By [Jonathan Baker], Wedding & Event Magician Extraordinaire
You’ve seen it happen a thousand times — maybe you’ve even done it yourself. Someone sees a magic trick — a card vanishes, a ring appears in a lemon, a borrowed banknote catches fire and reappears inside a sealed envelope — and suddenly…
Their mouth opens.
Their eyes widen.
Their jaw literally drops.
At weddings, corporate parties, or special events, I can always tell when the magic has truly landed, not by the applause, not by the laughter but by that unmistakable, universal signal of astonishment: the open mouth of disbelief.
But why do we do this? Why is the “jaw drop” such a reliable reflex when we’re amazed? Let’s pull back the curtain for a moment and look at the science (don’t worry, I promise this is the only secret I’ll reveal).
Your Brain on Magic
When something unexpected happens — like me producing your signed card from my wallet (that’s been in my pocket the whole time) — your brain scrambles to make sense of it.
Neuroscientists call this the “prediction error response.” Your brain is basically a pattern-making machine. It constantly predicts what’s about to happen based on your past experience. When I break that prediction — say, when gravity seems to misbehave or an object passes through solid matter — your brain experiences a brief “system error.”
That shock triggers your amygdala (the emotional centre), insula, and anterior cingulate cortex — the same regions that light up when you experience surprise, fear, or delight. In short, your brain goes, “Wait… WHAT?!”
And while your mind races to rebuild its sense of reality, your body shows the reaction physically — eyes widen (to take in more information), and the jaw drops open. It’s part of the orienting response, an ancient survival mechanism designed to help us notice and process something unexpected in our environment.
So, in a way, when your jaw drops at a magic trick, that’s evolution at work! You’re not just being polite — you’re experiencing a little burst of ancient, neurological wonder.
The Magic Face
As a magician, I’ve come to know this face intimately. It’s the same at weddings, birthday parties, and black-tie galas. I could be performing for a CEO, a grandparent, or a child — and when the impossible happens, that jaw drops exactly the same way.
It’s a beautiful thing to watch. It’s pure, unfiltered, childlike astonishment — the moment the mind lets go of logic and just feels the wonder.
And honestly, that’s why I do what I do. Not to fool people, but to give them permission to react like that again. To be amazed. To forget, for a few moments, how the world “should” work, and just experience something impossible.
So the next time you catch yourself with your mouth hanging open at a magic trick, don’t be embarrassed. You’re not being silly — you’re being human.
Your brain is celebrating surprise, your body is reacting to wonder, and your inner child just woke up and said, “HOW?!”
And that — for me — is the real magic.
Curious to see if your jaw will drop too?
Book me for your wedding, party, or corporate event — and let’s find out at donimomagic.com