it comes to comedy, what comes first, the comedy or the illusion? You take a different aspect than a lot of the guys I've interviewed because many of them is you said, we'll take a trick. And then what can I say, to make it funny? And you approach it? And some people do this, but you seem to be very proficient at it. Take in an illusion, and what can I do with the props with the aspect of the illusion and really turn it on its head? And I think that your description of taking two things that wouldn't normally go together, putting them together and presenting it. I just think that's genius, Chris, and No wonder everyone says you're funny.

Unknown: 19:35

Good, I will say because you mentioned scripting, and when it comes to children specifically, and this bleeds into what I do for adults, but when it comes to children specifically, you know, I think it's almost like death nail or what is it the nail in the coffin to focus on what you're going to say? So you read the patter and you just do the pattern, because that's a mindset of focusing on what you're saying. And if you want to make children laugh, instead, you should focus on what you're doing. Because like, if I had a bag, and I showed it in the bag is empty, like my bank account, you know, you might get a chuckle from one parent somewhere, but kids are not going to laugh at it. But if I said, this bag is empty, I'll prove it, I'll put my hand and turn it inside out. And then in the process, like, you put your fist in and punch yourself in the face, that kids are going to laugh a million times more harder at that than I was. So yeah, so Well, it was somebody actually killed in comedy, physical comedy. I am not a clown like that with an actual, I'm just stupid. But the so with kids, I mean, I, I try to stress all the time. Like, I think magicians doing magic for kids. And they just talk and talk and talk. And I'm like, No, you say, like two sentences to get into the trick. And then it's all funny bits and wacky physical comedy throughout. And that. So when I build a routine for kids, I would almost call it more of an outline of the funny stuff I'm going to do throughout the trick, that, you know, maybe that's what's going to make the kids laugh I can kind of make so you know, the things I say, don't matter as much because they're just excuses to get to whatever funny comedy thing I'm physically do it. But with adults, I guess I start with that concept of mapping, or taking a trick and finding the funny aspect in it to begin with. And then it's almost the same thing. But just beat by beat I go through when I tried to come up with like funny lines related to it, because I think adults respond a little more to the verbal comedy.

Scott Edwards: 21:38

Yeah, but still, even in this day and age, everybody's got such a short attention span. I think that kids and adults, especially young adults, but especially especially with children, the visual is something easy for them to relate to and go with, Hey, we were talking about how it's important, using physical comedy in this day and age. With everyone short attention span, you're already very kind of cartoonish, you're you're bright, you're flamboyant, you're colorful, you really are a physical presence when it comes to your magic shows, which is great for adults and kids. But what are you doing when you talked earlier? About having an illusion? What can I do to make it different and unique? You said you use an outline form? Can you explain that a little bit?

Christopher Barnes: 22:34

Well, there was a famous British comedy magician named Terry Seabrook. And he had one of my absolute favorite methods for creating comedy magic. I love anything that's just straightforward and basic. And so this was specifically for making adults laugh, but he would take a trick. And he would write out beat by beat all the actions you had to take when you did like, if you're doing a card trick, somebody has to take the card and put it back in the deck, they shuffle the cards, every single step you physically have to do to make the trick happen. And then once he made that little list, he would then come up either right or find a comedy piece of dialogue to complement it that goes along and matches up with it. So you wouldn't just say a random joke while having somebody pick a card, you would write a joke, specifically about the act of taking the card. And I just loved that. That concept, because it's just so straightforward and easy. Like I just love anything that even if I'm the idiot biggest idiot on Earth, I can do this, you know, I like dumbing it down so I can make myself figure it out. And that's basically how I put together a routine. So like I mentioned, in the last episode, I start from a place of figuring out what trick I wanted to do. And finding out how to make that trick. It's so funny. But then I just make a list of every step I have to take to do that trip. And then I altered it when it comes to kids. But for adults, I pretty much do the same thing. I just write funny lines that coincide with each action that I'm doing. And then with kids, like I mentioned before, kids respond much more to physical comedy. So I make that same list. And instead of coming up with funny lines, I'm gonna say I come up with just funny actions of how I'm going to do it. So instead of saying something funny while they pick a card, I do something funny. And that's that's basically my entire structure for how to build a routine or how I build a routine. Well, that's

Scott Edwards: 24:38

really valuable information. Thanks so much, Chris. And I think you're touching on many things. But what's really important for anybody that's interested in magic or comedy magic as a career is the understanding that it takes work and just the practice to get the trick down. But like you said, you outline the moves and Then what you might say during those moves. But of course, as a professional, you also know how to work the room or work the person that you're doing the illusion with. But I think that it is important for everyone to understand that you should create a method to what you're going to present. And then if you are prepared and rehearsed, when you do that, for a live audience, it's always going to rock. Earlier we talked about that you're less about the patter, and more about the physical comedy. However, you're a successful playwright. I know you did some work in college, can you share with the audience how you took your interest in comedy and magic and in turn, turned it into playwriting?

Unknown: 25:47

You know, I got involved. I mean, I was doing playwriting and after college, I went into a I'm obsessed with musical theater. I kind of love musical theater also, because it's I just think any art form you learn whether it's magic, you should, you should be learning art forms outside of whatever your main focus is, like, I've taken stand up comedy classes, improv comedy classes, photography class, I just think any other art form in you know, they all work together, they all inspire each other. But one of the reasons I love musicals, I think it's kind of the same reason I love magic, which is, I'm going way off topic, but I'm gonna keep going. You can.

Scott Edwards: 26:28

Oh, it's fascinating stuff. Chris, it's your show.

Christopher Barnes: 26:31

Back in the day, musicals were nothing more than, like, an excuse to get from song to song. And that's, that's what like, cool. Here's 20 Cole Porter songs, let's write a random plot to just get from song to song. That's what a magic show is a magic show is just, here's something I'm saying just as an excuse to get to the next trick. And now here's another random trick that I'm sort of getting us to. And then one day with Oklahoma, Rodgers and Hammerstein came along and said, Nope, we're gonna write the music specifically for the plot. And the songs are part of the story and getting this from. It's not just the plot happens between the songs. No, the songs are the plot part of the story that has nothing to do with anything but I just, I find I try to bring my playwriting at that aspect into the magic where I try to make the magic kind of part of the story as much as all the things I'm saying in between the magic. I don't even remember the question, but I know, but I think I got talking on musical theater. So I

Scott Edwards: 27:32

know, Chris, I think that you're sharing some good insights, because you've touched on the fact that you have to sit down and work at what you're going to do. You have to plan it out, outline it, write it out and kind of give yourself a rehearsed script or action of what you're going to do. It makes any kind of show whether it's stand up comedy, comedy, magic, or ventriloquism, whatever it is, it makes it that much better. But you became a playwright because you realize there's a connection between the art forms. And I think bringing that out in this conversation is so important. I'm a big fan of you know, ventriloquism and comedy magic straight stand up prop comedy, I even once had a really funny tap dancer on my stage. Oh, that was just a joy for me and the audience's were entertained. And that's my job as a producer is what mattered. But I think what you're sharing, even though you feel like you're wanting is is a good point in that, whether it's a magical show, or a musical play, the idea is taking the audience along for a ride, creating a story that has a beginning, a middle and an end. Now, instead of

Christopher Barnes: 28:50

making sense of what I was saying.

Scott Edwards: 28:53

And in stand up comedy, you grab the audience's attention with your gear, third, best material second best material, then you take him for a ride kind of the plateau of this show. And then you have a crescendo or a big payoff, you're closer, which is your best stuff. It's the same in comedy magic. And quite simply, it's the same as a playwright, you want to take the audience on a journey that ends on a really strong crescendo or upbeat in my right and

Christopher Barnes: 29:24

I find I find that, oh, stand up comedy is such a help with playwriting and vice versa, with so of course, I've focused on Comedy when I'm writing a playwriting and one of my favorite tools, which I know stand up comedians do this is I will audio record the show, and then I'll listen and I'll go through the script. And anytime there's a laugh, I'll checkmark it or highlight it. And then let's say I have a page with two laughs one at the top one at the bottom. I have an entire page in between. It's just part of why I love comedy. It's it's it's almost math. Medical, you know, I get to literally look at this page and say that's a line, that's a line. Those are both laugh. Either I need to get another laugh in the middle here, or I could just cut out the entire center of that page. And, and if it still makes sense, I basically I just did the time. Yeah.

Scott Edwards: 30:19

For the timing and the joke know that

Unknown: 30:22

comedy, if I have to take five minutes to get to a punch line, I better try to make that, you know, 30 seconds. 20 seconds. I gotta I gotta end it. It's kind of like what you said, especially today with attention spans, but I just think a lot of talking does not always, it just gets old. Like, and you're absolutely

Scott Edwards: 30:44

correct. But staying on the topic of you as a playwright, I think that the fact that you're able to reach into the roots of why you're an entertainer, the comedy, the magic, the the engaging in audience, and what you learned in college, about script writing. And doing that now you you've successfully written several plays, I'm sure that was really rewarding.

Christopher Barnes: 31:10

Oh, so in New York, I had a I was involved in a Comedy Theater, it was an Off Broadway theater. And I did a series of it was kind of called unauthorized. And they were all parody musical. So there was one based on Back to the Future Ghostbusters, Hunger Games, Steel Magnolias. And what was so much fun about it is that I got to bring literally my magic sensibility in it, because magic is really just spectacle. So it was fun. I both wrote them, but I also directed them. So it was about, you know, the entire script was about comedy lines. But the directing was about. If I just make you stand here and set up here, that will look funny, like that will get a bigger lap. And if you say that line over here, so and then just bringing like in Back to the Future, the musical which was called that 80s Time travel movie, The musical for copyright reasons. We had a DeLorean car appear on stage, but it was just a bunch of pieces of cardboard cut out and spray painted silver. And people ran on stage with each piece. So the car form together. And the essence of the magic trick, but it's just the theater trick and it got a huge laugh and applause just because it's this weird. What? You were enjoyable thing happening on stage, right?

Scott Edwards: 32:33

But it was connecting with the audience's memory of the movie. Oh, yeah. And it was a bit of a magic trick. And it was funny. I mean, in an earlier interview with Larry Wilson, we were talking about how it was movie magic, like one of the earliest films Man in the Moon, where there, it was a magician doing tricks that made his movie worth watching, because it was a silent film. So it wasn't anything being said, it was the allusions in the magic that made the film worth watching. So now you fast forward 100 years, and you're taking memorable moments from hit movies. And by adding some magic and some comedy and your gift for playwriting. You turned him into shows and I just I'm so excited for you that that's so creative and so rewarding.

Unknown: 33:29

Yeah, that means to have ideas in your head that you visualize, but to be able to, like, get a group of people together to realize it on stage and then to get to see it is that mean? Forget the audience. That's magic for me like to actually see a vision in your head come alive on stage is just an incredible feeling.

Scott Edwards: 33:52

Yeah, well for me, so you know, I have my audience knows this. But you and I have not worked together. But as a comedy producer, a show producer, and I've done television, radio, and lots and lots of live stage. It is so rewarding that when you envision a show or a piece of entertainment, as a producer, my reward is the joy it gives me to see those audiences laughing at what I put together for you know, as a comedy club owner, I had to pick two or three acts that I thought would work well together and in cross my fingers that it was exactly what the audience would enjoy. And nine times out of 10. I was right. But as I've shared in other podcast, it wasn't the show that I was watching. I knew the show. I'd seen the guys X 100 times I watched the audience and my joy came from seeing the audience engaging with something that I was presenting to them that was creative. And I think as a playwright, seeing the fruition of your work being acted out on stage had to just be so thrilling. Congratulations on all your success.

Christopher Barnes: 35:06

Thank you. And you know, you bring up a good point, which is, I think it was Matt Cain, who's one of my heroes. He's a comedy magician. Man, he says that magicians have a thing called Magic ears, or magician ears. And the idea is like, they get off stage after their comedy show. And you're like, how did it go? And like, Oh, my God, they loved it. And then he was like, I just watched the same show. They didn't laugh once, what are you talking about? But like, you know, your show now. So watch the audience, like they are giving you actual live feedback. You know, don't just sit there and go out there and want them to collapse. And therefore you just decide that they did not watch them. The best part about comedy is, you get your feedback immediately. You know, if your show is introspective, and makes people think you don't necessarily know if it was successful. But if your goal is comedy, you your answer is right there, you can literally watch your audience and see if you're succeeding, which is to me the perk of comedy.

Scott Edwards: 36:09

And to bring it back to magic. It's like, okay, I learned how to do this illusion, let's say linking rings. And if you just went up and did the linking rings, even if you did the pattern right out of the book, and you got offstage going, Hey, I succeeded. Well, did you because did it relate to the audience? Were was the audience fooled? Did the illusion work, if you're not paying attention to the ambiance of the room, and the reaction of the audience, you can't say that it's a success.

Christopher Barnes: 36:42

I. So the nice thing about stand up comedy, is that y'all are, what's the word? I'm just gonna say vicious. But that's not the word. You are a steadfast. And you're, you know, you do original material. You don't copy other people's material. You don't. But magic is kind of built upon. It's an entire industry where people just do other people's material. You know, if so, and so did a joke 50 years ago, and the Lincoln rings routine, I guarantee magicians are still doing that joke now and the Lincoln rings routine. And so I think it's important to watch your audience because I guarantee I have been in so many audiences, where the Lincoln rings come out. And it's an audience of lay people, if you don't know the terminology, that just means non magician, I literally will watch the audience sink down in their chair and take a sigh because they know that they're about to sit through a 10 minute trick that they've seen a million times, because we magicians have certain rules. One is they're called classics for a reason. That's one of our rules, which means the linking rings works. So you keep doing it, because the audiences love it. And then the other one is, well, it's new to my audience. That is aligned. So a joke that was done 100 years ago, and every magician has been doing it since I can do it. Because it's new to my audience, which is something which is never happened in the world of stand up comedy. And, to me, both of those magic rules equal, just go ahead and be lazy. That's fine. Just do the old tricks that everybody's seen a million times, do the same jokes. And I'm all for bringing out the linking rings and doing a routine. But you have to give me an audience member who's seen this a million times a reason to watch it. And that can be a new, interesting take on it. You know, you could do it blindfolded, you could do it while floating in the air, I don't care. Or you can literally give me it can be heartfelt or like I was always an outcast, even in the world of magic. But whenever I picked up these rings, I knew while I was practicing them room that Harry Houdini held a set like these first and held a set like these, so bear with me for the next few minutes. While I do this thing that gives me this connection to this world, but I always sort of been an outcast or so I've just made that be a BSL right now. But like, if you give me a reason to watch it now, I'm willing to, you know, sit up, stop sign and be like, okay, you've just given me an excuse to go with you on this journey. So it's, it's just about, you know, recognizing your audience. And thinking about like, as a magician, I've done a lot of magic conferences, conventions, and you do gallery shows and 90% of your audience at the end of convention. It's going to be magician, and I would never in a million years go out and do a trick that they've all seen before. Or a routine with a trick that they have all read and they've all seen before. Because why would I do that they all know that they've all they know that's not mine. So I would do something original and unique to me. That makes them other magicians feel like they've seen something they haven't seen before. And to me that is how I treat every audience. I imagine every audience is a roomful of magician, I'm not just going to sit there and show them something that any other magician could do, because why? Why would they want to watch me?

Scott Edwards: 40:14

Right? And I think that's why you're such a success and why I got referred to you as being one of the funniest guys out there. I think you're so right. We've talked about it before, you're kind of the cartoon version of comic magicians, and might be doing the linking rings with baloney with a hole torn in the middle or? Yes. Yeah. makes it different. And the reason I got that example, ladies and gentlemen, if you get a chance, go to Christopher W. barnes.com. That's Christopher W. barnes.com. And check out the amazing videos this guy does. Chris, you've got your own YouTube channel, where you're doing The Magic Show, show and do some really funny stuff that I think is not you know, it's probably mostly driven for kids. But I found it very entertaining myself. I mean, when you were doing the putting bid and doing putting on the Ritz, I laughed out loud. Just stupid physical, comedy and visual comedy, but it works. So ladies and gentlemen, go check out his videos. But how did you decide, as a already successful playwright and comic magician to share? You know, your creative talents, and kind of this cartoon version of comedy, magic on YouTube? share with the audience a little bit about that, if you don't mind?

Unknown: 41:38

Well, it's been recent, because there was I don't know if you notice, there was some kind of pandemic that happened. And

Scott Edwards: 41:45

there was yes, cold, flu going around.

Unknown: 41:48

Hear about that? Yeah. So everything was shut down for like, you know, a long time, but like, really shut down for like, a good month that were like literally nobody, you went to the grocery store. That was it. And, you know, I am a creature of creativity and creation, and I just have to be working on something. And I just saw this as an opportunity to work on a show. I had no idea what it was going to be.

Scott Edwards: 42:17

Well, COVID hobby, you did a great job. He's got a strong, professional open, it's very, the music is great, the visuals are great. And you know, somebody's going to see this and realize your talents, it's only going to lead to more opportunities for you. Well, I appreciate that. I hope the audience needs to go check them out. But did you find it? It kind of soothed that creative itch by doing this drag? COVID?

Christopher Barnes: 42:47

Yeah, 100%. And it's kind of like I talked about in the previous episode, the entire concept became, first of all, I had to figure out how to make it look as professional as possible without having any resources. And so I went with a, I call it Jackass for kids. Ideas, I'm doing stupid stuff. But I literally had my partner hold my iPhone camera. And I specifically said, do not hold it still make it look like just move around a little. So it doesn't look like we're trying to peek professional. It looks like more of a guerilla style shooting. But the entire concept is just the first episode of putting the second episode spaghetti. I think there's balloons, there's boxes and I just take one random item. And I just do a bunch of weird stuff involving magic, a comedy, you know, parody stuff. And it's, it's just quick. Very, very much made for our day and age because every there's I don't think anything goes over like a minute long.

Scott Edwards: 43:55

Yeah, no, I think it was perfect. And we talked earlier about one of your heroes being amazing, Jonathan. And I think amazing, Jonathan, who is is a comedy magic hero in Vegas in his almost 15 years of having his own stage show. But it's taking magic and comedy to the extreme. Amazing Jonathan was would do anything like you know, staple something to his assistants head. But in your case, you do add that kind of cartoon aspect of it. And I just want to tell you what works and everybody should go check it out. It's on YouTube is it called the magic show show?

Unknown: 44:37

It is called as a long title. The Christopher team magician has a show show. But the easier way to find it I have a website called da taco. So why a why taco dot fun. So not.com dot

Scott Edwards: 44:54

taco dot funny why? taco.com

Unknown: 44:58

And there's 10 episodes. If you have kids watch it. If you don't have kids, I don't know, drink some booze and then watch it. I think that'll one of my biggest inspirations ever is Pee Wee Herman. And I just love the fact that kids love his show, but also adults who might be doing a little drugs or something on a Saturday night love to show and that was that was a big inspiration in putting that together. Hopefully,

Scott Edwards: 45:23

I think that's a great connection because Pee Wee Herman was kind of a cartoon of humanity in comedy. And you mean that?

Christopher Barnes: 45:34

That is such a big? Oh, I

Scott Edwards: 45:36

definitely do. And what's great is that even though Pee Wee Herman was his cartoon self and was able to relate to kids and adults in comedy, I think you bring that in comedy magic. Congratulations.

Christopher Barnes: 45:51

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Scott Edwards: 45:52

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this has been so much fun to learn about our guest, Christopher Barnes, who has been doing comedy magic since he was like eight or nine, nine years old. To this day has been a successful playwright has his YouTube show out there. Why a Why taco.com? And not fun. Got fun. Oh, dot fun. Oh, the ibm.com Oh, why? Taco dot fun. Okay,

Christopher Barnes: 46:22

I couldn't afford to cut.com.

Scott Edwards: 46:25

Ladies and gentlemen, check him out. And now he's living in Los Angeles area and is available for shows. Chris, thanks so much for joining us on the podcast today.

Unknown: 46:35

Thank you so much. Hopefully I get to see you in person someday.

Scott Edwards: 46:38

We'll we'll have to work together. I'll get a show together and book you. It'll be fun. Ladies and gentlemen. We hope you enjoyed this as much as I did get a chance check out Christopher W. barnes.com. Or go to his YouTube channel and check out his videos. And thanks so much for being here, Chris. It's been great. Thank you.

Christopher Barnes: 46:56

Thank you. Thank you for having me. Oh, wow.

Scott Edwards: 47:00

That was sure fun. For me. That was an interview I did for my other podcast, the magic hat, a comedy magic discussion. And Chris Barnes is just such a creative guy from doing his comedy magic shows for kids to his work in New York as a playwright, to his amazing videos that you can see at his website, Christopher W. barnes.com. Just fun fun stuff. Thanks for letting me share this with you. We hope you had as much fun as I did do in the recording. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back next week with another great show. Bye.

Announcer: 47:39

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