BITE THE GLASS

This funny stunt always brought amazement and laughs to the spectator. The bartender is often invited to a drink. To oblige the customer he fixes himself a short highball, upon lifting the glass to his lips to take the drink the glass snaps as if broken and from the mouth of the bartender a shower of shattered glass pours out. He remarks, “Pardon me, but I almost swallowed that.”

THE HOW: To perform this surprising effect bartender attends to two preparations while he pretends to fix his drink. First, he fills his glass with small pieces of ice so he can chew on them, and give the impression, when he spits it out, that they are small pieces of glass, and Second, he secures a half a dollar coin and clips it by its edge between the first and second fingers of the hand holding the glass. The fingers of the hand with the coin presses against the outside of the glass, all fingers kept together, to hide the coin. If your first finger and second, separate a little, the coin will snap against the outside of the glass making a cracking noise. The next move after you have taken two pieces of ice in your mouth, will be to bring your left hand to your lips, giving the impression you are hurt. The climax of the stunt comes when you spit out the pieces of ice; most people believe that they are pieces of glass coming out of your mouth.