It turns out that I'm a pretty good subject for hypnosis. I found this out in front of 250 people, including my parents, at the old Magic Island Club in Houston. Magic Island was so freaking cool, and they had booked Sam Vine, "The Hip Hypnotist" as the headliner one weekend.

So I hosted my parents and others at a performance. Vine asked for volunteers to get hypnotized and I accepted the challenge. We had to perform some tests to see if we were good subjects - the two I remember were the one where you fall back into the arms of someone else, and where you're sitting on a chair, eyes closed, and the hypnotists tells you that your hands are so heavy they can't stay on your lap. I passed both tests and was officially hypnotized.

At this point, let me explain something. Hypnotism is like dreaming in that some people are heavy sleepers and don't remember their dreams, while some are light sleepers and do remember their dreams. Hypnotism is the same way - most are heavy, and don't remember a thing. However, I was a light subject, and I remembered everything.

So we go through various routines, which were all funny. At one point, Vine picked me and two other guys to be strippers. My stripper name was Blaze.

We are instructed to strip. Two points here: (1) Vine had said that no matter how hypnotized one is, he could not make one do something they would not do under their own power; and (2) whenever Vine instructed me to do something, it never entered my mind to say "Nope, not gonna do that".

I was wearing a suit, and I distinctly remember taking off my jacket and thinking, "My wallet is in the jacket, so that's one piece of clothing I won't throw into the audience". I swirled it around, but threw it back towards my chair.

Then I tool off my tie, used it like a stripper would (Hi Mom!), and threw it into the audience. Same thing with my shirt - off it went. The next piece that came off was my belt, which left me looking at my pants. Blaze was on fire, and ready to give the audience what they wanted!

Once again, I distinctly remember thinking, "He hasn't said 'Stop' yet, so I guess I'm losing the pants!" As I worked seductively with my zipper, Vine finally shut me down.

Now, keep in mind Point 1 - you won't do anything under hypnosis that you wouldn't do otherwise. So, ummmm - I guess I would strip in front of strangers. Or should I say, would HAVE. I'd like to think I wouldn't do that these days, but I guess I have to hypnotized again to really find out.

Oh my! Take that shit OFF!!!

I know lots of folks who've hypnotized at shows. I wonder if I'm hypnotizable?

An old woman tried to hypnotize me once and it didn't take.

When it comes to being on a stage in front of a lot of people, I have tons of inhibitions. Your story scares the bejeezus out of me.

I've never understood the veracity of the line about how you wouldn't do anything against your principles while hypnotized. I mean, how does anyone know that's universally true?

The fourth time (don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with times Two and Three) was at a comedy club. Again, I passed Sam Vine's tests and made the cut.

But as I sat there on the chair with my eyes closed, Vine was laughing his butt off, as was the audience. Vine said, "I've been doing this for thirty years and this has NEVER happened before!"

I opened my eyes and saw that I was one of 11 people that made the cut. But guess why everyone was laughing?

The other ten were all girls! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!

Except, uh, my fiance was in the audience. So I was going to be in almost every bit, some of which (MOST of which) were going to be sexually oriented, and the woman of my dreams was sitting twenty feet away. What a dilemma!

But I am nothing if not a pro, and gamely soldiered on through all the bits. I even managed to smile during them! Like I said before, you have to give the audience what they want.

One thing that was cool about all the times I got hypnotized was just before you were brought back, you were told that you would feel great the rest of the night, and no matter how little sleep you got that night, you'd wake up the next day feeling great, and would feel that way until you went to sleep again.

And that worked every single time!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. My wife bought the videotape of this performance, which I guess she will use as blackmail should I ever do something really bad.

.

[Edited 11/26/10 8:39am]

SCNDLS said:

Oh my! Take that shit OFF!!!

I know lots of folks who've hypnotized at shows. I wonder if I'm hypnotizable?

The key is, relax. They'll always do some tests first, like the "fall back into the arms of someone else" thing. You just have to relax and let your body do what they say, and bingo! You're in!

Sadly, I haven't seen a hypnotist come through town in a long time. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Efan said:

An old woman tried to hypnotize me once and it didn't take.

When it comes to being on a stage in front of a lot of people, I have tons of inhibitions. Your story scares the bejeezus out of me.

I've never understood the veracity of the line about how you wouldn't do anything against your principles while hypnotized. I mean, how does anyone know that's universally true?

I just figured the dude was a pro, so I took him at his word. I never did see anyone do anything that would have got them in trouble while hypnotized, but I also can't remember anyone saying "No" to a request, either.

You sure are in a sharin' mood today.

RodeoSchro said:

Efan said:

An old woman tried to hypnotize me once and it didn't take.

When it comes to being on a stage in front of a lot of people, I have tons of inhibitions. Your story scares the bejeezus out of me.

I've never understood the veracity of the line about how you wouldn't do anything against your principles while hypnotized. I mean, how does anyone know that's universally true?

I just figured the dude was a pro, so I took him at his word. I never did see anyone do anything that would have got them in trouble while hypnotized, but I also can't remember anyone saying "No" to a request, either.

To be honest, I've never really believed in hypnosis. But I respect your opinion on so many things, I'm willing to change my mind about it.

Efan said:

RodeoSchro said:

I just figured the dude was a pro, so I took him at his word. I never did see anyone do anything that would have got them in trouble while hypnotized, but I also can't remember anyone saying "No" to a request, either.

To be honest, I've never really believed in hypnosis. But I respect your opinion on so many things, I'm willing to change my mind about it.

Thanks, that's one of the nicest things anyone has said to me!

SCNDLS said:

You sure are in a sharin' mood today.

I watched too much football yesterday.

I've always been skeptical about performance hypnotists, but I've heard several trustworthy people now vouch for its authenticity, so I'm starting to wonder.

I do generally believe in hypnosis, though. An older friend of the family, a professional mentor to my wife, chairs a university psychology department and specializes in hypnosis as a therapeutic method. I've seen him put himself "under," making blood void or rush to certain extremities by sustained concentration. He turned a hand and forearm stark white once -- freakiest thing in the world.

RodeoSchro said:

SCNDLS said:

You sure are in a sharin' mood today.

I watched too much football yesterday.

Blasphemer! No such thing!

SCNDLS said:

RodeoSchro said:

I watched too much football yesterday.

Blasphemer! No such thing!

SMU 17

East Carolina 14

6:34 to go in third quarter.

Sorry about those Horns last night.

RodeoSchro said:

SCNDLS said:

Blasphemer! No such thing!

SMU 17

East Carolina 14

6:34 to go in third quarter.

Sorry about those Horns last night.