You can't induce a coma, or sleep, or whatever you want to call it, via a series of flashing lights. Think I'm wrong? Find one example outside show business where this is done, or even mentioned as possible.

He's never been the same since.

It relies on a suggestible subject otherwise it won't work but generally these kind of people are 'self-selecting' so it's not a problem. He does another trick where people answer a public phone and are then seen to collapse. Effectively he is hypnotising people over the phone. The kind of people who answer a public phone on a whim are exactly the kind of people who are wide open to suggestion.

Actually, Derren Brown claims once to have been the victim of an attempted mugging. I say attempted because Derren apparently hypnotised the man on the spot and left him completely disorientated and close to tears.

In this case, though, it's the sheer emotional strength of the man's reaction that made me question whether this is justified or ethical.

Consent after the event isn't really consent, unless you've got a time machine.

Though no permission was sought he did take time to reasure the gentleman after the trick and he seemed happy enough.

It did seem pretty far fetched though, remember he is a magician. Is what he did really possible ?