Viva Las Vegas

Vegas Casino

A man in a sharp suit is watching the monitor on his desk. We see he is watching a man in a Top Hat and Cloak with a pencil thin moustache who is buying house chips at the cashier's window.

He watches on various cameras as the man in the Top Hat strolls across the gaming floor using his silver topped can with real élan.

The man in the Top Hat stops at a roulette table and places all his chips on 36, the wheel spins and lands on 36. The Man takes of his Top Hat and slides his winnings into it and puts it back on his head with no problem.

The man in the suit sits up and grabs a radio set, as he does so he can see the man in the Top Hat has now walked over to the Blackjack table.

He zooms in as the man in the Top Hat shoots out all his chips from his sleeve into twenty neat piles on the table , he then taps the table with his silver topped cane to indicate he wants a card.

The dealer puts a ten face up.

The cane taps and the dealer places a King face up.

The man in the Top Hat uses his cane once more.

The dealer turns an Ace face up!

Some people watching actually gasp.

As the man in the Top Hat is scooping his winnings into his hat and replacing it onto his head the man in the sharp suit finally stops gawping and speaks urgently into the Radio.

"Security, get the guy on the blackjack table"

Security
Puzzled
"Where at the table boss, what's the problem?"

The man looks at the CCTV monitor and can see his four burly security men in blue blazers and ear pieces; they are standing right next to the man in the Top Hat.

Man in suit
Irate
"That guy dressed like the f**king c**t of Monte Cristo standing right next to you"

He looks on the monitor, the security men are looking round perplexed whilst the man in the Top Hat who is standing right in the middle of the security men looks up at the monitor and tips his hat as he bows and walks out.

Radio
"What guy boss?"

This hits the spot, liked it.

I don't get this one, Teddy. Maybe it's a reference that I'm not aware of, but all I can see is that the security guards are too stupid to spot the man in the top hat.

I'm not having the best of days here am I?
Still if you don't get it you don't get it.
But stopping short of taking my socks off and using them as puppets in a video designed to help you, I just don't know what to say?

I'm a curious button, Teddy. That's all.

Me as well. I think it might be time for Teddy to be de-socked.

Taken on its own you should be able to see, the clues where a cloak, some white gloves and a magical hat that holds more than it should,plus with the chips shooting from from his sleeve and the fact he appears to have no problem predicting events,I thought it obvious that the man is a magician and is being visually tricky, though I doubt he'd get past you two as your appear to be right on the ball!
Sorry about the lack of clarity, I am looking for people who can make the leap, its not everyone's cup of tea I'm sure so thanks for the feedback

All I can do is refer you to several exploits of the same character and hope it clears it up.
Perhaps I got too confident with this guy and its blew up in my face. So I'll give him a miss from now on.

Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ July 16 2011, 3:12 PM BST

All I can do is refer you to several exploits of the same character and hope it clears it up.
Perhaps I got too confident with this guy and its blew up in my face. So I'll give him a miss from now on.

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Thanks for explaining. I haven't read the others so I wasn't familiar with the character. I still find it confusing though, as you have to leap into a world where he's visible to the security camera but not to people he's standing next to. Also if there was anyone else at the table they'd have lynched him for hitting on 20.

Blackjack is played by individuals playing a central bank.
As such a players stake or actions would no interfere with the next players cards or actions as they also are playing the bank and not others at the table.

However the whole thing is moot as I have ditched silent characters as it would seem they are to complex.

In tune with my new attitude I have taken on board all the points raised and I am currently working on a character who whistles.

I've not had the problem of taking it that this guy is magic and in this case makes himself invisible, in another sketch he turned himself minature etc. It helps I suppose that I've followed the other Magician sketches along the way.

Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ July 16 2011, 3:35 PM BST

In tune with my new attitude I have taken on board all the points raised and I am currently working on a character who whistles.

View original

I know sweet nothing about all the gambling lingo, but it doesn't seem to make a difference to enjoying the sketch.

I get it, but don't see any comedy in it

Admittedly its not side splitting, but to some it will have a certain amount of charm and will thus be enjoyable.

Perhaps it should have been placed below existing adventures, even then I don't expect everyone to like it.

It is subjective so thanks for at least commenting.

Out of context I can see why folk are wondering what it is, but as a reoccuring character to us/me who followed it this works perfect. Because,

In his first series "he's got away sarge" the magician eluded local coppers and the sketches built up to an exciting little big budget final on the fairground.

So this for me reads as the start of a second season where the illusionist has bigger targets, a new enemy and new location. With that in mind this is exactly the right progression for him.

My only pity for you is that this is a hard sell for this critique board unless someone completely gets what you've been doing with the previous ones like Shandonbelle has.

I may steal your sock puppet line.

It works better as part of the series, knowing what has gone before.

I like the style & the feel, but from when I read the first Magician sketch, I found I was having to think about it or make too many guesses on the why's & wherefores but I did like the underlying premise.
I felt that what I'd rather be seeing were more recognizable Magic tricks.
Unless he's supposed to be supernatural.
A contrived situation where he used red balls & cups, doves, or other well known magic cliches.