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The summer of 1985 I was booked as a comedy hypnotist on a cruise
ship for a period of eight weeks. Half way through each week the
ship we would be parked in the middle of the bay so the passengers
could enjoy the splendour of the emerald green ( but very very cold)
water. Beautiful bright and clean icebergs floated randomly about
the bay. The narrator for this afternoon excursion was non other
than the ships comedy hypnotist. Throughout the ship you could hear
“ Ladies and gentlemen, if you go to the port side of the
ship you can actually see and hear large pieces of glacier breaking
off and falling into the ocean.” Eight hundred fascinated
passengers scrampled to the port railing to enjoy a truly incredible
sight. Meanwhile the crew lowered a lifeboat into the water from
the starboard side, unbeknown to the excited, but focused portside
observers. The crew quickly manouvered around a small iceberg that
they could safely hide behind. One of the crew members dressed in
a polar bear outfit climbed onto the iceberg. The all clear sign
was given to the comedy hypnotist.
“ Ladies and gentlemen, we have just spotted a polar bear
on a small iceberg two hundred yards off the
starboard.” Eight hundred passengers charged to the other
side of the ship to experience this rare siting.
The crew member in costume moved slowly on all fours enhancing the
illusion. He had hypnotized, to say the least, the entire group
of mesmerized passengers. “ Now ladies and gentlemen, if you
make a lot of noise and movement you may get a reaction from the
polar bear” Imagine eight hundred people jumping up and down,
waving theirs hands, shouting........and then slowly..... the polar
bear turns his head towards the ship. Now this is stage hypnosis.
This movement by said bear increased the frenzy on board ship. The
comedy hypnotist came over the PA once again "Ladies and gentlemen,
the polar bear of Alaska is one of the most intelligent species
known to man. If you wave to it, it may wave back.” Yea right,
seemed to be the majority of expressions of the passengers, but
we’re having a good time so why not. Again the entire compliment
of passengers started waving to the bear. In a slow trance like
state the bear stood up on its hind legs and waved back. “
My God Ethel, the bears waving back!” The crew at this point,
were as usual, hysterical with laughter. Now this is entertainment!
At this point, the crew member took off the head part of his costume
as the entire ship broke into laughter. The passengers realized
they had been had but enjoyed every minute of it. It was relived
and enjoyed over and over again in conversation and laughter throughout
the rest of the cruise. Everytime the passengers saw the comedy
hypnotist, a smile came upon them.
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