Reporter’s Notebook: Did I really get hypnotized at the OC Fair? Yes and no

As I walked onto the Orange County Fair’s Heritage Stage to participate in hypnotist Mark Yuzuik’s show Thursday evening, my nerves began getting the best of me and dozens of questions ran through my mind.

Was I about to make a fool out of myself? Would I have any control over my actions?

Most importantly: Does hypnotism actually work?

That was the question I pondered most of the day, hours before raising my hand for my chance to get called onstage along with 20 other participants.

The answer? It didn’t work completely. At least not for me.

Yuzuik made me feel more relaxed than I’ve probably ever felt — not even caring that he had me cuddle up with the stranger next to me.

He told the participants that we were suddenly in cold weather. Even though it was probably 85 degrees out, I felt significantly chillier. I huddled on my neighbor’s body for warmth.

Eventually, Yuzuik woke us up but had our attention remain fixed on him, as we were supposed to stay in a hypnotized state. Unfortunately for me, I was wide awake but played along with the act — pretending my chair was zapping me when he touched his forehead — until his assistant came close enough to me that I could tell her I was completely conscious.

I was called offstage, a little discouraged that the routine didn’t completely work on me.

But that doesn’t mean it didn’t work on anyone else.

For a few moments, 15-year-old Audrey Schrock of Newport Beach seemed to believe she was Grammy-winning singer Taylor Swift.

Yuzuik told Audrey she would act like the pop performer once the song “Blank Space” came on the speakers.

As soon as the tune began, Audrey — who told me afterward that she’s usually very shy — grabbed Yuzuik’s microphone and lip-synched the song with so much vivacity that one would believe she was auditioning for “America’s Got Talent.”

She said she was aware of what she was doing but didn’t care that the crowd was laughing at her.

“That’s not something I would have normally done,” she said. “I know I was singing onstage and played [air] guitar. I feel like I really was hypnotized.”

Yuzuik learned the act of hypnosis in 1991 after training with celebrity hypnotist Terry Stokes. He began performing at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa and other events the following year.

He travels most of the year for shows around the country.

The 52-year-old Las Vegas resident said he also does speaking engagements where he encourages people to try the things they want to succeed at, such as losing weight or quitting smoking.

“There’s a difference between what you see onstage and me doing a seminar and showing people how they can take control of their life,” he said. “What is it that stops people from moving forward? Why do people do things they don’t want to do to get a result?

“It’s all a form of hypnosis. All hypnotists do is relax the conscious mind.”

He said anyone can be hypnotized, but they have to be willing and in the right state of mind.

When I asked him why I couldn’t get fully hypnotized, he asked if I had gotten a good rest the night before. Nope, I was out late at a concert. Was my mind distracted? Definitely.

“It’s about the individual allowing themselves to get into a relaxed state,” Yuzuik said. “It’s not about the hypnotist. The mystery and illusion is that the hypnotist has superpowers and there are tricks. None of that is true. Anyone could do it.

“But if someone goes up there with the mind-set that they can’t be hypnotized, they’re right. You can’t make somebody relaxed. ... They can be skeptical; I don’t care if they believe it. Most people who volunteer are skeptical but are curious. You never know if you’re a good candidate for hypnotism until you try it.”

Contrary to popular belief, he said, someone who is hypnotized is fully aware of his or her actions.

After I left the stage, the other participants jumped on their seats, afraid of a “snake” onstage that only they could see. They shrieked while “watching” a horror film and broke into a group river dance once they were told they were on a “reality TV show contest.”

Yuzuik said they knew none of that was real but still behaved as if it were.

“You will know what’s happening the entire time,” he said. “You will never ever stop thinking or analyzing. You know you’re not really cold but you still feel that way and act that way. That’s what the hypnosis is.

“The illusion is that you won’t have any control. It’s confusing for the mind.”

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Brittany Woolsey, [email protected]

Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey