ancid, that is stage hypnotism
as far as clinical hypnotism
you will not to anything under hypnosis that you don't willfully deep down want to do, which is why things like making someone sign over their insurance isn't possible, but quitting smoking is.
it is simply an altered state, a temporary suspension of disbelief, much like when you go to the movies.
you aren't asleep during hypnosis, you are awake, but your concious mind is not in the way chattering at you. your subconcious mind, which is the part of you that actually controls everything you do even though you think you are conciously making decisions, can then take new commands and make them part of your concious everyday life.
if you don't want to be hypnotized, and you resist the induction, it will not work.
it's real though
you go in and out of hypnosis all day every day, watching TV.. driving down the highway.. you constantly slip in and out of mild alpha and beta states