What trick is this?

May 10, 2011 4:18 PM

At 2:02 in this video the guys on the left are holding paper coffee cups. What is the guy on the far left doing?

I'm assuming it's not CG or wires since the rest of the video is non-gimmick, just guys doing otherwise-normal mime/poplocking. It seems like the cup should go out of his control, but I can't tell how he gets it back into his hand. Is it balanced on his thumb? Stuck to one of his fingers somehow?

posted by Evilspork to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Looks like contact juggling.
posted by illenion at 4:21 PM on May 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Orrrrr maybe just this?
posted by illenion at 4:23 PM on May 10, 2011

Yes, look how he's sort of squeezing the cup and it rotates slightly as it looks like it's being lifted up.
posted by HeyAllie at 4:25 PM on May 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I think he may have the cup taped to his thumb.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 5:09 PM on May 10, 2011

Best answer: It looks like it's glued/taped to his thumb. If you notice when it's back in his hand, his thumb is oddly low on the cup, in exactly the same place his thumb was when the cup was "floating". (Also, I'm pretty sure it's completely empty--I didn't watch the whole video--which would make any kind of shenanigans easy since the cup would be so light.)
posted by anaelith at 5:42 PM on May 10, 2011

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-a-Paper-Cup-Mysteriously-Levitate-in-Mid-Air-183238876
posted by fozzie33 at 7:33 AM on May 11, 2011

Response by poster: Ah well, I was hoping it was something a bit classier than sticking it to his thumb (I liked the spinning momentum idea), but the oldest tricks are the best tricks.
posted by Evilspork at 6:56 PM on May 14, 2011