The Headline Countdown by Al Koran presented by Richard Osterlind

Headline Countdown is so strong that when Al Koran originally performed it on the Ed Sulivan Show, Ed named him the world’s greatest mind reader. This knock out prediction will leave your audiences stunned.

Here’s what happens:

The performer hands an audience member a sealed envelope before the trick even begins. A single sheet of newspaper is introduced and torn into small pieces which are then collected into a pile. The audience member is invited to name a number between one and however many pieces are in the pile, and then the pieces are counted down to the named number. The piece at the number is given to the audience member for examination. The performer asks what stands out on the piece of newspaper, and of course, it matches the written prediction in the envelope perfectly. The best part is that everything is examinable.

The method behind this is diabolical. There are no switches or secret flaps in the envelope. It is genuinely in the possession of the spectator from the very beginning of the trick. There are no arts and crafts or need to assemble complicated gimmicks to achieve this effect. Headline Countdown is a show-stopping prediction that is as easy to perform as is it astonishing. With only a sheet of newspaper and an envelope, you’ll be predicting the headlines in no time.