Hypnotist show gets down and dirty

What do a Chinese rapper, an ape, and a pornstar have in common? They’re all things Concordia students are capable of imitating when subjected to hypnotic suggestion.
For the past two years, students have shaken the H-110 auditorium with uncontrollable laughter as they watched Damian the Hypnotist work his magic over a dozen willing students.
He did not disappoint again Thursday night as the crowd, just under capacity at the auditorium, witnessed those on stage abandon all inhibition.
“If you’ve done weed, cocaine, crack or LSD, you don’t f*cking need me,” Damian said as a disclaimer to those he was about to hypnotize. It was no easy task. It took a full 15 minutes of soothing music and total silence from the crowd as Damian gently coaxed his subjects into “deep sleep.”
When they awoke, all hell broke loose as students turned into rampaging apes digging for lice in the heads of people in the audience. Although visibly squeamish, CSU President Angelica Novoa sat still to let her hair be examined.
The crowd was also treated to an impromptu rap show as students, at Damian’s affirmative suggestions, put their rhymes together to show off their lyrical skills – in Chinese.
Performers took turns posing as “50 yen”, a rap superstar from the Orient. Heated passion drove two female emcees to fight over the microphone, grunting at each other in challenge.
Later on in the night, the line of suggestions took an expected turn for the risqué.
“When you look to your right, you will see the Mexican Wrestler,” Damian said, pointing to a member of the audience who wore a mask a la Nacho Libre and dressed in a Stingers tracksuit.
“He has been masturbating in his house across the street in front of a window,” said Damian.
“What the f*ck!” shrieked one student on stage in indignation to the offender. “You’re disgusting!” yelled another.
The Mexican Wrestler showed no visible reaction.
Taking it even further, after several vulgar displays by those on stage, Damian asked them to pretend they were auditioning for a porn movie and members of the audience were the movie’s producers.
Chairs were upended and manhandled into various positions as the students put on a display of sexual prowess and debauchery with the chairs.
At Reggie’s, after the show was over, Beisan Zubi, a student who had taken the stage, revealed that she was actually conscious the whole time but “felt like” acting as Damian suggested.
“I actually wanted to do some of the stuff, but just held back from the risqué,” said Zubi.
It was a different experience for “Erico” however, arguably the star of the “audition” who preferred to give his first name only. He remembers “vaguely” of what happened.
Regarding his training, Damian said he relies on a combination of going to school – he is certified by the National Board of Hypnotherapy of Florida – and his instincts.
“It’s just funny with me. Some people play guitar, they’ll grab an instrument, they’ll hear a song, and they’ll play it. I just know how to hypnotize. I saw a hypnotist and understood what he did,” he said.
Though he originally aspired to be a psychotherapist, Damian is putting his career on the hold at the moment. “Right now I just enjoy doing the campus shows [and] the casinos.”