Kevin Li makes Teller Tear up | Penn and Teller: Fool Us

Kevin Li's first appearance on National Television Season 4 Ep 8
First magician to make Teller tear up on stage using an original card trick...with a twist.
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My Experience on the Show:
• Kevin Li Fool Us Exper...

[@PaulTheillusionist]

Amazing job Kevin! I have never seen another contestant on Fool Us leave Teller choked up after their performance.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you Paul! I still can't believe it too, I'm honored :)

[@willy331996]

@@KevinLimagic Did Teller ever tell you what he saw in your performance? Just curious, don't have to answer if Teller would like to keep it private. Thx.

[@raywitter9765]

There's always one troll huh.

[@Krayor]

@@raywitter9765 If you're referring to Willy Chou, I don't think it was a stab at the performance, they were just asking what it was that got Teller "choked up".

[@12434567891]

@@raywitter9765 There's always that one person that goes straight to assumptions about a comment and gets offended over it.

[@Mooshkajoe]

I love Teller, because he truly loves magic. The way he smiles when he's shocked by magic he doesn't immediately get. The way he laughs joyously like a child when surprised. And now this. He's so wholesome Bravo, man. It was beautiful.

[@adamnichols476]

he doesnt hide who he is really. for a silent guy, he speaks more than penn does.

[@arnisxhata4779]

@@adamnichols476 pens dont speak

[@SuperMisterKory]

Penn seriously missed the opportunity to say "Teller's too choked up so I'll be doing the talking here.."

[@LeslieJayBoschPhoto]

don't give up your day time job.

[@SuperMisterKory]

@@LeslieJayBoschPhoto Hahah, oh man if only you knew what I was actually doing with my life right now

[@SirStarKnight]

Or 'you left Teller speechless!'

[@HighExplosiveSerenade]

Nah! That was too easy for them! XD

[@EE-jo5pt]

SuperMisterKory Let’s hope you’re not a comedian.

[@snelpiller]

It's so nice to see the relationship between pen and teller where teller is comfortable having Penn convey the emotional impact for him.

[@ihavehiv5815]

They've known eachother for 40 years they probably know the other one better than themselves

[@prisonmike3665]

snelpiller or he could just talk. That would be even more impactful.

[@developingdeveloper7955]

Prison Mike it’s part of his act

[@PhirePhlame]

@@prisonmike3665 He may not have been mic'd, since he doesn't really speak when onstage.

[@quincybowers5338]

I think they keep him unmic’d so that he can talk completely freely without having to worry about switching on and off. They have him go up and whisper when code doesn’t work

[@Bowdrie007]

Teller’s serious face here conveyed more emotion than most people can put into words.... phenomenal routine Kevin.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you!

[@sheenugupta3126]

What did he do with the first pic with the birthday celebration.... I don't even get the trick!! Plz explain.

[@mr_lemonade4230]

@@sheenugupta3126 eh, i personally don't really care about how the trick is done, i just mainly think that it was performed in the most perfect way

[@mr_lemonade4230]

i mean, the trick had me teared up with all the emotion, the music really adds to that effect

[@mr_lemonade4230]

one thing that i think would've looked awesome is if he did more shredding of the playing card, and had more peices, next to each other almost like a mosaic, and thats what the picture at the end is of- imo, that just would've been really cool.

[@junatah5903]

*windows notifcation* "I hear all the sounds."

[@KevinLimagic]

haha

[@Mygary]

deadass thought that was my own computer till I read this comment

[@CreativoErratico]

Dude, I'm installing software on a client's computer and couldn't figure out where that sound came from.

[@marshallc6885]

zerosonico ur watching youtube at the same time cool job u have man

[@CreativoErratico]

@@marshallc6885 90% of installing software is waiting for the blue bar thing to complete.

[@rjkral]

If we could look at the world the way Teller watches magic...how wonderful it all would be!

[@timoheinrich8763]

You mean like: We would understand a lot more about the world and that would not make it less beautiful. Not a single bit? I like that :)

[@wagzz]

I kind of feel like what really got to Teller was seeing the new generation coming up, having the same respect and excitement over magic he did and the people before him. Can't describe it exactly, you just have to get to a certain age to appreciate watching a person starting out life the way you did a long time ago and being excited by that. He now knows Magic's legacy is in good hands. I'm sure it brought back a lot of memories for him to. Good job kid! Knock 'em dead, anything's possible.

[@theochemnerd]

1:47 "I hear all the sounds...like a computer notification..."

[@BS23Designs]

I seriously thought that was from my computer. Checked it four times, then realized that it was in the video,

[@CryoticMienshao]

@@BS23Designs same

[@RogueSpartan8]

Brian Ng LMO

[@danielribeiro1433]

omg, i went to check what notificatio n i got, adn nohing. now i get it

[@Ramzeke]

Imagine my surprise when I heard it on my phone lol

[@EmoryBlake4Music]

The emotion in Teller's face at 8:00 is just beautiful. He was really touched and it shows how passionate he is about magic and putting true meaning into your work. I think he might have even been crying because he wanted to speak and tell him how wonderful the trick was but of course Teller would never break character. But I know that later on he was able to and I'd love to know what that was like for Kevin. Really amazing.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you for the kind words Emory!

[@mrpink3630]

it made him reflect on his own life and journey with magic

[@ethwhale]

7:00 I would have flippin lost it if Teller spoke to tell Kevin how good his performance was

[@somedude1561]

Part of him probably wanted to The rest of him said "SHUT UP I'M NOT DOING THAT"

[@shreya...007]

@Rian Roconada Where?

[@jage1559]

@@shreya...007 on this channel, go back a few videos

[@shreya...007]

@@jage1559 ok yeah I found it thanks

[@patrickhurley7029]

This guy actually became friends with Tellar and even hangs out with him... fucking amazing

[@callummoodley6311]

Man I wonder what was going through tellers mind at the end , his eyes were telling such a deep story

[@RikiJasmin]

@@kricorg hahahahahahahahahaha

[@tanmaytikle8521]

Teller is fighting so hard to stay in character 🥺 I can feel him choking up ❤

[@Kaitos11]

Dude, I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel to be able to move one of your idols to the point he's barely holding it in. One of my favorite acts from this show.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you Mario! Make sure to check out my 2nd appearance on the show! :)

[@Bvajen]

I think it was really bittersweet for Teller that they knew how the trick worked. He looked as if he was wishing that Kevin could have won that trophy.

[@MusicforMe123]

No words need to be said, the eyes are the window to your soul... and that's why we love Teller, cause we saw through his eyes the beautiful soul he has inside.

[@sana-cm7oc]

That was beautiful. Thank you.

[@hectorurdiales4570]

"We can talk about THE THREAD of the story being held together..."

[@lmwfy]

From National TV to a lowly OTK twitch stream event - thanks for the entertainment Kevin!!!

[@KevinLimagic]

was good times

[@Robology13]

I wish I was as passionate about something as Teller is to 'Magic'. A good act brought the man to tears. He truly LOVES it.

[@kayl23]

A big thing to remember is Teller refined a lot of his craft and his signature of not speaking in college while performing at frats, so Kevin being roughly the same age as Teller was back then I imagine was something that really touched him! Knowing that there were still kids like he was out there fascinated by magic in todays age! A beautiful connection between two people, and a wonderful performance as well!

[@KevinLimagic]

Appreciate it Kayl!

[@megashooter]

Teller is such a beautiful soul. And the bond between Penn and himself are something everyone should aspire to be. Be a bit of both. Know when to talk and when to shut up.

[@shinmai]

Knowing the sleight of hand needed for the photo transformations in the beginning, and seeing how incredibly effortlessly and smoothly Li does it makes them more impressive, I think. Especially the hair one is _so_ nice. Also, this whole piece is a great example of how the right frame story and theming can make a great trick even more incredible and memorable.

[@starcat5516]

Kevin I think you helped Teller to remember what it was like to be a kid seeing such beautiful soulful straight from the heart magic. May you and your family be forever blessed

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you!

[@nibiru379]

Teller really related to you kev. I can see why. beautiful theme beautiful music beautful act. keep going Kev. I have watch you fool us perfomance prob about over 20 times now since first released. that speaks volumes brother

[@corporalclegg914]

this experience did as much for a veteran, as it did for a rookie. I don’t believe that inspiration or emotion can be measured; they aren’t tangible, but art is. art is the bonus that we get from physically expressed inspiration. Teller was affected by Li’s performance & finally has good reason to have a Loss for Words. too cool, Li.

[@Whatever_man]

First act that got me teary eyed as well. Absolutely beautiful!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thanks for watching!

[@SyenPie]

5:10 Until this point, Teller's face had been expressing the same emotion of being touched and in pure affection. But here, Teller has a slightly different expression.. he is still touched and affective, but you can start to see a sense of urgency and even see his chest heaving. It's almost as if Teller realizes the routine is coming to an end, and he is desperately trying to identify even a small sliver that he can say has fooled him, to give Kevin the opportunity of his lifetime. To further this point, look at 4:30... while Penn is writing down notes from observation per usual, Teller has not written a single thing this whole routine, here he has his eyes fixed onto the large screen and then quickly whips his head back to the stage when Kevin prepares to move onto his next trick. I have never, ever seen Teller this moved, this touched, this loving towards a contestant. On this night, Kevin Li truly brought something memorable to the stage.

[@Kallasticot]

That young put so much emotion in his show and so much talent, really love it.

[@k.c.8345]

Kevin, Excellent performer & performance! 👏 Teller had tears in his eyes. It had me getting emotional... 😭 A+++++ Keep moving forward!

[@EvaluateAssimilate]

Loved it, Kevin. Not only did you perform a trick but you told an incredible story. I found myself in the photo album of the mind shortly after. Thank you!

[@davidlira8853]

5:41 Says "I want the magic to be the medium between us and conversations" to Allison. Super smooth. and she responds with saying how cute he is.

[@aronfaine9457]

This was absolutely beautiful. I agree with Teller so much with what he wanted to say. I’m pretty sure they don’t actually give Teller a mic or he would have gladly spoke up. We all need to cherish the moments we make and remember them fondly. You’re so young and you have found your passion. I hope it carries you far in life. Wonderful trick and I know you’ll be big soon!

[@JadeLeaf1980]

Teller is actually wearing a mic in every episode but the only people who can hear him are behind the scenes. When Penn and Teller discuss the tricks, others are listening to the discussion. Not sure if it’s for fairness or if it’s a 3rd illusionist chiming in. Maybe just a way for the director to ensure they’re not playing favourites or pretending to be fooled simply due to taking a liking to the magician or the act itself(or pretending to not be fooled when they are). I know there’s been at least one instance where Alison was told by someone through her earpiece to announce the magician hadn’t fooled the show because for some reason Penn and Teller either wouldn’t or couldn’t say it. But anyway, he’s definitely mic’d, he just doesn’t want to speak on camera because he likes the silent approach. :)

[@williamcarr1770]

I think more than anything, Penn's comment about "Isn't that the most perfect routine you'd want to do when you were that age?" explains it all. Teller was moved because you did something that was extremely authentic to you. You were a 19 year-old kid, and taking polaroids of important events in your life is such a very 19 year-old thing to do, and that was perfect. I think more than anything, you just brought him back to the nostalgia of being in that headspace, remembering what it was like to be 19, and you did it while being entertaining and doing magic at the same time. The presentation and the story that went with the magic was very authentic, where most teenagers trying to be serious or artistic would end up making their presentation very "mature" -- which ends up coming off as fake or trying too hard, almost like they're trying to prove they belong because they want to be taken seriously as magicians, and you weren't afraid to do something artistic that was authentic to you. And I think that's a great lesson to learn when it comes to presentation: don't be afraid to be authentic to yourself, because that's what people actually find the most interesting. Congrats and well done!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you William!!

[@VOLAIRE]

One of the most unique magic acts ever! Very moving and you got such praise from them that many others will not come by.

[@KevinLimagic]

thank you!

[@BattleKing00]

𝕍𝕆𝕃𝔸𝕀ℝ𝔼 how did you get that fancy text for your username?

[@mystery_1155]

From my view, it was when you spoke about the vivid aspects of memory that are evoked from your Polaroid cards that struck Teller. When you closed your eyes to go back, it deeply connected with him, and he was likely awestruck that your performance tied it all together so seamlessly, as Penn re-iterated as part of the trick explanation. It is a very personal touch that is in no way necessary to fool the audience or make the trick work; it only captivates the audience and invites them to feel as you feel or see as you see. It is a wonderfully crafted routine, Kevin. Thank you for sharing it!

[@sheenugupta3126]

What did he do with the first pic with the birthday celebration.... I don't even get the trick!!

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

So well said.

[@jessicalynn6285]

1:45 Amazing job Kevin. The expression on Teller's face, you gave him something special ♥️

[@scottking5555]

Tellers face says it all. You did such an amazing job. Even if...if... you came out and did every one of the oldest most played out tricks "in the book" you did it with such style and depth of feeling and emotion, that in this case, the magic was secondary to your performance and artistic style. Beautiful routine, I know it's not high praise , coming from someone not in the field... and I also loved it when you came back and fooled them!!!

[@MendigoLouco]

Awesome presentation. I kinda get why Teller loved it so much. One thing I loved about the trick is how it cherishes the moment it was presented. It's crazy if you think about it. It's a trick that celebrates an entire year of the magician's life and culminates on a genuine celebration of the very moment the trick was presented in.

[@MetaIndus]

Amazing performance!! So much passion and drive! You made magic meaningful and memorable, you can tell by Teller tearing up, Great job Kevin!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you John! Means so much! :)

[@matguy1000]

seeing teller tear up is unbelievable. nice work

[@Mr.M1STER]

1:46 Everyone checked their PC.

[@r0bw00d]

Not me. My computer doesn't make that noise. I figured that it was part of the routine.

[@Mr.M1STER]

@@r0bw00d You're fun......

[@plamtree6852]

I was stunned cause im watching this on my phone

[@mar__k]

or pressed left arrow key on the video to clarify.

[@feynman6756]

@@mar__k I did it like 5 times

[@shawncallahan5685]

Wow. I just watched the newer trick first, and then came to this one. This was a wonderful performance. Great stuff. I've been watching Penn and Teller for 30+ years. To me, they are the pinnacle of magic. Smart, entertaining, always refreshing. The 2 routines I have seen of yours have that same kind of passion, and Teller obviously was effected by it. Good job, Kevin.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you very much Shawn! I'm honored to perform for the masters and share my own style. More to come!

[@LoriWolfcat]

I thought it might’ve been just code when Penn was talking about Teller, but awww! You could see it was genuine. Teller was really moved by you and I hope you keep it up!! ❤️💜

[@pennkun]

Kevin is really well spoken and confident. You're really cool bro.

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

Absolutely beautiful and to see Teller like that is wonderful. Awesome act and magic, Kevin.

[@jasonjackson5696]

It didn’t matter whether you fooled them or not because you hit your ultimate magic goal - you made a connection with your trick on a very deep & personal level. It was much better than simply being entertained as Teller experienced.

[@jduke93]

Literally a jaw dropping performance, my jaw was dropped the entire time

[@KevinLimagic]

Thanks for watching man!

[@jduke93]

@@KevinLimagic first time watching your videos, your video with teller was in my recommended and I watched it and can’t stop watching your videos!

[@yogrego1]

Excellent magic. You have an incredible future ahead of you. Congratulations on your craft and I look forward to seeing more of your magic. Thank you for bringing me some joy.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you! Be sure to check out my recent episode as well ;)

[@tristonrendon2169]

A spectacular performance of not only magic, but passion! Incredible job, Kevin!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you Triston!!!

[@MikeGervasi]

You came away with better than a win. You have the admiration of Teller which is FAR more valuable, as I consider him to be the best card man on the planet.

[@hkjoechan]

Keep those precious moments in your life! You are a very charming magician.

[@crazysoleil93]

PROUD OF YOU MAN I would see Kevin in the hall doing some magic tricks or in class showing us his newest trick and I would enjoy watching him do his thing Left me in aweeee God bless 🙏🏽

[@TMS5100]

Well done. P&T Fool Us shows us how even if they arent fooled, how important the performance is. You can have an emotionally empty, sterile performance that is technically perfect and it satifies far less than if you have a beautiful performance that you can see the moves.

[@mrpink3630]

really was a great routine. honestly after seeing what can be done with magic today ive seen so many incredible things....now i look for the presentation and emotion. i adore teller. want him to be my grandpa lol

[@TheHighPriestessStudio]

Just brilliant Kevin, I am sure your parents are extremely proud to have such a wonderful young man in you. Keep going, stars are shining brightly for you! 💫🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

[@jasonjason759]

You can tell from teller’s facial expression that he’s truly being moved to tears 😭

[@valovanonym]

Nice piece of magic. Nice piece of émotion. Nice piece af ingeneering (with the frame). Nice humor! I already watched it once but I found this again in my recomandation and I had to watch it again, I don't regret it!

[@Mr.M1STER]

Teller getting emotional is a real sign that you actually connected with your audience. Teller is a very intelligent and educated guy so I doubt he would get emotional for no reason.

[@TheBaconWizard]

Man you took away a MUCH better trophy than the one they usually give-out! You didn't fool them, you enchanted them!

[@BeroOgden]

Just came across you after watching another video of you on a different channel. Watching you and the way your magic spoke to teller was just amazing. Phenomenally touching.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you my friend!

[@DrGooseDuckman]

Beautiful my dude. Seriously you killed that.

[@DrGooseDuckman]

Oh- liked and subbed. 🤘

[@ricbradley5323]

I'm proud of you and I don't even know you. You killed it. I wish you much success in your future.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thanks alot man! Make sure to check out my recent performance :)

[@brakaner]

damn, kid made Teller man cry .. seems like it did get very personal and emotional! wow

[@Nikko3001]

The way Teller teared up made me do the same. He's right. Memories sadly fade away. I would say it's maybe something with his past experiences where he didn't capture the moment well enough.

[@legendaryanime9947]

Man Tellers face had me feeling emotional as hell 😭 u can just in his eyes that he wanted nothing more then to tell him himself how that made him feel. But he stuck to his character of course and didn't speak. Great trick, didn't fill them but I have no idea how it was done and don't wanna know cause that's just how magic is meant to be. The mystery is the best part 😁

[@DelphanGruss]

I had to pause the video at 1:47 because I thought my TF2 game was ready.

[@LandonJines]

You know it's THAT good when Teller chokes up

[@nickk8416]

Great stuff Kevin! Really enjoyed it. Regards.

[@fistyann8434]

I love Teller so much. Since I was a kid.

[@darklyte24]

Very cool act young man! Reminds me when I was into magic around your age. Wish i could have seen it live!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you! Very glad to hear! :D

[@ryanm7263]

It's as though Teller never lost the wonder that a child sees the world with

[@orvilleredenpiller338]

I’m not cutting cards! You are! 😭

[@dhruviyer7743]

The way Penn talks in code is so interesting. One thing I picked up on was at 7:38 where Penn says "The thread of the story", he's actually talking about the thread holding the card up.

[@EmoryBlake4Music]

I agree, his code talk was really clever. But why do you feel the need to give it away?

[@angelavolkov1126]

@@EmoryBlake4Music Because it's incredibly obvious?

[@dalaminaubis7822]

I'm excited to see you come back onto Fool Us one day. They really loved you!

[@aaronlewis4475]

Great job! - Tim and Eric

[@wolter6102]

Teller's reaction perfectly timed with the PC notification killed me

[@rahulkochhar79]

love the song...

[@kcramer3578]

Teller can't look at him without tearing up

[@TheDevilsMishap]

Dude I immediately choked up.

[@snatchngrab8262]

They were right about the art form and connecting to people. I would bet with close up magic people are enthralled by you as if you were a king.

[@zackarycheung3189]

Best magic I have ever seen in my life!!!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thanks Zack!

[@bongtzeyong7540]

My... I would go in front and gave Teller a big hug. Wow! Keep it up, Kevin!

[@toastom]

Very well done!

[@KevinLimagic]

Thank you Thomas!

[@tylercobb1993]

That was a spectacular heart fealt prefomance ! You definitely fooled me:)

[@YubiKfan]

Yo you did really well at the OTK event!

[@KevinLimagic]

thanks!

[@s.julianasolo525]

This was soo beautiful done ❤️❤️

[@lrrroftheplanetomicronpersei8]

Thanks for sharing!

[@simeonthief]

Woooooooooooooooooooooow. Loved the social media influence.

[@KevinLimagic]

Thanks Simeon!! ;) Appreciate it

[@REVIEW_JUJUR]

*Good Job Kevin Lii... Nice to see a young magician. Keep it up Lii...*

[@arniecalang4583]

What an incredible performance and Teller’s emotional response made me choke up as well

[@keenankey]

Aspiring Magician Myself. (Only on tik tok for me.). But, You got yourself a subscriber. I’ve watched this video countless times, (and your second fool is performance as well!) only now did it occur to me to subscribe. You are one talented guy Kev, keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll be watching all along the way!

[@anthonymisiano256]

It's good storytelling. That's what he got right. All people want since the dawn of time is stories.

[@tyrellwellick9125]

who else came here from Kurtis' new video?

[@alexcalk2882]

yee yee

[@KevinLimagic]

Welcome!

[@KingBat-vs7qw]

What a wonderful trick

[@Mothuzad]

I'm a simple man. I see a man make another man cry, I leave a like.

[@gregtowle8830]

Teller was speechless

[@MightyAsh]

Dude you made Teller tear up, that's incredible

[@cameronallmon]

Dude I started getting choked up when I saw Teller like that I can't imagine what it was like in person after giving such a beautiful performance

[@calvingangmei]

Always amazes me