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When former West Philadelphian Justin Tranz makes a suggestion, folks usually take it. Well,
actually they don't have much of a choice. Tranz has them hypnotized.
Last month, Tranz became a resident headliner in Las Vegas performing his hypnosis-comedy
show five days a week at O'Shea's, a small hotel-casino that's smack in the middle of the Strip,
next to the Flamingo Hilton and across the street from Caesars Palace.
Tranz spent part of his childhood growing up near
62nd Street and Lansdowne Avenue. His family moved to Delaware County, where he graduated from then
Lansdowne-Aldan High School.
In the decades between performing magic acts as a child for his family and playing a Las Vegas
showroom, Tranz, 33, earned a degree in psychology; worked as a
hypno-therapist; ran a
janitorial service; conducted self-improvement seminars; owned a chain of retail magic shops;
and tried acting. His first onstage performance was at Temple University over 15 years ago.
"I always had it in the back of my mind, though, that I wanted my own show on the Strip,"
Tranz said. ". . . a fast-paced show with audience participation where I would get people
laughing early so they start having fun right away."
Tranz's act includes bits and pieces of Harry Houdini and Penn & Teller as he debunks and
spoofs paranormal phenomena, such as faith healing and voodoo.
"There are healers in the Far East who claim to be able to cure sick people with their powers,"
Tranz said. "Well, I show the audience how that sort of thing works, where it appears that I'm
actually reaching into someone's body and pulling out a tumor."
Tranz said his act differs from those of many traditional hypnotists in that the people to whom he
makes hypnotic suggestions are not in a semi-conscious trance. Instead, they're aware that they
are following Tranz's direction without being able to resist.
Tranz said that along with providing laughs, he hopes that his show also carries a message - that
people often underestimate the power of their own minds and wills. Using himself as an
example, Tranz said he overcame a childhood stutter through self-hypnosis.
"If we change our attitudes," Tranz said, "we can change our lives."
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