Catching mega magician David Copperfield’s Vegas show in the first row, Peter Guber was determined to see the underpinnings of how Copperfield pulled off his illusions. During the core of his act, he continuously prompted audience participation as he wove the true story of his grandfather, a crusty old man, who dominated David’s life, never giving him the approval he craved or coming to watch his show.
The audience’s interest during Copperfield’s warm-up magic palpably changed when he began telling this painful story. He spoke of being a gawky young kid who thought that performing could help him overcome his shyness. His grandfather dismissed that dream and predicted David would be a complete failure with magic as a career. You could feel Copperfield’s sadness resonating with every member of the audience as they recalled similar experiences and feelings in their own lives. David mixed into the story his grandfather’s lifelong dream of owning a 1949 Lincoln convertible. When his story ended, this car magically appeared on the stage in the air. There was no possible way it could have happened!
The magic telling of David’s story held the audience spellbound, distracting them from the mechanics of the illusion. This was David’s business. The audience left happily mystified with a lump in their throats and a surprise in their eyes.
MORE ABOUT TELL TO WIN
To validate the power of telling purposeful stories, Guber includes in this book a remarkably diverse number of ‘voices’ – master tellers with whom he’s shared experiences. They include YouTube founder Chad Hurley, NBA champion Pat Riley, clothing designer Norma Kamali, “Mission to Mars” scientist Gentry Lee, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, former South African president Nelson Mandela, magician David Copperfield, film director Steven Spielberg, novelist Nora Roberts, rock legend Gene Simmons, and physician and author Deepak Chopra.
After listening to this extraordinary mix of voices, you’ll know how to craft, deliver – and own – a story that is truly compelling, one capable of turning others into viral advocates for your goal.
