Your audience will salivate with the newest

mentalism routine from the creative mind of

Banachek
• Take your mentalism show to a whole new
level.
• Shock the senses of your audience with a one
of a kind effect that will long be remembered.
• Easy to do, easy to prepare, and big on impact.
• Plays to small groups or to full theatre
audiences.
• Use what they already have…saliva!

Effect: Two volunteers are asked to assist with an unusual experiment. One spectator is handed a
brown paper bag (containing a prediction.) Multiple torn pieces of newspaper each containing
different words and pictures are shown then dropped into a second bag. The performer shakes up the
bag then asks the second spectator to spit into the paper sack. That’s right, SPIT into the bag. The
volunteer obliges then the performer dumps the contents of the bag on the floor. That second
spectator is asked to pick up the piece of newsprint that has some spittle on it and read the word
covered in spit. One word can be made out that says, “SALE”. The first volunteer opens his bag and
removes the one and only piece of paper there that says, “SALE”!

The Gimmick: You are provided with two similar brown paper lunch bags. One is normal (Fig. 1)
and the other “prepared” (Fig. 2) for Spit in a Bag. The prepared bag has a flap attached inside. You
will note that the “L” fold in the bag (Fig. 3) allows for the torn pieces to be dropped into the Flapped
Compartment. You will also note the heavier thickness of the flap (made from cardboard back of a
writing tablet and covered with brown bag paper) so that when you tilt the bag, the flap closes easily
and you can dump out the (switched) torn pieces from the Secret Compartment bottom of the bag.
Preparation: Tear up a newspaper into small pieces, about three inches square. You will note that
there are many words on all the pieces; however, you will need to tear some pieces from the comic
section and the car ads to add variety and color. Place half of the scraps of paper in one pile and the
rest in another pile. Keep these separate until show time.

Now the secret: tear a piece from the car ads that has the word SALE in large letters on one side and
some picture on the backside. No other full word should be visible from either side. Just before you
are ready to perform, spit on this piece or just dab a little water on the piece of paper. Place this
piece along with one of the piles of torn scraps into the bottom, Secret Compartment.

In a second, unprepared bag, place another piece of paper with word

“SALE” written on it. Fold over the top of this bag so as to keep the
volunteer from prematurely peeking into the bag.

Presentation: Two volunteers are called to assist the performer. The

mentalist hands one bag (containing the prediction) to the first
volunteer. A second volunteer is handed a stack of torn pieces of
newsprint. He notices that they are all different and all contain
several words on each. He drops these torn pieces into the Flapped
Compartment of the bag being held open by the performer. The
performer “mixes the papers” by gently shaking the bag being careful not to let the flap close
prematurely or let torn pieces slip from one compartment to the other. He then asks this second
person to spit into the bag. The person is actually spitting into the Flapped Compartment that is still
open.

The performer then tilts the bag so the flap closes over the pieces of paper in the Flapped
Compartment. Grasp this flap with your thumb and forefinger so no pieces accidentally fall out from
the Flapped Compartment. The pieces that actually fall will be the ones from the bottom (Secret
Compartment) of the bag. These actions should move quickly and easily in one motion without any
fumbling. You should practice the “dump” move until you have it down smoothly. Dump these
pieces onto the floor and ask the person to pick up the piece that has their spit on it. They will see
only one piece which you have already prepared. They pick it up and you ask them to, “read any
word from that piece.” Note the subtle “double speak” as there is only one word they can read, but
the audience thinks they could have selected any word from either side of the torn piece. The only
word visible is “SALE” which they read aloud.

Ask the first volunteer to open their bag and remove the contents.
They find one piece of paper. You ask them to read aloud what is
written there and they say “SALE”! A perfect match!

Tip: The moisture on the torn piece of paper will dry out fairly
quickly so be sure to use this routine near the top of your show. This
effect will also set the tone for what your audience will expect from
the rest of your show.

Magic Inspirations, 3613 W. Clay Street, Houston, TX 77019

Website: www.magicinspirations.net