On October 24, 2008, right before the last Presidential election, I was a guest on the radio show Studio 360, a popular program on Public Radio International (PRI) hosted by Kurt Anderson. Due to its timeliness, Anderson raised the question as to whether magicians were similar to politicians. Specifically, he focused on the power of “patter” – a magicians’ term for the words spoken during a magic trick.

Two other magicians, both close friends of mine, Mark Levy and Harry Lorayne also appear in the broadcast. There are a few other very recognizable voices too. Click the play button below, and see if you can figure them out!

Here’s the text directly from the Studio 360 website:

Magic Politicians

A good magic trick isn’t just a trick – it’s a story wrapped around a trick. Magicians distract their audiences with professional smooth talk called patter, and it sounds eerily similar to what politicians deliver in debates and on the stump. Magicians Steve Cohen, Mark Levy and Harry Lorayne break down the power of patter.

Click to listen

After you’ve had a listen, let me know what you think. Did you pick up on any similar speech patterns, rhythms, or beats used by professional entertainers and professional politicians?