Paul Gertner performs Triple Die Lemma on TheTonight Show starring Johnny Carson

[@Kragatar]

I think my favorite thing is magic is when some absurdly huge object appears unexpectedly.

[@ScorpioHR]

Woah.. what a coincidence! That's EXACTLY what SHE SAID!

[@lobobaltazar1322]

@@ScorpioHR To mailman.

[@kamuzu]

That's what she said.

[@DCronk-qc6sn]

That's what she said.

[@tylervsnyc]

One of the things I love most about Paul is his youthful spirit that stands unchanged against the test of time.

[@bwalsh1105]

I think what makes Paul such a great performer is his wonderful cadence on stage. Reminds me of some of my greatest teachers throughout school.

[@wilstandridge7388]

watched it over and over, WOW

[@ImVeryOriginal]

Johnny sounds so unimpressed until the "small" die comes in, and then his mind is just blown repeatedly. Love that routine.

[@crystallake6198]

He just did this on Penn and Teller Fool Us recently.

[@rizzorizzo2311]

Paul is the master. I love the way he makes simple illusions so entertaining.

[@shs1942]

Great old style good humor! Thanks for posting!

[@shannonsmith297]

I remember that night.❤

[@HenkJanBakker]

Not many men.... magicians can handle a man as secure and boyishly naughty as mr. Carson. You handled him perfectly staying always one step ahead. Love the trick too but handling Johnny boy was the real challenge here. Kudos.

[@srj34]

Yeah, early on Carson was kind of gently mocking the routine since it's well-known stuff to magicians at first. But by the end, when Gertner added the new twist, the gentle mocking gave way to genuine appreciation.

[@miamimagicians]

I think you’re confusing Carson with letterman who was a total asshole to a lot of magicians on his show. Carson I always found very respectful to magicians as he was one himself

[@PARAnomalyZONE]

What an honor to perform for the GREAT Johnny Carson....Awesome stuff, Paul. :-)

[@eddieking2976]

Came here after watching him on Penn and Teller. Thing is I grew up watching Johnny Carson Show as a kid, so I probably saw Paul, but just forgot about it.

[@MagicMaxTheMagician]

Sooooooo beautifully done!🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@vance20100]

To me slight of hand is always as whimsical, even more, than those big "wait...whoa...how???" magic tricks. Cause you know they really really really practiced their craft to make it seamless. Amazing.

[@jason420jv1]

flawless and i liked the way you handled him picking up the hat to soon and i love carsons enthusiasm for magic as he really seemed to have love and a respect for the art.PS thank you for the clip and may Carson rest in peace.

[@tombstoneharrystudios584]

Yeah Johnny Carson is so excited he does pick up the hat early but it doesn’t matter

[@CalibreWings]

Great to see the young Paul , thanks for the video l.

[@purplemouse580]

Even when you know how he does it it's still amazing.

[@rickrick5041]

How?

[@ismailberatduzenli2939]

@@rickrick5041 First of all he has 4 dice. When he has three on table he is holding one in right, while closing hat he put one in the right. While he is faking first dice to his left hand there is already one ın hat, and also he dont put dice to his left hand and keep in right. Then show prior dice and while closing hat he puts dice (the first one taken from table) in hat. And basically repeat, if you slow mo you can see. When this trick is done he still has one in right and 3 on table. While taking 2 to his left hand in step second he dropp off secret one too so can have three in left. Then faking his right dice to put in pocket and holding in hand secretly. Then same trick. In third, he never dropp dices to left and basically faking (still holding all in right). Then putting them in pocket. Big dices are secretly taken behind table whenever he move hat to there

[@whodidit99]

@@ismailberatduzenli2939 And how did the bid die get under the hat?

[@vashon100]

@@whodidit99 watch the hat when it's over his lap and how he holds it when placed back on the table.

[@CyberGhostArt]

for me thats the most beautiful thing about sleight of hand

[@shruthimaniyodath7755]

This is so beautifully performed! 1:29 he taps the dice on the table to mask the sound of the dice under the hat. A little detail. Really neat!

[@larrybaker5316]

i caught it too

[@georgemolnar7344]

Early 1980''s my software firm hired Paul to perform at trade shows. Unbelievable then, even more so now! Professional, talented and a great guy.

[@sagitswag1785]

My favourite cups-and-balls-esque routine is this. My favourite actual cups and balls routine is also yours. Incredible how good you are at this.

[@playingcrazy.]

Wow Paul you were great back in the day!! and still beat penn and teller today. :)

[@Bill-x9m5h]

Jonny Carson and Paul Gertner KODAK MAGICAL FUN

[@naazkhan7495]

This same trick was performed by him on penn and teller show…didn’t expect it was so old..and he already did that many many years ago

[@dantrixter]

Love that routine ! Using the hat is a great touch !

[@MrJfrederici]

Paul Gertner continues to blow away Penn and Teller today.....fun to see him when he was much younger. Paul is one of the magicians who makes Penn say bad words.

[@mtiller2006]

That is so...magical! Absolutely incredible!

[@weskal5490]

Absolutely brilliant!!!

[@fkirchner1]

The best all time performer

[@PickACard-wm2wu]

O M G you never cease to amaze me

[@badgadfaddadaad]

That was gold

[@thomasemmerich6717]

wonderful performance!

[@jairuskersey8311]

WOW amazing skills !

[@KevimationYT]

Wow Paul I would have loved to see you preform then or more recently.

[@jcclayman]

He's on Penn & Teller Fool Us

[@ambalavanant]

Watch out viewers! Paul is a real sorcerer!!

[@edkwon9819]

Fantastic.

[@hungfao]

Gertner on Carson?? I had no idea. Of course, I scrambled to watch it.

[@9and7]

Two Legends.

[@coryhallett9907]

So good! You are definitely one of my favorite magicians!

[@jackl4614]

Yeah! Paul is pretty good too

[@bryanhawkins5448]

Brilliant

[@alexhetherington8028]

I love this type or magic. what would make this even better is if before he reveals the first big die he lifts the hat and finds another smaller hat.

[@davidbohannon6148]

I miss the good old days

[@paulgertnermagic]

So do I,

[@simonrandall5471]

They were all on his lap!

[@Ragnemalm]

Variation of the cups and steel balls and both are great. Right when we think we know the trick, suddenly the impossibly large dice just appear out of nowhere.

[@skyfrostthunderrock]

very nice.. i can see how parts of this inspired your the cup and balls trick, which, btw, is amazing!

[@mguerra79]

Very, very nice! «Oldie but goldie», I presume!

[@pmcelraft]

I'd love to learn this trick

[@loombaron]

First of all he has 4 small dices. 0:19 if you watch carefull he is putting the 4th dice in the hat with his right hand 0:25 he passes the dice to his right hand and then at 0:30 he puts the 4th dice with his right hand in the hat and the the throws the other one 0:40 he passes the dice to his right hand and when he reveals the hat you see the two he put before 0:57 he puts the big dice in the hat and he holds it inside making a bit of pressure with his right hand 1:28 he puts big dice 2 and so on, is the cups and balls trick basically

[@farmerdave33]

good one Paul!

[@patbrooks9823]

"Pinky Lee lives. " 😂

[@jvjv8545]

I get the big dice but even with you showing the small dice thing I can't see it. Amazing

[@wb5mgr]

That’s what makes it so beautiful. You know and are still fooled 😆

[@freeeflyer]

I saw one or two things.. Ok.. Vu. Joli, extrêmement bien fait..

[@larrybaker5316]

i caught the super large die under the hat slight of hand. around 1:27 you moved the hat down to your left picked up the die, put the hat back on the table and slammed the medium die down to misdirect.and cover the sound of the die hitting the table...and you did it twice to get the last large die,,,,,,,.but have no idea how you do most of them, thanks for sharing

[@doctortheopolis3122]

Paul's son Hal went on to direct "Late Night with David Letterman".

[@tsvtsvtsv]

but i CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE IT COMES FROM!??!

[@J0hnny0]

0:41 very slick how he moves the die from his right hand to left and, then flawlessly slides it under the hat.

[@behdadkho9593]

Amazing Why isnt it get repeated

[@IzeFox]

How old where u back then, paul😄

[@000MidnightSun]

Holy shit that was awesome. Where do the big dice come from?? It's a magic hat.

[@glendale6]

He picks them up wth the hat from his lap

[@deelo2281]

This guy looks like Lloyd Braun!

[@ApothercyCold]

How much setup does it take to be able to perform this with different table types/sizes? When you put the larger die into the hat when it's near your lap, and then I'm assuming the slamming of the visible die on the table is to mask any "thump" sound from the one in the hat being released and hitting the table, do you do so having practiced with multiple table types? I mean i guess for doing a show like this you would have some sort of control over the table used, or would at least know what the table was like from watching the show (I was too young, but that's assuming they used the same table for each episode of this type), but how can you prepare for situations where a table is lower, or smaller, or even worse made of glass? Do you just have other tricks in your repertoire that you turn to, and you just avoid this one entirely if the table is not suitable?

[@Krishnajha20101]

Amazing and elegant. Is it similar to the cups and balls routine you did?

[@bhamdodger]

Unbelievable.

[@JaceTan-90]

This trick would have fooled Penn and Teller more than cups and balls 😆

[@1962underdog]

Hah it didn't though...he tried that same one and was busted

[@frazashraf21]

Your match with Penn and teller is 2-2...why not a final ...? Lv from Pakistan

[@vinivon1]

do you or will you teach your way to do the art of magic?

[@jdispensa]

I figure out! At 0:54-0:58 is when the magician places his left hand underneath the table, then draws the hat off the table to his left hand and slips the big die underneath the hat. Very slick slight of hand!

[@geneobrien8907]

If he can take something small and make it large, maybe.. never mind!

[@alancyr]

If Johnny was around today he could super imitate Joe Biden.

[@gabos7892]

wow, Johnny almost ruined that trick

[@RaineStudio]

Stingy audience. Or "applause sign guy" is slow on the uptake.

[@SkiCourchevel]

This guy was horrible. You could so easily see him pull the hat back to his chest and then put one arm/hand goes under the table to load the hat.. Amazing what kind of lame crap could make it onto national TV in the 70's.