He notes the time then asks someone to cover the face of their watch with their hand. When they select their new time and uncover their watch the hands have changed. For TV he has flashier illusions. Illusions not tricks. I looked it up.
Tricks are devices used to deceive, illusions are ideas creating misleading appearances.
The folks at home may have remained skeptical but the reporter and the camera-person got religion that day. That he'll answer. By 1977 he was holding down three jobs, supporting this brothers and trying to finish high school. He started performing Kreskin-like mentalist illusions at parties for extra money. He was good at it and he got better.