Pop Culture & the Law: Justin Willman Magic Lover

How does that hot dog taste now? Our kids have been repeating this ever since we watched Justin Wilman: Magic Lover on Netflix. We are now making our way through every show Justin Willman has ever recorded and have tickets to see him live in San Diego. But none of us will ever forget the first joke in his show where he takes on the skeptics through an awesome magic trick but maybe an even better metaphor.

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Convincing the Skeptics

Wilman opens his Netflix special by saying that he understands there are two types of people in the audience: people who love magic and the plus ones who are skeptics. Willman is a comedian and a magician and no one nails a set up and punch line better.

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After telling the audience he understands that some of them are skeptics, he brings up the hot dog, saying, “Magic is like hot dogs. The more you know the harder it is to swallow.”

Then, Wilman performs a trick where he asks an audience member about her first crush and then pulls a piece of paper with the crush’s name on it out of a cardboard box. Wilman invites the audience to guess how he did it. When a man makes a guess that there’s a printer inside of the box, Wilman acts as if he guessed correctly. Only at the very end of the bit do we learn he was wrong. Wilman picks up what we all thought was an actual printer and crumples up the piece of paper.

The trick is never enough. - Justin Willman

According to Willman, “The trick is never enough. It also needs to be the delivery system for some sort of idea, whether it’s something funny that will stick with people, or something autobiographical, or something that’s just sincere. It [should offer an] angle on some hot take that a trick can kind of help encapsulate. That’s kind of the secret sauce for me, and it’s hard to maybe tick all those boxes at once.”

The same is true in the law. It’s not enough to tell a jury what happened. You need to deliver the truth in a universal way. Ideally, in such a way that the jurors not only agree but will turn to each other and repeat the truth. How does that hot dog taste now? It’s silly, it’s fun, it’s memorable. Most importantly, it is understandable and makes the audience feel in on the joke. 

There’s nothing worse than not bringing your audience along with you. Not only is it not persuasive but it can create hostility because the audience will feel trapped. Trial lawyers can learn a lot from Justin Willman in this regard. From the start of a magic trick, he’s checking to make sure the audience is following. Asking questions, setting things up in an easy to understand way. Many people are probably familiar with these concepts of public speaking-ask questions, keep things simple, check for understanding. 

What sets the masters apart is their ability to surprise but make the surprise feel like something you already knew. That’s a magic trick worth mastering. Like most things, it takes a lot of practice. But knowing the goal is half the battle. Watching masters at their craft, like Justin Willman, is an important step in your own journey. As a bonus, you’ll laugh and smile the whole time.

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‍Leslie Hulburt is a co-founder of Hulburt Law Firm. She is an experienced trial attorney who has litigated cases against major corporations, manufacturers and government entities. In addition to the law, she has worked at the washingtonpost.com and as a garden teacher for elementary school students. These experiences give her a unique perspective on the most compelling way to present a case. Leslie finds inspiration in countless places, including movies, tv shows, books and podcasts. Pop Culture & the Law explores the ways our favorite entertainment can offer wisdom in the practice of law.