REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK:

“Was it real? Do you remember anything you did?”

Everyone I ran into after being hypnotized at the Orange County Fair asked me those questions, and the second one is easy to answer.

Yes.

After comparing my recollection with the video of my performance and the notes of a fellow reporter who watched the show, I concluded that I was fully conscious of what was going on.

I remember barking like a dog, prancing around the stage like a ballerina and lip-syncing to the Village People hit “Macho Man” along with the dozen other participants chosen.

The first question is a bit more troublesome, though, for a few reasons, not the least of which is the implication of a “no” answer. Telling people that hypnosis doesn’t actually work would mean that I did pirouettes across the stage to the delight of hundreds of screaming fans completely of my own accord.

Oh, and did I mention there was a Daily Pilot photographer there videotaping the whole thing? I would have had to completely take leave of my senses — or have them taken from me — to do those things, knowing full well that my actions would be documented and posted on our website.

On the other hand, each time a command was given I felt like I consciously had to think about what I was going to do to comply with it.

For instance, when hypnotist Mark Yuzuik told me that a ferocious dog was salivating under my chair, I thought — consciously thought — that I should climb on top of my chair. I wasn’t moved to do it by some visceral fear.

And when I was told that I was a member of the Village People who had to sing “Macho Man” for my adoring fans, my first thought was, “Shoot! I don’t actually know the words to ‘Macho Man.’ ”

Probably not something one of the band members would think about the song he wrote.

One of the things that has always amazed me about hypnotist shows is the unfailing cooperation and discipline it would take from every participant to perpetrate a conspiracy of such a magnitude if hypnosis is in fact a lie. I’ve seen a handful of shows and never once has someone stood up and said, “It’s not working,” or even failed to obey every command.

Certainly, some malicious skeptic could pretend to be hypnotized and then refuse to cooperate, making the host look like a fool. And even if such spoilsports could be weeded out before the show by the veteran hypnotist’s watchful eye, what would prevent a perfectly well-intentioned guest — like myself — from just plain forgetting to do something that they’re supposedly compelled to do through hypnosis.

I’m the type of guy who walks up two flights of stairs to get something from my apartment, unlocks the door and stands in the living room for minutes wondering what it is I came to pick up.

Surely if I weren’t in some sort of trance, I could have never remembered that when Yuzuik said the words “blue light special,” I was supposed to run to the front of the crowd and tell them that there was a lingerie sale at K-Mart, and I would be modeling the product, but I did, to my chagrin.

So was I hypnotized? It certainly would make a good alibi when someone shows the videotape of the show to a future boss, or if I ever decide to run for public office.

— Jacquelyn Rumfola contributed to this report.

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ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at [email protected].