Rebirthing (Thank you Skillet) the Thumb Tip . . . is this a good idea or a bad idea? Well it depends. Is it a natural birth or a test-tube baby with more birth defects than Carter's got peanuts? Unfortunately The Wiz falls into the latter category. Essentially for $20 you get a smaller than thimble-sized gimmick that can only be hidden in your hand if you make suspicious quick motions that won't fool anyone. Watch the trailer and you'll see that there is nothing deceptive about this effect.

Further, you must own a Wizard Brand PK Ring for the gimmick to work. Even further than that, you have to wear the ring in an awkward and unnatural position on your finger to make the gimmick work. What's even more ridiculous is that the person teaching on the DVD (Philip Phillips I think) claims that during performance you can make a cigarette disappear using this gimmick. He also claims that you can make a silk vanish in it too. Neither of which are true. Or at least, if they are true it's a method that I can't fathom, and luckily (?) for us, he doesn't teach us how to make these items vanish.

He claims that this gimmick can do everything a Thumb Tip can do . . . Um . . . nope.

Stuff a Thumb Tip can do that The Wiz cannot:

• Operate without a PK Ring


• Actually vanish a silk and/or a Cigarette


• Blend in with the flesh of your hand


• Be hidden without suspicious movement


• . . . just to name a few

Still Further Yet, the ad copy is misleading at best. The ad copy says:

• Simple vanishes and loads


• Virtually undetectible [sic]


• Foolproof mechanics


• Who needs a thumbtip?

Let's address each one of these. First, Simple vanishes and loads. This device is not useful for vanishes at all. In order to cram something into this teeny vessel, you need a toothpick to jam it in there . . . not good for performance settings. As a "load," I guess that depends on what they mean by "load." My understanding of a load is to secretly ring in something (like more playing cards for your card manipulation act, etc.). Again, this is not useful for that either.

Next we have, "Virtually undetectable." Though the audience won't know, necessarily, exactly what you're doing, it will be as clear as Sarah Michelle Gellar's skin that you are somehow hiding something in your hand.

Third, we have the claim of "Foolproof mechanics." When you consider that during the explanation and teaching, our host's gimmick got "hung up" quite a few times, it's hard to not laugh at the claim.

And finally, they have the gall to ask "Who needs a thumbtip?" Answer: people who own The Wiz . . . and everyone else.

On the other hand, if you felt the demo was not at all suspicious and was very deceptive, then go ahead . . . it's your money. Other than the fact that the host seemed to be a really nice guy, I just don't have anything good to say about this product. Sorry folks, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend this.

Final Verdict:
0 stars with a Stone Status of COMPLETE AND UTTER RUBBLE.