Penn Jillette reveals what it was like to work with Donald Trump

World famous magician Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller dropped by Business Insider to talk about his new book, "Presto!: How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear and Other Magical Tales."
Jillette appeared on two seasons of "Celebrity Apprentice," the second season of which saw him finish as the runner-up. We asked Jillette about what it was like to work with Donald Trump on the show, and whether or not he thinks Trump would make a good president.
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[@ACameronUK]

“I liked him more than anybody else did” very clever and polite way of saying a person was completely unliked 🙃

[@simondewitt7161]

Its like when Al Franken said about Ted Cruz "I like Ted Cruz more than anyone else did, and I hate Ted Cruz"

[@BuildinWings]

I don't even like most of his Libertarian politics, but you can be assured that Penn will tell you the truth of what he thinks.

[@lucasgroves137]

_But I, I, I don't know anything about them... Q? Is that what they're called? I never heard of them. But I've heard of AntEEfa and the radical left, they're so violent, so violent. And what about her EMAILS?!_

[@feliciavale4279]

I respect him for that. I might not agree with him, but he gives me his view with no BS and he doesn't try to push his views on me.

[@rrn3263]

Why express your own account of Trump in a video. (He absolutely has a right to do so) but why! ? I think “his feelings are getting mixed up with another’s greatness in managing America back to Greatness. Maybe Trump’s insults at people are too powerful in his mind & heart dismissing his accomplishments as a Leader. Regardless of how Trump may squash others ego’s (the Left & RHINO’s have done much to him as well) I just admire a President that holds dear to our freedoms in America. His outside personality doesn’t concern me. If it did…I would remain concentrating on his merits.

[@rrn3263]

@@feliciavale4279 I understand your comment but it’s clear he has now opened up “publicly his view” that because of Trump’s character he should not be President. That to me shows someone that is confused and cannot be trusted.

[@lucasgroves137]

@@rrn3263 Trump's "outside personality" (euphemism for moral character) doesn't concern you, but if it did, it still wouldn't? Lol. Okay.

[@simplysubdued]

This aged wonderfully. Kudos, Penn! Big fan of yours and Teller.

[@kfleming78]

actually a LARGE portion of Biden voters today say they would have voted for Trump. No, his video has NOT aged well AT ALL - and neither has he apparently

[@patatislekker145]

@@kfleming78 can you give a source for your claim?

[@ilaser4064]

@@kfleming78 oh yes we'd all love to see your source for the BS LMFAO!

[@KleWdSide]

@@ilaser4064 His source is probably a Facebook meme or some random KZbin political commentator.

[@chraman169]

@@KleWdSide Let his source be the Virgina gubernatorial election or the upcoming elections. If you don't see it you live in denial

[@Godisgreat-777]

Talk about taking the high road. I hope I retain this lesson forever and ever... truly. 😂

[@WakeRunSleep]

To be fair. Abe didn’t have to deal with Twitter

[@jamesbutler8821]

Abe was smart, funny, and more importantly, self conscious and laugh at himself. He would have been the darling of any age.

[@C_mao]

trump just proved that Penn was right about him

[@gravityslave6277]

Even with autocorrect...you couldn't manage to capitolize Trump's name, even as the first word in your sentence. smh

[@duggadugga6435]

@@gravityslave6277 oh man, you sure got him there.

[@cremebrulee4759]

@@gravityslave6277 Even with autocorrect you couldn't spell capitalize properly. You also used the ellipsis improperly and did not put an apostrophe in Trump's name to show possession.

[@cremebrulee4759]

@@duggadugga6435 sure did. As if.

[@gravityslave6277]

@@cremebrulee4759 You forgot to capitalize Sure* and to top it off, you used sentence fragments. Lmao 👍 Welcome to the club dink.

[@alexanderwaite9403]

Truer words have never been spoken.

[@hyperiondragon]

simple and honest

[@BuildinWings]

That's why I like Penn. Even when he's wrong about something, he's not being disingenuous about why he says or thinks a thing. That is a rare quality.

[@fisch723]

Woah... he was more right than he even knew then.

[@guitarfreak521]

Penn is a class act.

[@sincman]

Boy did you ever call that one!

[@natecarte6807]

This would've been a great "the more you know" before Eric's Dad ran for office.

[@rogertuttle243]

“ Eric’s dad” - hilarious!!!

[@stanw909]

At least Teller hasn't said anything bad about Trump.

[@4thDeadlySin]

Thanks for giving me my first laugh of the day :)

[@flamecrew9atroblox958]

That we know off

[@t-rozbenouameur5304]

@@flamecrew9atroblox958 whoosh

[@clockworkpanda8]

@@t-rozbenouameur5304 yeah that went right over their red hat lol

[@tomcostello8220]

Thin skinned is not a good thing

[@Juiceboxdan72]

Interesting points! I suppose, in the right context, even a petty weakling can be the right man for the job. But a petty weakling is not what the US needs in a president, I'm sure.

[@Juiceboxdan72]

@UncleMikeNJ haha good point.

[@RJLpt]

1:09 He does that double space thingy...

[@christopherfrost4464]

Your looking good Mr. Penn, congrats!

[@bpkmm3048]

You can like someone for one thing, but dislike that same person for other things. Take Ten Nugent. Love his music, hate his politics. Donald Trump. Hate everything about his narcissistic self.

[@normancarter5419]

Your example of TED NUGENT was in my mind when I was listening to PENN talk, and before I read your blurb, I was trying to think of who as a public figure, celebrity, etc., I really love something about them, but I also really hate something about them for other things. But I have hated everything about Trump from day one when one of my professors decades ago had me do some research on him when I was getting my MBA, and knew way, way back then in the 80s he was a pathological lying con-artist fraudster, especially when it came to the actual size of his and his Fathers' and family company it was just a mom & pop & family run business, and especially his wealth and him suing Forbes and/or the reporter/journalist. AND, I always thought he would get caught and criminally charged and indicted along the way like Ivan Bosky or Michael Millican, but for some reason he never did.

[@Joseph-gy1vl]

Nugent is such a terrible person that it has made his music unenjoyable.

[@normancarter5419]

@@Joseph-gy1vl Yes, you hear a song of his and immediately think Oh, Yeah, and he is the guy that is the leader of Trump's Radical Right Wing Nut Taliban Group

[@lucasgroves137]

@@normancarter5419 Ditto, plus the intense shyster vibe he radiated all through his train wreck of a tv show. I remember when _The Apprentice_ was running, someone somewhere told his story of doing business with Trump way back, supplying carpet to Trump hotels (if I'm recalling the details correctly.) Trump just stiffed the guy for thousands of dollars, got the carpet installed, never paid the bill, etc, etc. Just a colossal cheat, liar and grifter. That he could run for office anywhere, let alone _win_ is a sad indictment on the prevalence of a putrid kind of apathy in American society. If Donald Trump gives my demographic some pitiful excuse to feel good, I'll eagerly vote him in, no matter how proudly dishonest he is. Pathetic.

[@jamie1602]

Eric Clapton. God he needs to shut up and so much of his personal life makes me either want to slap him or ask him if he'd like to talk about it... but his music is excellent. Clint Eastwood does some pretty nice movies and he's honestly a kind person... His politics are so dogshit I couldn't wheel my chair up to him in public because I'm terrified he'd probably swing with his party and start mandating people on disability should be subject to death panels and see which of us are still worth paying for. Eugh. Plenty of people like this.

[@jadedandbitter]

Andrew Jackson was every bit as volatile and petty. But he'd duel you for perceived slights instead of tweeting about you, so he was quite a bit worse. Also literally ran on "End the Fed" before that phrase existed.

[@devinspencer1678]

@UncleMikeNJ He also committed genocide

[@justwaiting5744]

Idk why this is in my recommendations now, but... cool.

[@IRosamelia]

That was funny 😅

[@samboychip1]

you're right

[@gavincampbell8037]

I got a Trump ad for this video 😂

[@Dankpuffin]

What does Teller have to say about this subject?

[@sanitarysanchez]

i think if you gave ghandi access to twitter he would be talking mad shit about the English,

[@johnalbertjr.1860]

People hate getting hit back. Never seen penns show....never will

[@duggadugga6435]

Aww..did someone criticize your cult leader and now widdle baby is mad? Toughen up snowflake.

[@aquariandawn4750]

Now, we ain't got the money to go see your show.

[@1argalite]

Yes, Yes, Yes!

[@francescozani9488]

Amen

[@skunkbeef3417]

He would be surprised how petty presidents and politicians have been

[@chavruta2000]

hey. you were right!

[@googlereplier8681]

Crazy Bible -FULL MOVIE - Starring Penn Jillette and Jaclyn Glenn

[@R2D2999]

Facts.

[@AndyOz2012]

Oh how right he was

[@nookymonster1]

Well, at least he didn't shit his pants.

[@insaneseafarer]

No one will ever be good at a U.S. President position. We always get lawyers or military leaders as Presidents. Maybe we should try electing an engineer

[@a6893_]

You are telling a country where most people don't know what a engineer is. Some thinks education is not necessary and after looking at their education system it makes you wonder if they are right. America is a huge tree with weak roots

[@NC-qc7wd]

I think you both deserve each other!

[@barrykelly2722]

Penn and Teller....well I kinda think they are Puffers of Pete.

[@abhinavshah5722]

I got a Gillette add right under 💀

[@jeremyreid9582]

What happened Penn ?? Did former lose his ‘magic’ !!

[@wanderingambience799]

How to cover your fan base and hedge bets both ways…101

[@justsayen2024]

Yep

[@mikepfister3542]

Bingo.

[@sundayweiss3065]

well said, not meanspirited. being opinionated is not the same as being meanspirited. your superpower is being open and sharing your thoughts. pure white magic.

[@rrn3263]

Maybe so to a close mouthed friend!!!

[@justinmas299]

If only they had listened.

[@iidoyila]

thin skinned volatile ppl will learn things that straight-lacers never can . we need to work together .

[@viccigoddard6981]

And you were right!

[@alitlweird]

Clearly, they cracked open the view counter case on this video. You telling me that this video only has 114,000 views in five years? When almost all of business insider’s videos have an average of several million views within a month’s time?

[@SeldimSeen1]

The number one thing you need to work for Donald Trump is a good personal lawyer.

[@nccrchurchunusual7990]

Dont care so much what a man says, care about what a man DOES. Energy independence, secure border, keep drug cartels away, lower tax, higher wage....

[@jazzopera]

Four years of Bidenomics puts things in perspective.

[@bigguy7353]

Funny how he was his best friend until Twitter pressured him to hate....... and he toed the line.

[@kj_H65f]

Funny how you think that's what happened and are trying to argue about it... on a 5 year old video. You still gargling trumps hairy sack this late in the game? What a sad life you must live.

[@CTOOFBOOGLE]

He was never his best friend lol

[@guitarandmore69]

I'll take good policies and results over corrupt slick establishment hacks everyday...

[@ricardoconqueso]

Trump didn’t even have any real policies; it was all rhetoric and bluster. He passed one piece of legislation: tax cuts for the wealthiest American business and equity holders. That’s it.

[@guitarandmore69]

@@ricardoconqueso Dems sure do love spewing garbage lies and disinformation...

[@joseph17372]

Sure but you also have to be a good person. Trump wasn’t a good person for president.

[@LindaCasey]

And how right you turned out to be!!!!!

[@lucasgroves137]

Lmao, what a hilariously colossal difference in integrity there is between Penn and Donald. Not to mention pettiness, intelligence, and by the look of it, a sense of responsibility for your own health. 😆

[@MW-rq5uc]

Listen to this guy....good for a silly TV show but not for a president.

[@trystangriffiths6976]

I am a good president

[@johnfortmann7268]

you are a star great aweseome lol

[@knightm27]

And Penn has proved (again) to be spot on: Petty. Thin-skinned. Volatile.

[@franksanchez8111]

Still president. Still doing a hell of a job. Btw Im latino so dont came here with the "racist misoginist" bullshit.

[@uncleebenezer8599]

get ready for 4 more years buddy, love you

[@ytcorporate9237]

@@uncleebenezer8599 this comment has aged about as well as Joe's Biden's brain

[@Saturnia2014]

@@ytcorporate9237 And your comment has aged like goat milk. The ghost of J Edgar Hoover and Melvin Purvis send their regards.

[@t-rozbenouameur5304]

@@uncleebenezer8599 lol nope

[@jonathanjollimore4794]

Penn your just a good natured guy so you looked for likable quality of Trump. Most people want to get along with everyone and believe people deep down have redeeming qualities. Sadly some people have few if any it's an uncomfortable thing to think about

[@theHUMANAUT1]

Looks like Penn ate the steaks back then

[@MattGPT-eh4cp]

In the election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden I choose Trump ...... everytime......but I understand why Penn and China prefer Biden.

[@jonathanmurdoch6210]

his volatility is what makes him a great president because he doesn't take sh!t from tricksters and Pretenders

[@andrewsworld1152]

Totally agree with you!!!

[@spooneater9001]

I wonder how he's feeling about Biden

[@billmankin6204]

4+ years later, not sure if anyone can as concisely and accurately describe Trumpty Dumpty. Unfortunately, his base can't understand enough English to properly digest this.

[@ilaser4064]

@@kennethfharkin LMFAO, I'd like to think nobody could be this asinine but then I find gems like this from you: "Institutionalize the mentally ill homeless and poison the drug supply to eliminate the addicts. Either they clean up with some real motivation or they die, either way the cycle is broken and the problem solved. Getting rid of the two issues will remove the majority of the homeless issue." Little wonder you have push all your chips in on the MAGA lunacy! Derpy derp derp!

[@kennethfharkin]

@@ilaser4064 Those whose mental illness make them a danger to themselves and others should be taken off the streets institutionalized for their own safety and that of society. That you can't recognize that is pretty foolish. Drug abuse and addiction is a choice. I would rather see people choose to never start and if they have already started then choose to stop. It is the best thing for them and society. I would make the consequences of that choice inarguable to benefit those smart enough to see the dead end drug abuse is. If those who choose to continue to abuse die then so be it. They can serve as a warning to others to either not start or quit if they already have as well as ceasing to be a blight on the rest of society. Problem solved.

[@kennethfharkin]

@@ilaser4064 By the way, how are you enjoying the inflation, shortages, energy prices, and continuing plandemic? Biden came out with another brilliant story about how he interacted with Golda Meir when he was asked to serve as a liaison between Israel and Egypt during the Six Day War... Impressive he was able to take time away from his second year of law school to do that.

[@ilaser4064]

@@kennethfharkin well you look like you're carrying way too much weight to be healthy, I propose introduction of laws which prohibit anyone with a BMI over the 25 access to fast food and high calorie snacks. After all, your obesity costs the country and you choose to be fat... And not every homeless person needs to be institutionalised you absolute donut (pun intended)... You can resume swinging back and forth murmuring 'lock her up' now!

[@ilaser4064]

@@kennethfharkin I'd ask you learn critical thinking skills and research why there are shortages of energy, or inflation, but I'll guess you're too busy glued to Fox right... Can hardly await the next round of asinine Fox talking points!

[@bigduke5902]

He was unable to sell steaks in Mexico?

[@toonbat]

We're currently at #5, world-wide, I think. We're really gonna need to step up our gain-game if we're to win the heavyweight title again.

[@652barry]

Ones opinion.

[@rhymereason3449]

Nope... 85 MILLION's opinion...

[@a6893_]

Options were Trump and Biden among 300+ million people That is America now

[@dadole9916]

Lol .. everyone in the comments acting like this has only proven true w time ........ we knew Penn was right the goddamn moment tRump stepped off the escalator

[@estebanmeza4140]

On point

[@ronnieroo227]

He seems like a really decent human being.... Unlike Trump.

[@Kytseo]

Watching Penn and Teller's Bullshit shows that. He and Teller did good work showing thst through that shpw.

[@soundsgalactic]

Well said. I think the track reco4d speaks for itself at this point. Worst POTUS of ever!

[@Pikkabuu]

Nah. Buchannan and Jackson are still the worst. But DJT isn't far above them....

[@soundsgalactic]

@@Pikkabuu not so sure about that. DJT is the only President in the history of American Democracy to attempt to overthrow the entire democratic process.

[@Pikkabuu]

Buchannan didn't even try to stop US from going to a civil war. And Johnson wasted the victory of the said civil war.

[@applecore8978]

I'd trust a magician like Penn with my vote over Trump anyday.

[@mtlcasinoboy]

All that said...in many ways by MANY people, how in the world half of the USA are still willing to vote for Don Teflon 5 years later?????

[@toelife2112]

Penn is 1,000,000,000,000 right

[@94SexyStang]

I like both guys, they can fight and have differences, that DOESN'T mean I have to pick sides...that's the problem with this country, everyone wants to pick sides. I got some shit I like about Trump, and stuff I Don't like...I still voted for him, even though I'm an independent.

[@crassus300]

Yeah, a lot of people being babies in the comments being mean to Penn, just for having his own opinion. And he is right, a Nation leader should carry themselves better.

[@ilaser4064]

Is any of the shit you like about Trump qualities you think are in keeping with the highest office in the land? I agree there should be more middle ground, but I also think it should be obvious to anyone that has followed Trump for longer than a decade he's never been POTUS material. Also hilariously ironic he'd call Penn out for the show saving his career, considering the show saved Trump from bankruptcy turn of the century. As usual projecting...

[@itsjemmabond]

Trump IS petty, though...

[@Dead8Artist]

He forgot fragile to describe trump.

[@Rustyknife1]

One of the best Presidents ever!!!

[@thomaskristensen4679]

Nope failed former president who left in disgrace not even invited to the inauguration. Sad loser.

[@gnosphotos]

Va((ination is a barbarous practice and one of the most fatal of all delusions current in our time, conscientious objectors to va((ination should stand alone, if need be, against the whole world in defense of their conviction *Mahatma Ghandi

[@1415gatewayable]

It's so nice to have worked with someone and then talk shit about them

[@LarsVilksIsAwesome]

You missed the entire point of what he was saying. I know it was super hard to follow him. I don't blame you.

[@1415gatewayable]

@@LarsVilksIsAwesome oh ok so you basically called both of us stupid. 😂

[@jasonkelly9067]

He just said that he would like to express his opinion of Donald Trump and then went on to get upset when DT expressed his opinion of Penn. Honestly how does he not see his hypocrisy? He may be trying to hide his anger at being fired.

[@doneachus6780]

Penn wasn't upset, he was stating a fact in response to a direct question. And he seemed more bemused than anything. He's got far more going for him than worrying about tRump's unsolicited temper tantrum. And with hindsight, every observation he made about the petty orange liar was right on target. Hypocrisy? That's tRump's middle name. I highly doubt, as Penn is a show-business veteran, that he would give a tinker's damn about "being fired" from a reality show, whose sole point in being is to raise the profiles of whomever participates. Mission accomplished, as Penn readily states.

[@clockworkpanda8]

"ok guy but not a good president"-penn "HE SHOULD BE DEAD"- trump "That's fair." -delusional maga

[@katana2k]

Only a narcissist would take "I don't think you would make a good president" as a declaration of war

[@ricardoconqueso]

Heck, even just a few years before she ran, trump said Hilary would make a good president and even donated to her campaign

[@Gout69]

1st

[@Venomex]

I wonder if Penn thinks that Trump would be a good president

[@TerryToole-ox2up]

No s-t.

[@chimptor50]

I’m wondering what he thinks of President Trump today? 9/14/18

[@GwyndolinOwO]

i'm assuming not too much different. You can understand that someone knows how to make good TV while also understanding that they might not be the best fit for something else. Like- even with how famous Penn is I wouldn't trust him to do dare devil stunts. Magic and stunts can look very similar but they are far from the same thing. So basically it seems like he's saying that Trump knows how to bring in views and clicks but i don't think many of his worldviews match trumps. He did a lot of writing and producing on a show called "that's bullshit" and he covers topics in a way where you can tell how he feels about something. he's done some inverviews since then and he only has some regret for one of the episodes and it was the hypnosis one.

[@clockworkpanda8]

My guess? Is that most of us think trump is garbage and should be in jail.

[@milhouse14]

As if we need another reason to like Penn Jillette

[@robertmatch6550]

Political jokes are great until they get elected. Americans used to know this.

[@MowkMeister]

Trump is a prime example of a meme gone to far.

[@central3425]

Good job losing weight Penn

[@7852378523Z]

he looks like steven seagal - except maybe not also a fraud? or?

[@7852378523Z]

but he was nevertheless abs on point here

[@visnjaav]

What the hell is on his nail?

[@centhron89]

some remains from your mom!

[@Annie-cs]

its to remind him, of his mom, google it and you'll know ;)

[@johnfortmann7268]

denideied

[@rogereazar]

Trump can be contemptible. But he knows all ya all (Especialy the press) are very contemptible. This why you all hate him, he's your mirror.

[@clockworkpanda8]

No we just hate him because he is garbage. Thats simple enough that you can get it right?

[@UHaulShorts]

As opposed 2 a *DYANG* corpse

[@clockworkpanda8]

Is dyang in korea?

[@SettingTheLowestBarPossible]

Cool. Now compare Biden to our greatest leaders

[@jeezumcrow8655]

Hahaha. Do Trump first. He was a disaster.

[@clockworkpanda8]

Trump is mathematically the worst president. Only president to loose popular vote twice, be impeached twice, a one term president, disgraced, raided, soon to be indicted. Add that up and compare to any president.

[@gerrywithaj8745]

I agree with Penn, but I also don't think a war criminal is much better.

[@ChrisPBacon-lu6wd]

Yeah, I get you, but he did do better than any other president in the 21st century to be fair to him despite his personality. Actually, sometimes it helped him to stand up to the UN and Kim Jung Un. His foreign policies were pretty successful(middle East) and he led a positive economy.

[@kennethfharkin]

Bingo. Plenty about Trump I did not like but then I look at the options and nobody can complain he was not effective.

[@dinglebop5700]

@@kennethfharkin He wasn't. The economy got worse, fewer people had health care, he did an awful job responding to covid, etc.

[@kennethfharkin]

@@dinglebop5700 and I am certain you were all for stopping travel from China where the virus came from or did you, like every democrat in the nation, call him a racist for it? Do you think a democrat would magically have stopped the virus. Perhaps we can take lessons from the Dem's hero all through 2020, Andrew Cuomo. You guys lauded him yet all he did was lead the nation in deaths per 1M residents, murder thousands of nursing home residents, lie to the federal government, divert assets to benefit his family, and grope as many women as he could get his hands on. How about CA, that's right they suck also. The fact is this nation should NEVER have been shut down as it was. Then there are the vaccines which Trump promised, the dems said were impossible, yet were delivered. We have yet to find a democrat who was right on anything.

[@dinglebop5700]

@@kennethfharkin You really think Trump did any of the work to create the vaccines? Also, who said it was impossible?

[@kennethfharkin]

@@dinglebop5700 Do you think Biden did? The fact is Trump said we would have vaccines before the end of the year and we did. All through the election cycle every Dem and mainstream media outlet pissed on Trump's statement that there would be a vaccine before the end of the year but when it happened none of them stood up to say Trump was right and they were wrong. Even secret service codename "Silver Alert" Joe Biden went on to claim after he took office that there was no vaccine when he took office... EVEN THOUGH HE WAS GIVEN IT IN DECEMBER!

[@alucardmonev3682]

Love Penn, he literally listed the reasons word for word why I voted Donald Trump and will again in 2020.

[@fonzhiccup]

Clap

[@ilaser4064]

Say hi to Vlad for us.

[@VincePolevault]

So Abe Lincoln started every opinion with, "for score and 7 years ago?" Doesn't sound right to me. Its almost like Penn is saying Trumps most famous quote that will be remembered throughout history will be this tweet about him. This has to be what Penn is thinking, otherwise it doesn't make sense to compare one thing Trump said with the most famous thing Lincoln said

[@isthatujeebus]

Comprehension not your strongest skill, is it?