Reprinted from

Corporate Entertainer 'a Morale Boost' for Companies

Dick Steiner has an unusual resume for an entertainer.  It includes graduation from West Point and a 21-year Army career during which he served in Vietnam, Germany and Australia before retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Now Steiner, who has lived in the Washington region since 1991, performs tricks and pops smiles on the faces of Fortune 500 executives, professional athletes and White House officials.

His performances can be broken down into two categories: strolling magic and stage mentalism, which some call mind reading.  He often integrates a corporate or association theme, key sales points or product promotions into his presentation.

Even though his act is best suited for corporate events and upscale private parties, Steiner - who averages two to three shows a week - also has entertained at cocktail parties, receptions and other events.  He doesn't perform for kids, but his act is wholesome, Steiner says.

Steiner talked with contributing writer Christopher Windham about the economic downturn's effect on corporate entertaining and related some of his memorable performances.

How tough is it to perform magic during a time where the last thing on the minds of business professionals is laughter?

It's not a tough as you might think.  Like the Reader's Digest column says, "Laughter is the Best Medicine."  I've always felt that part of my job as a corporate entertainer is to get people to forget their troubles for an hour or so, no matter how busy or stressed out they are.  There is a lot of humor in both my strolling magic and stage mind- reading performances.  Beyond that, I know audiences are especially captivated by the mind- reading effects.  The net result is that people really do set aside their concerns for at least a little while.  

What trick makes even the most serious executives chuckle?

The lie detector helmet.  As soon as I get an executive on stage to put the helmet on his head, people can't help but laugh.  The routine is hilarious but the helmet itself is a funny sight because it's a colander with wires and batteries and flashing lights and a buzzer that mysteriously goes off when the person tells a lie.  Of course, I no longer take the lie detector helmet on a plane with me when I'm flying to an out-of-town corporate show.

While the lie detector gets a laugh, most of my mind- reading effects are designed to make jaws drop.  For example, several people in the audience will write down numbers that are added up by another audience member.  That sum is then written on a flip chart in front of the group.  Another audience member randomly selects a phone number from the local phone book and it matches the number generated by the audience.

Has there ever been a instance where the professionals didn't get the joke?

Occasionally I perform a hoax-speaker presentation for a company's sales force.  This starts when I'm introduced by the manager as a senior VP from the corporate headquarters to talk about a new training program to help sales people "get into the minds of their customers." I start with some reasonable examples of intuitive thinking and nonverbal cuing, but quickly escalate into impossibilities from my regular show.  People start putting their notebooks away when they realize they've been had, and just sit back and enjoy the show.  But there are always a few attendees who go to see the manager later in the day to volunteer to be among the first to be trained in this great new program.

Former Vice President and Mrs. Gore immediately come to mind.  I had the pleasure of entertaining their guests at the vice president's residence on several occasions over the years and they were always very complimentary about my magic.  They were also very gracious hosts.  Mrs. Gore has an effervescent personality and the former vice president a nice sense of humor.  Of course, it's not only Democrats who enjoy my magic and mentalism.  a lot of Republican politicians do as well.

Who has a better sense of humor: executives or military personnel?

As a West Point grad and retired Army officer, you know I've got to give the military personnel equal billing on this one.  But the fact of the matter is, I really don't see a difference.  Here, in the D.C. area, a lot of executives are former military - which puts them in both categories.  Then, too, I try to structure my show to appeal to all adult audiences by having wholesome humor, some astonishing effects, and lots of audience participation.  Executive and military personnel alike are universally good sports.

How do you make your act relevant to the different groups you entertain?

I always work a theme or company name into my performances.  Executives appreciate that I take that extra step, especially when they are entertaining their top clients.  Additionally, I usually wear a tuxedo when I perform strolling magic so, with a collection of over 40 specialty cummerbunds, I can cover almost any theme.  I just had a cummerbund and bow tie custom-made for a vintage Hollywood-themed party coming up.

Whose mind have you read and what did you interpret?

I'd better pass on that one.  I wouldn't want to get anybody in trouble.