Meet Hermes the Mentalist, Magician

As a child, Hermes the Mentalist and his family traveled a great deal, giving Hermes a variety of unique cultural experiences and the ability to forge connections with new people. As an adult, Hermes has lived in many places, including Venezuela, Argentina, Russia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Hermes is a lifelong learner who is very engaged with his surroundings and believes that, "in today’s world, where everyone can be connected, it is important to accept and esteem what we can learn from others."

Keep up with Hermes on Facebook, and check out videos of him performing on YouTube. Below is a sample of Hermes the Mentalist in action.

1. I love the connection to the Greek god, Hermes: how and why did you choose Hermes as your stage name?

Hermes was my nickname from childhood (given by my mother). Hermes in mythology was a mischievous god. Always getting in and out of trouble, Hermes was a prankster (that explains my childhood), but he also was the god of magic.

2. When we think of magic, a variety of performers come to mind, some doing close-up magic, some doing elaborate large-scale illusions, etc. How would you describe the magic you do?

I play with the minds... of the viewers. I love close-up: it is a "no mirrors/ no smoke" approach that people find fascinating. But when not performing on TV, most of my shows are on stage, with no props / no illusions. I use all my senses in harmony to create the effect of a sixth sense.

3. Where do you give performances--how can people see you perform and/or hire you for an event?

Like I mentioned before, I do a lot of TV work, mostly in Latin America. Being a polyglot gives me more range in public performance. I also do lot of corporate engagements and tours in some private venues. Last year I was in Barcelona / Marseille / Monaco / Rome.

4. For someone who is interested in learning more about magic, what do you suggest?

First, let's not confuse tricks with magic. For example: learning a few songs in the piano doesn't make you a musician, so likewise, learning a few tricks doesn't make you a magician.

It takes a lot of learning, practice, stage movement, public speaking, etc... In many cases is a lost art, and a magician is not judged by his tricks but by his performance and viewers' engagement.

With that in mind, I suggest that you work to become an actor first then learn some "tricks." Put both in the same piece and you get magic.

5. Why do you think audiences enjoy your performances so much?

I stimulate the mind to learn and question. TV performance is one thing, but when in a corporate environment, you can go full force with the "books," just because is a more educated crowd. Talking about Carl Jung's Analytical Psychology is not for everyone to understand or even grasp the concept. I tell and show them that real magic happens in the mind, and what I do, they can do, too. A true teacher is the one who creates doubt in order for the student to create questions and follow up with research to find the answers. That is what I do with magic.

Thanks, Hermes!

Meet Erik Dobell, Mentalist

Erik Dobell can read minds... really. This is because Erik Dobell is a mentalist. A mentalist is someone who uses psychology and chicanery to create the illusion of psychic powers. During a performance of "The Psychological Chicanery of Erik Dobell," you will see him use techniques such as deduction, suggestion, and cold reading to demonstrate telepathy, precognition, and (if he's feeling frisky) psychokinesis. You'll want to believe him... but you probably shouldn't.

Erik lives in North Carolina and enjoys traveling for performances. Check out Erik's YouTube channel to see his mental powers at work, and follow him on Facebook.

1. What's the difference between being psychic and being a mentalist?

That's actually a hard question because there are a lot of similarities. Mentalists tend to be more honest about what they are actually doing: they are performing a show that is for entertainment purposes only.

If you go to see a psychic perform, you are going to see one of two things. You're either going to be looking at someone who believes they're real, or you're looking at someone who is using similar skills not to entertain but to scam money out of people.

I guess the difference would be intent--although I've met quite a few shady mentalists in my day.

As for the actual show, since mentalism is more about entertainment, the show is going to have a much different feel and flow to it. The techniques will be more sophisticated and dare I say... believable. Psychic shows tend to be more along the lines of a demonstration and almost always of cold reading.

2. How have you built a career as a mentalist?

I spent several years putting together the best mentalism show I could; I then picked my target markets and got myself out there. I believe success in show business is largely about luck, and I've been lucky.

It also helps to have no shame.

3. What do audiences take from your performances?

I have a background in theater, stand-up comedy, and writing. I feel I have a good idea of what an audience is going to find entertaining, and that's what I'm going to provide to them. I'm going to do everything in my power to give them one of the best shows they've ever seen.

I never want to disappoint an audience. No matter how big or how small.

Aside from that, there is an underlying theme to the show. I come out in the beginning and tell the audience, in so many words, that what they're about to see this evening is an illusion: I'm not psychic, but you're going to think that I am. Then I attempt to convince everyone in the audience that I can read minds.

Not only do I find that to be a fascinating premise for the show, but I also hope that it makes people think a little more skeptically about people who claim extraordinary things. If I'm on stage pretending to be psychic, and it appears 100% genuine, even though I say that it isn't, then what are so-called "real" psychics doing?

I'm happy to say many people pick up on this, and it leads to some wonderful conversations after the show.

4. How do you work with an audience's skepticism, and how much skepticism do you think is healthy?

Depends on the routine I'm performing. Sometimes I want someone on stage who is there just to be entertained and not thinking very much about how I'm doing these things.

Sometimes I seek skeptical people from the audience. I do this because I want to prove to them that I'm really doing these things and I don't have a bunch of plants in the audience, and it can also be entertaining for the audience to watch the mentalist perform for the skeptic.

I don't think you can be too skeptical. We as people are lied to--a lot! It's a very good idea to develop logical thinking skills and to question things, especially if they seem unusual or too good to be true.

Cynicism is often mistaken for skepticism, but to be cynical you must be closed-minded. To be skeptical you must be open-minded. How else would you be able to question things?

5. What are some exercises you'd recommend that people practice if they want to sharpen their own mental powers?

How to Develop a Super-Power Memory by Harry Lorayne is a great book that will help you with just that.

My other bit of advice is stay active. The light goes dim when you stop thinking, so never stop thinking.

Thanks, Erik!