Maybe be have been wrong about AI all along.

Here is Chat GPT’s take on the best patter for the classic Cups and Balls.

We used to demo the Fun Incorporated plastic “Cups and Balls” trick at a magic shop hundreds of times per week. It may not have been as funny but it is burned into our frontal lobe.

Our patter never changed, “Here’s three balls of the same color and three differently colored cups.  We take the first ball and place it on top of the first cup, cover it with the second cup and . . . .”  Unlike Chat GPT’s patter, we had no secret surprise of fruit at the end.  We just said the price ($1.25) and laid out the three different colored cups and three balls and waited for the sale to occur.

In the AI version of the patter, there is no passing of a furry ball through one or two cups.  Chat GPT goes for a more of a classic version of the trick.  It even gives itself a compliment on its AI powers at the end. Chat GPT describes this patter as  “This patter keeps the routine light-hearted and fun, focusing on misdirection and humor to enhance the audience’s experience.”

Our patter was developed by copying exactly what we were taught by the owner of the magic shop and Chat GPT was not was not available to us way back then.  Heck, this was before personal computers and whatnot.  Actually, we had “whatnot” but not a lot of it and it was mostly our older sibling’s whatnot and we got it as a hand-me-down.

The closest we had to a computer was a slide rule.  It got Neil Armstrong to the moon and back so no shade to it.   In fact, next to Magic, it was our chief passion.  We went on to become the president of our high school’s Slide Rule Club.  Oh the fun we had seeing who could calculate figures to the greatest number of

decimals.  We’re sure you can imagine.

Anyway . . .

Our prompt for this to Chat GPT was: “write patter for a magician performing ‘cups and balls'”

Here’s its routine:

This patter keeps the routine light-hearted and fun, focusing on misdirection and humor to enhance the audience’s experience.

Magician:

“Welcome, everyone! Now, what I have here are three cups and three balls. Three very ordinary cups and very extraordinary balls. I know, you’re probably thinking, ‘Those cups look suspicious!’ But I assure you, they’re just as innocent as my search history. Let’s begin, shall we?”

(Magician displays the cups and balls.)

Magician:
“Now, the cups are solid, the balls are solid, and my logic is questionable, but trust me, this is magic. The goal of this trick is simple: keep your eyes on the balls. The first ball goes under the first cup…”

(Magician places a ball under the first cup.)

Magician:
“…The second ball goes under the second cup…”

(Magician places a ball under the second cup.)

Magician:
“…And the third ball goes under…oh wait, it’s in my pocket! Magic already, right?”

(Pulls ball from pocket, jokingly places it back under the third cup.)

Magician:
“Now watch closely, because the balls are sneaky. They don’t like staying where you put them. Just like your car keys or your remote control. I wave my magic wand, give a little tap, and—”

(Magician lifts the cups to reveal the balls have moved.)

Magician:
“Would you look at that! The balls have decided to play musical chairs! But we’re just getting started.”

(Magician continues moving the balls under different cups while distracting the audience with humorous banter.)

Magician:
“Now I know what you’re thinking: ‘He’s just moving the balls around, right?’ And yes, you’re absolutely right…except when you’re wrong! Watch this—one tap, and…”

(Magician lifts all the cups to reveal a large ball or a surprise object, like a lemon.)

Magician:
“See, you thought there were three little balls, but magic has a way of surprising us all! Now, how did that get under there? Maybe it’s lemon juice for my tea!”

(Magician pauses for audience reaction.)

Magician:
“And just like that, folks, you’ve witnessed the mystery of the Cups and Balls—a trick that’s been baffling minds for centuries. I hope you enjoyed it as much as the cups did. Thank you!”