Hypnosis Unleashed

Sure, most hypnosis acts make several "lucky" volunteers the center of the show, but the rest of the crowd is where Terry Stokes of Hypnosis Unleashed likes to hit people with an unexpected cheap shot once in awhile.

Prepare to have your drink stolen (and after a little ribbing, replaced), your sexuality questioned and any semi-questionable clothing selections scrutinized -- and that's before he really gets going.

When searching for Hypnosis Unleashed, you may be forced to question your pick. Your… Show more search will lead you past a deli into something that resembles a basement and you'll think you got screwed on your tickets. The hosts will even joke about it, but rest assured you're in for a treat.

Stokes and his partner, Michael Johns, rotate hosting Hypnosis Unleashed, but no matter whom you see on the stage you'll be in for a night of raucous comedy. This is evident by the bar located just to the right of the stage and Stokes' frequent sipping of a cocktail he likes to call "tussin."

The show itself starts off innocently enough with a little test of the audience's ability to fall under hypnosis. Stokes asks everyone to extend their arms in front of them and grasp their hands together with their index fingers extended out. He asks them to stare between the two fingers and as soon he says that, you should start to see your fingers come closer together - like magic they do.

It's a neat little trick to break the ice.

Stokes then explains what makes a good candidate for hypnosis and what to expect. The first rule is you can't be too inebriated and that you will be aware of what you're doing even if it means a certain part of your anatomy is talking to you.

Amazingly, about a dozen people volunteer to come on stage and Stokes begins a test on the candidates. This part of the show is pretty similar to everything you've ever thought about hypnosis, minus the watch dangling in front of your face. After establishing the best candidates, Stokes begins fairly tame and lets the fun escalate with the help of the audience egging on the action.

Before you know it, your husband or friend you came with will be on the stage applying makeup to himself, a seemingly harmless tattoo will suddenly attack someone, women will experience orgasms whenever someone sneezes and your full name and phone number will appear on Stokes' behind.

The great thing about the show is that you won't see the same acts nightly. Stokes and Johns do a good job of mixing things up and, considering the volunteers are different every night (unless you volunteer twice), you'll see different reactions to the hypnosis.

If you're one of the few volunteers, you don't have to worry about going home and barking like a dog when you see the mailman, most of the hypnosis instructions are taken off before leaving the room. But just think about the stories you will be able to tell your friends back home about the one guy who ran out to the casino floor yelling something embarrassing in front of hundreds of unsuspecting strangers for the show's grand finale.

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