The World’s Most Famous Pickpocket - Apollo Robbins | The Tim Ferriss Show

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Watch my live demo with Apollo Robbins: • Famous Pickpocket Apol...
Apollo Robbins (@ApolloRobbins) is often referred to as “The Gentleman Thief.” He first made national news when he pick-pocketed the Secret Service while entertaining a former U.S. President. Forbes has called Robbins “an artful manipulator of awareness,” and Wired has written that “he could steal the wallet of a man who knew he was going to have his pocket picked.”
Robbins’ entertainment credentials include the Warner Bros. film Focus, with Will Smith and Margot Robbie, along with appearances in Brooklyn 99, and the TNT series Leverage. He was a producer and co-host for National Geographic’s Brain Games, which was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series. Robbins applies his expertise in magic and misdirection beyond entertainment, pulling back the curtain to show how the principles behind these illusions can enhance strategic thinking and decision-making.
His contributions to attention and perception research have been published in Scientific American Mind and Nature Reviews Neuroscience. He has delivered lectures at Harvard Kennedy School, MIT Sloan School of Management, and the Society of Neuroscience. He has been profiled by The New Yorker and featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and The Wall Street Journal. Robbins’ TED Talk, “The Art of Misdirection,” is ranked in the 20 most-watched TED Talks of all time and has been hailed by the TED editors as a revelation in the flaws of human perception.
Please enjoy!
[00:00] Intro
[00:46] Was Apollo a naturally dextrous wunderkind?
[03:34] The influence of Apollo’s blind minister father.
[07:30] Apollo’s slide toward agnosticism.
[10:59] Ben Stone enters the picture.
[15:03] Taking in orphaned animals as a youngster.
[17:30] An early lesson on the value of money.
[19:29] Bear in a box.
[22:37] Seeing magic as a ticket to the larger world.
[25:31] Shoplifting for fun, profit, and education.
[26:57] Equivoque magic and Jazz-based mentalism.
[33:00] A magic book club and a year-round Santa.
[38:13] Apollo’s first fateful trip to Vegas.
[46:51] A false accusation leads to a real job and a vampire code.
[50:15] Jimmy Carter and the Secret Service.
[58:59] The pros and cons of becoming legendary.
[1:01:00] Academic accolades.
[1:03:28] A sauce less secret isn’t necessarily less rich.
[1:04:53] Recovering when the reps get rough.
[1:06:44] Sheet music versus jazz.
[1:09:49] The introduction to - and enduring influence of - Apollo’s wife, Ava Do.
[1:18:39] Perception science perceived but not yet entered into the lexicon.
[1:22:38] The significance of Apollo’s silver ring.
[1:23:21] Meeting (and stealing from) Penn Jillette.
[1:25:39] Demonstrating the confidence of a con man.
[1:29:50] Hallmarks that differentiate Apollo’s style.
[1:37:15] Who has the advantage with arguments in the Robbins household?
[1:38:21] 40 Elephants in the modern world.
[1:39:56] Teaching kids about the cons - and pros - of deception.
[1:43:02] Paltering and puffery.
[1:46:36] Perceptual shaping and change raising.
[1:48:47] Slick re-thievery.
[1:51:35] Influential reading.
[1:54:14] Whiz Mob.
[1:57:09] How is a team of pickpockets organized?
[2:02:51] The pandemic of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
[2:06:48] Best practices to avoid becoming a target for theft.
[2:09:30] The Illusion of Knowledge Project.
[2:14:02] The Unsinkable Titanic Thompson and other noteworthy charlatans.
[2:17:46] Rod the Hop, Kevin Mitnick, and Whizmob Inc.
[2:22:08] How one word can make a difference to an impressionable child.
[2:25:41] Parting thoughts.
Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 900 million downloads and been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three years running.
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[@MyFirstYoutubeHandle]

Maybe one of the best episodes on his podcast ever

[@whateverimake9350]

Lol

[@TroySwezey]

I used to work in Las Vegas with a student of #ApolloRobbins. One day his student, Brian, from the other side of the room called to me, "Troy, do you want your American Express back?" Brian took the card from my wallet in my pants pocket without me even knowing. So wild and scary at the same time. Also, Apollo came into the place several times and seemed like a really cool dude.

[@MattFRox]

His statement about the average person's inability to sit with uncertainty is straight 💯 ❤❤❤❤

[@ericdudley6130]

still to this day i am just so happy that i found Tim Ferris and his books and then the podcast. this is what I needed today. I smiled on my 1.5 hour commute and my mind went to magnificent places filled with possibilities. and for that i thank you both.

[@adamgibson473]

This episode opened another dimension of wonder that I never thought existed.

[@akselpd]

I love this interview, Tim! I've known Appollo's work for years but it's so fascinating how deep you went with this interview! There is also so much more to unpack. Attention is the new oil.

[@OnekamaProducts]

I met Tim Ferriss in my dreams last night, he was doing parkour at a local church, climbing around the steeple and jumping from roof to roof like a possessed monkey within a man. I tried to chase him but he was a slippery bugger. Finally, I cornered him in a crevasse feature in the building and he stuck out his foot from an opening. I reached out, shook his foot with my hand and said “Nice to meet you Tim.” -Now I can say, I met Tim Ferriss

[@Braden_Sky]

Might not have been a dream bro.

[@whateverimake9350]

Hahahaha love that

[@MattFRox]

That's exactly how I met Tim too. What a weird world 😮

[@OnekamaProducts]

@@MattFRox my first name is Matt too 🤯

[@lulitmelake7534]

This episode stops you from searching. Just when you think you’ve seen and heard it all …….. very entertaining as well as enlightening It makes life more interesting and a big playground. Freeing to think nothing in life should be taken seriously just have fun with it. And I think he’s having fun with life - a big philosophical concept that gets the ego out of anyone. Thanks for this wonderful guest. Had fun watching .

[@Scrollbandit_404]

This was so fascinating. Thank you

[@eia14]

Podcast of the year IMHO

[@Manifestingbish]

I just discovered you recently and I’m loving your videos thank you for the inspiration. Wishing you all continued success.

[@patriciamercer1701]

Coolest episode yet. He was the most interesting person I’ve ever witnessed!

[@CryptoC4T]

Looks like Tim Ferris talking with himself just wearing a hat and glasses ;)

[@grinergirls210]

No that’s when he interviewed James Clear. I can’t tell those two apart.

[@sigstuko5270]

Awesome cool episode thanks guys

[@rush20236]

Thrilled that you finally got to speak with Apollo, after the joy of his massive art of mis-direction Ted Talk and learning about how Frank works and how he tests patron compliance with salsa dancing techniques

[@eldonpalmer3894]

I've been reading and listenening for many years. Enjoyed the details allowed in the video podcast. Thanks for continuing to seek and share!

[@jonathanlance2166]

Fascinating interview. One realizes how little one knows about the world of deception....

[@TheJakeRobinson]

did you get the titles of the books he has recently read? thanks🤠🤠

[@amberstiefel9748]

my dad used to give me theft appeasement money in addition to pocket money

[@vickyhk8552]

Always tell my kids to carry some cash, robbers prefer it to cashapp!

[@ivanvanogre-nd1sw]

Who's the hand in the background? Great show BTW!!

[@grinergirls210]

Deception so pervasive that the talent now becomes truth detection!

[@blankpage1704]

Timestamps would be greatly appreciated.

[@russandrews3078]

Wow

[@LivingProcess]

This should be interesting

[@ymd_m10]

Exactly what i was thinking lol😂

[@TundeEszlari]

Impessive video.

[@anthropomorphizedrock]

attenzione pickpocket !

[@TacticalXRays]

masterclass in manipulation

[@judymaxie1170]

Get real plants! U and ur guests will feel much better

[@jayeshmarathe231]

put timestamp

[@muhammadputera6593]

Put it yourself, you lazy jay.