Penn Jillette (Penn & Teller) Reviews Magic Tricks from Movies & TV | Vanity Fair

[@jkl799]

The philosophy that Penn has about not putting his audience at risk or frightening them with an unsafe trick is very cool. Respectful and wise

[@amandajoy8947]

Especially since they have a "Cut the lady in half" that involves fake blood and guts, and a water tank in which they act as though the trick has failed and leave what appears to be a drowned Teller in the tank and exit.

[@paatwo]

But, they "caught" a bullet :p

[@PXCharon]

Their bullet catch was developed specifically to be a no risk illusion. If something go wrong, there's zero way anybody gets hurt. Alternate versions of the trick sometimes actually had potential to send a live round across the stage. That's where they draw the line. Despite what it look like, nobody can really be hurt if there's a mistake. Give or take the odd bruise, scratch, or piranha bite, apparently.

[@ShoRyuBarbie]

It's not frightening an audience that bothers him, it's making the audience complicit if you actually do something that's dangerous/potentially life-threatening if it goes wrong. He pretended to kill a mouse by dropping it in a container of liquid nitrogen in front of small children. Frightening an audience is probably one of the things he enjoys most in life.

[@Batchall_Accepted]

@@ShoRyuBarbie I was going to say thats not what he meant at all lol. The running joke in their show is literally letting on like something has gone horribly wrong and teller has been maimed or killed. They would absolutely NOT be doing that if there was a real chance someone would get hurt

[@marlboro1771]

Re. The Prestige. Even in the film, one of the main character said the trick was too perfect for the audience to appreciate. So the film agrees, acknowledge and address Penn's critique

[@Raientai]

And then he just does the same stupid trick later with a different presentation, it’s just real in the second version. But to the audience it’s the same trick essentially.

[@ttj_]

thank you, i felt like he was missing out on the broader purpose of the prestige. I love that movie so much

[@neelparmar6690]

@@ttj_ I would say it’s the best magic movie, because it pushes the envelope just enough into fantasy kind of magic without ridiculous CGI or constant overuse of camera tricks

[@andy02q]

@@Raientai Yes, because that trick is not so much for the audience, but more to one up the competition on sacrifice. And the sacrifice invested for this trick are absolutely insane. (Spoiler Warning!) One guy sacrifices a finger, one guy sacrifices the relationship with his love and one guy dies a thousand deaths for that trick. And the whole point of the movie is that some people will do completely unreasonable sacrifices just to be the best (or even just to assist the best) even though deep down they know how unreasonable those sacrifices are, but they can't help it b/c passion yadda yadda.

[@marqielticson1260]

@@ttj_ dude, The Prestige was one of my favorite movies too, but he's not missing the "broader purpose", he's just giving a review of the trick itself not the entire movie

[@morphman86]

That card trick in Ant-Man is probably the purest form of magic there is. Not the trick itself, but the introduction of magic by a parent to a child. It is that one moment that opens the child's eyes to all the wonders of the universe.

[@TSIRKLAND]

and an FBI agent!

[@mrroboshadow]

​@@TSIRKLANDi love his mini arc in the moves of learning magic

[@hermeticallysealed1]

@@mrroboshadow With Flourish!

[@jetvulcan2020]

@@mrroboshadow the next MCU thing the FBI Agent is in he has mastered the trick and now just dose it with his business card.

[@mrroboshadow]

@@jetvulcan2020 really? Geez who would have known? I watched all the movies and I never noticed that I freaking said I enjoyed his arc, I don't need you explaining what I already saw

[@davidkim899]

This dude is the most straight-forward person in this world.

[@alexbaxter3730]

James Randi is the next step up

[@jaspalmer1730]

Remember, he lies! LOL!

[@casedistorted]

You should see his house

[@CaLLii2DoPe]

@@jaspalmer1730 what do you mean?

[@unbroken1010]

@@alexbaxter3730 I love James Randy but don't forget about Ricky Jay a true legend as well

[@raym7673]

3:30 I liked how he had a genuine laugh at the most simplest trick shown becasue it was the only one that was really showing the heart of his lifelong profession.

[@DarkHarlequin]

I love that amongst all the amazing 'moves' seen he liked this silly simply 'dad move' the most simply because Paul Rudd actually took the time and heart to learn and perfrom the trick!

[@mycroft16]

@@DarkHarlequin Probably because of all the tricks shown, the only reason he did it, was to make someone happy. Which is what magic is all about as Penn has said before.

[@KaladinVegapunk]

I do like how Tellers favorite one is Burt wonderstone, that movies hilarious

[@conniethesconnie]

@@DarkHarlequin And because it was a dad move rather than trying to portray a pro onstage it didn't matter if it was bad. If anything being obvious and cheesy made it more real and more appealing to the story being told.

[@surajhsingh2657]

9.40 "Go to a party and ask everyone to pick a card, everybody will say no" I love how this suggests hes done this before

[@afilina]

Sounds like he understands psychology, which is probably an essential component of misdirection.

[@chazer7800]

As a magician who has done this before, i can confirm he’s telling the truth

[@streetninjas313]

I used to be a street magician and I was already thinking this before he said it! You would have to come up with clever intro lines to amuse or intrigue someone enough to convince them to pick a card haha

[@promontorium]

He does card tricks, always carries a deck or two with him, and has been going to parties as magician for 40 years. I have no doubt.

[@TurinAlexander]

The only thing disappointing about this video is that it wasn't longer. I could watch him talk about magic all day.

[@Videogamewalkthrough]

TurinAlexander literally just commented almost the exact same thing before I read yours 😂

[@yoda5436]

I think his lack of a pony tail is disappointing

[@UrbanOutlawsSk8Co]

Or anything really....

[@NaoPb]

Me too.

[@yttis3257]

One of my favorite people.

[@IstasPumaNevada]

I swear, I could listen for hours to anything Penn or Teller wanted to talk about. Especially Teller.

[@axeavier]

Teller will never shut up, he just talks nonstop.

[@shanepolo4442]

Penn Jillette has a podcast called Penn's Sunday School.

[@poianaminore]

@@shanepolo4442 I heard Teller has a podcast on Audible

[@marshmellowmoon7990]

Teller does talk he just doesn't on stage for the character that he plays

[@RevOwOlutionary]

There's actually a Simpsons episode where he has some dialogue.

[@mattmanifesto9232]

Penn: “You’ll never see this in a Penn and Teller show as long as I’m alive” Teller: so you have chosen death

[@manuraariyathilake3106]

Nah teller just nods and kills him

[@Batchall_Accepted]

@@manuraariyathilake3106 straight pops his head scanners style lmao

[@seanm9306]

Teller:

[@Pink_Belladonna]

Teller: ‘Against the power of the magically growing miniature tree there will be no victory’ Penn: U SHALL NOT PASS

[@Jetz72]

I mean you probably won't see it in a Penn and Teller show if he's dead, either.

[@razzi0718]

“Wow, this is amazing, they made Tom Cruise look tall” best line of the video, Penn is a savage

[@somethingcleverhere]

Eh, it was an easy shot, and the very next clip shows Cruise quite short next to Jean Reno, so for me it undercut his joke. Between the I'm sure Tom Cruise would learn the trick, I'm sure Tom Cruise didn't do it, and considering Penn was sure Chris Pratt's trick was someone else, which Pratt has done on talk shows, they were Penn's weakest bits.

[@patrickimperial579]

@@somethingcleverhere lol ok

[@MegaMariopower1]

Alexandre Su ok boomer

[@somethingcleverhere]

@@MegaMariopower1 Gotcha. Pretty lazy reply though.

[@MegaMariopower1]

@@somethingcleverhere ok boomer

[@ResidentEvilfan2012]

I’m really disappointed they didn’t show the jokers pencil trick.

[@justfantastic2877]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4bZZ3hrh79naJY

[@LordJagd]

One thing I never understood: how can you stick a pencil into a table like that. The pencil would need to be stronger than the table.

[@mattreedy5386]

Jagd Töpfer the pencil went through the guys eye not the table

[@mbatisithik4794]

@@mattreedy5386 he was talking about how did the Joker make the pencil able to stand on the table before he slammed the guy into the pencil.

[@HomicidalTh0r]

Tuh Daaah! It's....GONE!

[@zanejacquot7123]

I saw Penn and Teller live. I love their charisma and charm. After the show, they stood outside the theatre for autographs and to meet the fans. Teller is a lot more talkative when you're standing right next to him.

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

Apologies ahead of time for replying 2+yrs later lol… I can’t recall what I was watching but the one and only time I heard Teller’s voice was on a show where he (and other notable people/celebrities) would occasionally comment on whatever topic the show was covering. I didn’t really find it that odd to hear him speak necessarily but what was weird was that he never appeared on screen fully lit and was always in shadow though still clearly visible. I feel like I kind of understand the reasoning behind it but it still left me pretty puzzled. I wish I could remember what the show was about.

[@Oddballkane]

Saw them a few years ago. In Manchester, they waited until after 2 am for everyone who wanted an autograph to get one. The only reason I know is I got my autograph at about 2am and there where people after me. Really nice to take photos with people aswell.

[@mustang8206]

Yeah Teller isn't against talking he just likes not talking during a show because he thinks magicians can be cheesey with their patter

[@Pewling]

"There's no CGI here, taking an old man and putting him in the box happens all the time" .. Ooof.

[@Tat2ice]

I knew there was something there, it just didn't click!

[@jaspalmer1730]

Omg, the full meaning of this just hit me. Ok now I really love this guy

[@casedistorted]

Rofl I didn't get that until I read it hahaha

[@andreasnordgard9190]

What a savage

[@marz_mitzi]

Ooof.

[@timmelnyk7310]

"You'll never see this in a Penn & Teller show as long as I'm alive." Best line of the video.

[@charliemayfilms1550]

If penn dies before him tellers going to do nothing but grow plants lmao

[@gerhana7149]

I mean... the show is called Penn & Teller

[@vaclav_fejt]

But remember: He lies.

[@realrobrose]

@@charliemayfilms1550 this is actually, probably what will happen. He'd be a silent act.

[@GhostOfBane]

When we see Teller do this trick, we will also know he has made Penn into a zombie.

[@hyperbiscuit2284]

I think it's pretty cool that he mentions the thing about the teleporting man trick being too perfect, because that's actually one of the big plot points in the movie and is super relevant to the narrative as a whole.

[@michaelthomas6108]

Can't wait for Tellers commentary on these clips.

[@rickg8015]

You win..

[@FullMoonHowl2233]

He would be speechless.

[@MagnoliaStreetTV]

I transcribed it for you: Teller - " "

[@crombajaa]

11 minutes of silence!!

[@magicmanscott40k]

I think he would talk. He likes talking about this stuff. I seen some Penn and teller videos and I think he's only silent when performing. There's like 5 or 6 videos of him talking. I bet there's more

[@CK-ceekay]

The Prestige does actually show what Penn says about there only being one way to do the the trick and it being dismissed for that (by Michael Caine's character). The whole film is a fascinating exploration of the obsession of magicians outperforming each other

[@chiwebacac64]

Tvo

[@JPDillon]

I love the scene where the little kid in the audience reacts to the disappearing parakeet trick, because he instinctively figured out how it was done.

[@CatCheshireThe]

@@JPDillon Kids are apparently really terrible audiences for magicians because they do this kind of thing all the time - the problem is that they don't tend to pick up on the various subtle ways that magicians use to misdirect people and just look where they wanna look, which is often directly at the thing the magician doesn't want the audience looking at.

[@SJNaka101]

@@CatCheshireThe kids brains don't have all the information filters put in place that adults with fully formed brains do. That's why kids frequently pick up on details of things that adults find trivial. Our brains have learned to ignore information they don't deem important.

[@BucketOfMarbles]

The book focuses more on the fact that Angiers doesn't want it to be a trick, he wants it all to be real, and therefore finds a way to use science and make it real.

[@Cookieboymonster1962]

About the instant stooging I read something interesting about a stage hypnotist. A journalist was in the audience and he was dragged up on stage and he later wrote about the experience. As he was being shown to the correct spot to stand the hypnotist said to him very quietly, "I'm a fake just play along." and he did. Apparently they count on the fact that the desire to not spoil the show is so strong everyone will cluck like a chicken when they're asked.

[@D64nz]

There is something special and fun being on the inside of a trick like that.

[@richhobo1216]

I'd want to see someone not go along with it so the guy gets exposed

[@raj271998]

richhobo1216 I actually did that once. We were on a school trip and at this amusement park where we went for a magic show. I got chosen for the trick and went up. He tried to do a card trick that looked extremely complicated and impossible but in reality he was completely dependent on me just saying “yes that’s my card” to any card he showed afterwards. He did the trick and showed the card and asked me if it was, remember I was a child in school, and I simply said no it wasn’t. I remember him telling me to just agree with him as I was going up, but in my childhood attention span I had completely forgotten and just reacted. Completely killed his show. Still felt proud afterwards too.

[@trevorhegstrom2816]

@@raj271998 Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.

[@smallone2351]

@@raj271998 he didn't show the card to the audience??

[@MarcoVenustus]

He should analyze Drax's invisibility trick on the avengers movie.

[@guisspino]

Marco Venustus that’s not a trick though, it’s actually magic

[@MarcoVenustus]

@@guisspino Magic as in supernatural stuff?

[@solutionghostsimple6470]

Drax was in the new Avenger's movie??

[@mrcobbs6227]

Drax already told the trick...he just stay really still

[@Crick1952]

Drax was in the background of the video the whole time

[@francisdelamerced5900]

that “too perfect” magic trick observation is actually really interesting, if you really think about it that trick would suck live

[@Jennyfisch]

True - despite The Prestige being one of my favourite films of all time, the trick is probably crap.

[@cthomas025]

@@a.rwilson4364 He also calls the double. Angier should've listened to him.

[@ActionPactCinema]

The moral of the story heavily revolves around how that magic trick isn’t all that clever in the end. The movie is unbelievably brilliant in its meta story telling. It’s partly an allegory for all of Nolan’s films and films in general. That’s why at the end, Angier says that he just wants to see the look on people’s faces, even if for only a moment before they realize the trick is rather disappointing. The movie has other similar moral points it makes and is just brilliant.

[@dannyboy5008]

Not when you consider all the times people thought "hey, theres only one way that couldve been done, too perfect" only for it to not be how it was done.

[@anonymes2884]

@@ActionPactCinema Those themes are even clearer in the book IMO (which, similarly, is partly an allegory for novel writing ;). Lots of stuff about the nature of truth, how fiction can contain truths etc. Both film and book are stories about stories (among other things).

[@SumChap1]

8:32 - "there's no CGI here, take an old guy, put him in a box, done all the time" - brilliant.

[@JonPITBZN]

"But remember I lie." Penn's a liar and Teller won't tell you anything. They're the perfect partnership for this craft.

[@stevethea5250]

But he can nod and shake

[@goodmaro]

I made the obvious joke to Teller while buying a video off him after a show (the one they called on-Broadway after their West Side Arts engagement closed), "Why are you called Teller when you don't *tell* us anything?" I'd've thought he might've had a better comeback than his, "I tell ya plenty," but that's all you get for the price of a video.

[@everhirstseyt2667]

Love how he keeps mentioning Teller and saying "we". What an old married couple! Fans know Teller is the truer "technical" magician with the quicker eyes and hands in this duo. P&T!!

[@DamienDarksideBlog]

That's why Penn is the one who is the charismatic talker, he's the showgirl that distracts everyone while the magician does his trick.

[@Steve-hb8ct]

@@DamienDarksideBlog Highly disrespectful, Penn is an accomplished magician on his own merit

[@yvonne2546]

Penn's a juggler first and a magician second.

[@TheGuruStud]

@@Steve-hb8ct Penn admits this all the time. Teller is 10x the magician of Penn (and no one ever said Penn wasn't very good), but the duo works, b/c of their differences.

[@kereminde]

@@DamienDarksideBlog The antiquate phrase is, I think, "raconteur" for that sort of gig. And usually there's talent involved with magic, but only enough to stay in.

[@ryanodriscoll]

I love Penn. I really love how he has such affection for the classics. An old simple trick done well seems to bring out so much joy in him.

[@jaepodorovsky8012]

“Wasn’t that something. He moved a long distance.” Lmaoooo

[@WinglessWallaby]

That was frustrating, because that's what the whole movie is based off of...

[@JesusHComedy]

@@WinglessWallaby As someone who knows a little about magic. I instantly knew hugh jackman was cloning himself and the plot twist was a nothing burger

[@matthewmaas9031]

@@JesusHComedy I don't see how "Hugh Jackman clones himself" was even supposed to be a surprise for the movie audience. The movie had already openly shown Tesla's machine duplicating hats, and it's the same machine Hugh Jackman was using on stage.

[@WinglessWallaby]

@@JesusHComedy The fact that you have comedy in your name encourages me.

[@pullmyfinger336]

@@matthewmaas9031 I don't think that was the twist. I think the twist was that Jackman was dying each time he performed the trick and being replaced by his copy, which only lived until the next time the trick was performed. In Jackman's obsession to win, he was willing to kill his original self. We are meant to think Jackman's character is creating copies and then quickly killing them, but he's really killing himself and creating a copy to take his place until the next iteration. By the end of the movie, he's long dead and only the copy of a copy of a copy... of himself remains, but that copy doesn't truly understand that it's a copy. That's what I was left with, anyway.

[@jimgeary]

“Put an old guy in a box. Done all the time.” Yeah, that’s kinda the business model at retirement homes.

[@shannonfontana5107]

Jim Geary I laughed too hard at this, I really need to go to bed 😂😂

[@orlock20]

They all have fold up beds-- they fold up into coffins.

[@3p1cand3rs0n]

He shoots...HE SCORES! Let's have a nice round of applause for the gentleman with the jokes. 😉

[@TheDayveion]

Man, are the blinds shut? It's dark in here...

[@zephadusjoltspark6951]

Holy crap, if I laughed any harder, I might end up in a box too.

[@HINESisGOAT]

If you ever get a chance to see the Penn and Teller show at the Rio in Vegas please do. They amaze you and then show you how they actually did some of their magic. They really do pull people on stage then play the trick on them which is hilarious for the rest of the audience. After the show, they meet with the entire audience, signing autographs and taking pictures. They'll literally stay until they meet everyone waiting. True gentlemen.

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

I would love to see their show live!

[@EmonEconomist]

I saw them back in 2013 and it was exactly as you say, an amazing show followed by a wonderful meet & greet. Genuinely wonderful performers and people.

[@kamatariedgar3603]

It is one of my dreams 😢

[@FMNUP]

*Chris Pratt shoots someone* Penn: He's performing under a lot of pressure

[@takahashi128]

funny thing is Chris can actually do card tricks he did one on the Graham Norton show

[@azaliahmad458]

ackhtually queen was performing under pressure

[@Markus0021]

@@azaliahmad458 Not to mention David Bowie. Pretty sure he performed under pressure.

[@Simon-oy7kf]

takahashi128 *EVERYONE* can do card tricks

[@Simon-oy7kf]

@Pancake As long as you're not mantally ill you can do at least one card trick

[@TheGreatCooLite]

This dude is funny and an expert on magic. What more could you ask for

[@infctdppt]

A sandwich would be nice

[@MansMan42069]

Him not being a pretentious atheist prick

[@improvementrevolution6607]

A little bit of weight loss

[@Jennyfisch]

@@MansMan42069 At what point in this video did he talk about religion?

[@larrycrabs5995]

@@MansMan42069 Spoken like a butthurt religiotard.

[@johnabbottphotography]

The best part about Penn & Teller is that they have a ton of respect for their audience. Its why they put on great shows.

[@Hank..]

Met him once after a show. Him and Teller just hung around and met with people, taking pictures and signing stuff, which is just an awesome thing to do because it means a lot to fans.

[@WoodlandDrake]

"Putting an old guy in a box is done all the time" Penn with the dark humor, haha!

[@noneofyerbisness8702]

It took reading your comment for me to actually get that.

[@brrehbock1]

Tbh his knowledge is making me emotional because it's so cool that he has this much insight.

[@dcflake5645]

I love how he said that his least favourite trick is when he fools the whole audience at the expense of not fooling an individual. My favourite Penn and Teller acts is when you whole audience is in on the joke but the person on stage is clueless. Giving up a whole audience to fool one person.

[@notbob555]

Shawn Farquar's second appearance? At least until the final reveal.

[@lmklmk1512]

I s

[@marksherrick]

the old Penn and Teller phone in the fish bit is a good one for that - and Penn has gone on a couple talk shows doing the severed rope trick and the only person who can't see what he's doing is the person onstage with him, and its great.

[@snoookie456]

Conan throwing knives lmao

[@SpookyFan]

Slydini kzbin.info/www/bejne/g33Tomx5q7OSpqM

[@chriscollins891]

"Everything you say is a lie" Had me rolling. He's so nonchalant hilarious.

[@tamasdudas1990]

I don’t practice, watch or even necessarily like magic but I could listen to Penn talk about it all day long. So smooth.

[@carl.j917]

Tom Cruise legit trained to hold his breath underwater for like 6 minutes for one single scene. Of course he learned how to do the magic trick.

[@dawsonwoolford9660]

Carl. J I don’t think you can survive longer than a few minutes but

[@lunaticfae4415]

@@dawsonwoolford9660 look up free diving

[@noahrombough2802]

@@dawsonwoolford9660 for an average human 2 is usually max, practiced free divers though, last I heard was 19(?) Minutes continuous submersion

[@sabelch]

@@noahrombough2802 19 minutes is with pure oxygen. With regular air it's half that which is still amazing.

[@EricJ0hansson]

@@dawsonwoolford9660 Many actors learn to do it for a role. Doesn't take that long to teach a person to hold their breath for 5 mins. I think Margot Robbie learned it for Birds of Prey.

[@tom_something]

Penn and Teller are such great performers. The planning, the execution, the storytelling. They're pretty much Vegas entertainment royalty.

[@dougcole518]

I've met him and Teller after their show in Vegas and he is a really genuine, nice guy. Took pictures and signed autographs for everyone that wanted one

[@EdgarHernandez-xj5mx]

I love penn but I also wish teller was here just sitting here. Staring. Making gestures.

[@LydiaSalem]

i was "instant stooged" at disney once. i still have no idea what the trick actually was as i didnt see it, but he just quickly whispered to me "stand here, stay still, the panel will open in front of you" so i stood there, my head in a dark box, while he talked to the audience and opened i guess other panels, then a few mins pass and a paneled opened where everyone could see my face. he took it off said thank you and tht was that. did he make my head disappear? did he "change" it into something? i will never know lmao.

[@robertnett9793]

Maybe you were copied by a intricate apperatus devised by notorious Nicola Tesla himself and then your clone (or you) were drowned in a tank of water... I should stop watching movies about magic...

[@OctaneStreet]

Lmao what a dope story, at least you have that!

[@Jeremy-qn9vg]

Tbh that's not really instant stooging as you didn't do anything to deceive the audience or lie to the audience nor were you required to do anything unnecessary. So yeah, you were an audience participant. Instant stooge? Nah fam

[@JasminMiettunen]

Jeremy yes it is, they're not a stooge, just a random person, but they're told what's going to happen, so theres no illusion for them. That's like saying the man in the audience that's actually the magicians assistant doesn’t qualify as a stooge because they're not “doing anything”, it is what it is. Don't be a spoilsport.

[@Jeremy-qn9vg]

@@JasminMiettunen literally just corrected a guy with a wrong use of terms. I don't see how that's being a spoilsport 😂 perhaps I sounded too aggressive lol

[@emi9643]

"its also immoral to make the audience complicit in unnecessary human risk" i love this. not just for magic but for any show. if you want to risk yourself on your own time i cant stop you, but anywhere others may be involved or watching you have a moral obligation to ensure they are also protected in all ways.

[@CanYouHackett97]

I really appreciate how much insight he gives and talking about how magicians do shows, but he didn’t go into how a specific trick is done. When he said “this is the only real magic trick we’re gonna see,” he didn’t say how they did it, and I respect that he didn’t give away the secret.

[@EldiabloCompadre]

You can totally see how Teller was that weird guy in school who was always asking you to pick a card

[@orlock20]

He started off as a juggler. That's just as awkward since he would probably go up to the girls and ask them if they would hold his balls.

[@campuscryptid3020]

orlock20 no - Penn started out as a juggler. Teller’s been doing magic since age 9.

[@JPDillon]

@@orlock20 He's also a certified clown. Went to Barnum & Bailey clown college.

[@IceWolfLoki]

Just one problem, Teller doesn't talk when he's performing.

[@jaygio]

Nope, I "totally" cant see that at all.. bc I've never seen or heard of such a thing. So i'm not too sure what kind of school you went to that had kids asking you that, but by the looks (and sounds) of things I'm guessing you rode a much smaller bus than must of us probably did... and may have even worn a helmet. Care to explain?

[@leartistique2221]

“You’ll see no trickery” “We will see trickery.” Made me laugh

[@jonathandawson3091]

His entire "too perfect" comment falls apart because it was intentional in the movie.

[@Mostbee]

@@jonathandawson3091 Not entirely, he wasn't talking about that movie in specific, but in cinema at general, everytime he said "in movies...", "in a movie", not "on The Prestigie movie". So it doesn't matters that this particular movie "made" (Robert Downey Jr doesn't have a twin so it wasn't performed, just edited) a bad trick intetionally, the point is *why* the trick is bad, it's too strict and will leave no one wondering how could he have done it

[@TaikaJamppa]

@@Mostbee In movie industry, you don’t need a real twin, but a stunt double is always possible. :)

[@Mostbee]

@@TaikaJamppa oh yeah, that too, but, in the management view, if both weren't going to appear at the same scene and interact with eachother, I would prefer to spend less money doing simple editing and having the same actor do two roles instead of hiring an entire double actor for Robert or anyone else.

[@RoryStarr]

Performance under pressure is a real phenomenon in psychology but there's a big caveat: you have to be a pro already. In other words, if you are beginner or amateur, and you cannot perform in private, you will do worse under pressure (i.e., in front of an audience). However, if you are a professional with your 10,000 hours of experience--as Penn would have been--and you are put under pressure, you will perform better than in private.

[@blackmarketyardsale]

Rory Stevens it’s called the yerkes Dodson curve. Relates to performance and stress limits.

[@Lemon_Force]

Yeah as the navy seal saying goes: under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to your level of training. Very applicable to a multitude of fields I got told it in medic school

[@rhettorical]

I once told my boss that I do my job better under fire as opposed to with an open deadline. He started giving me absurdly strict deadlines and to no surprise I started churning out better code than I was when he gave me more time. But you have to know what you're doing. Throw me in front of an audience and tell me to perform and I'll crumble because I don't know what I'm doing.

[@the_absurd_hero]

This is actually really encouraging. Think about it: you go out everyday, doing whatever it is you do, with every action being practice for some as-yet unforeseen crisis. Talking to your colleagues, boss, or friends? All practice for that presentation or toast you are called to give. Morning and evening commute? Practice for that those (hopefully) rare occasions your car unexpected loses control.

[@DB-jf2dw]

Guy: *gets shot in the head* Penn: he's performing under a lot of pressure.

[@Jaybird9x]

Died of laughter at that

[@alfgwahigain5544]

Penn is a natural story teller and just a magnetic personality. I love his honesty and respect for the viewers.

[@Donovan00]

Vanity Fair: Penn just review the magic okay? Penn: Hey there's Paul Giamatti

[@KarmaKahn]

To be fair, he is magical.

[@brucebaker810]

Penn: Hey! I know that guy!

[@AdamBechtol]

lol

[@snoookie456]

so authentic... that is literally my reaction every time I see Paul Giamatti

[@passport3763]

It IS immoral to make the audience complicit in putting someone at risk. I used to get so nervous when I was younger watching magicians do things that were dangerous. It was so scary to me that anyone could actually get hurt it really made me feel badly. I’m so glad someone said it.

[@DisobedientSpaceWhale]

But he says he lies, so it's not really immoral then

[@0ooTheMAXXoo0]

The point was that there is usually no danger. They are carefully designed and rehearsed tricks.

[@TheSectric]

Well like he said about escape artists. They are usually always far ahead. When one thing is put on they are already out of the piece before. So they truly art put into a tank of water wearing 6 different locks cause 5 are already done before they are submerged .

[@Jay-vz7og]

It's not just their code. Penn and Teller want tricks to be done intelligently and elegantly. Have you seen their show? If someone performs a trick really well, even if it's common, Penn & Teller are very respectful. If you're only doing cheap tricks to fool idiots, you deserve to be mocked.

[@rckli]

At 6:00 penn pretty much tells you how most of his tricks are done “See twig, put cloth over it, replace for plant, uncover cloth”

[@null9546]

0:54 I love how happy he is about Teller being bit

[@Videogamewalkthrough]

Wish this was longer, I would listen to him analyze literally anything.

[@garnettanner2218]

Haha. Check out his podcast. Penn's Sunday School!

[@wayneigoe6722]

Or go watch the show "Bullsh*t". It ran 7 seasons on Showtime

[@KutWrite]

For me, he gets politics and spirituality wrong. Otherwise, yes.

[@professorsypher6174]

I love the trick where the person on stage is the only one getting fooled. It's great watching the audience laugh and they are genuinely confused.

[@lmklmk1512]

"But remember I lie." Penn's a liar and Teller won't tell you anything. They're the perfect partnership for this craft.

[@Nueztoy]

"Its inmoral to make the audience complicit in unnecessary human risk"

[@FriendlyYandere]

@@DARTHMOBIUS Yeah but they don't know that they're witnessing something that is actually dangerous.

[@TheRabbitpaws]

These are NOT the droids err , magicians you are looking for.

[@bernlin2000]

Probably why I would cringe if I saw a magic show that had knife throwing: if it looks authentic, it feels very risky to me, even if they have seemingly "perfected" it.

[@MrBraddles3128]

*It's *immoral

[@goblinhunter5361]

@Ryan Ong Something like that really happened where an old comedian (I don't remember his name) had a heart attack on stage and the audience thought that was the joke and started laughing.

[@thomasbayer1843]

This guy is SO GOOD in front of a camera. He is so natural as he talks, like he's at your house having coffee or tea with you.

[@KmanZAG]

yeah i mean you'd sorta have to be. hes been on tv, had his own shows, tv series', etc. you sorta just get used to it i guess. its a really important ability to have too, that a lot of people over look. its very noticeable that he's comfortable with it, which is nice.

[@AbRas644]

Yep, the principle of every trick is as Sherlock Holmes says," When you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". When you're doing a trick, it should be something that has more than one rational explanation.

[@spacecthulhu296]

Good quote but it only works in certain situations. It's pretty ironic that the author of Sherlock Holmes actually thought houdini used magic because he thought he ruled out every possibility leaving magic as the last option. Spoilers, it wasn't magic.

[@tommcewan7936]

Best thing about that is that Holmes was based on a real person, who probably did say that or something very like it. What's WORST about it is that Conan Doyle sort of cheats in most of the Holmes stories and doesn't usually give the reader access to all the information Holmes himself uses to actually apply that maxim, thus ensuring that they don't really have a fair chance to try to figure it out for themselves before the big reveal.

[@HGAMES69]

Ain't this basically Occam's Razor?

[@sandoumir4348]

@@HGAMES69 The easiest answer would be if you would research Occam's Razor rather than query it in KZbin Comments. < - This by the way also is the answer to your question.

[@_______________00]

But its not true. Maybe you just didn't think of a more probable option.

[@annonnie]

"Houdini. I hope it's the Tony Curtis one. It IS! Oh BOY!"

[@spaceemperorkarl121]

I to love that movie!

[@madlad2819]

Now do teller *literally just 10 minutes of silence*

[@irresistablejewel]

v=XP4_MuBugFo

[@derfob6636]

You can find a lot of interviews with Teller talking. (I know it was just a joke, but if someone is curious he can search for that)

[@Al77343]

Smiles Gives thumbs up Nods Does "meh" gesture

[@rudrathemon]

I'd watch that

[@mikek3883]

I watch this every few months. This one and the magic support one he does. Don't know why. He's just pleasant and incredibly interesting

[@mrpatterson5723]

The greatest trick is that he is a magician, when magic is only secondary. He is a great communicator. He makes u stop and listen. There can be no misdirection without attention.

[@smward87]

Yup that's the whole dynamic of his partnership with Teller. He's 6'6 and talks loudly and often times fastly, meanwhile 5'9 Teller is a mute performer. So all your focus is on the big loud obnoxious oaf (Penn's own words to describe himself during their act) and not the person doing the actual magic, which is of course Teller.

[@fajarsetiawan8665]

Guys, you've got to see Penn & Teller's SNL upside down bit. It's still mind blowing as today

[@magicmanscott40k]

It's still one of their best tricks in my opinion besides the clear cups and balls

[@ARatQuiRit]

Amazing show indeed, but I hate when it's called that way, like in its video title on youtube, it kindof spoil the entier thing ^^

[@mmmhorsesteaks]

"ARE WE LIVE?" amazing :)

[@QED_]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6jOnpqnl76Lmqc

[@vincentsimbol7251]

It's literally the next thing on my Autoplay

[@swapsplat]

i could listen to Penn talk about magic for hours. He's so smart and entertaining.

[@AndyDuphresne]

Love how he’s adjusting his shirt sleeves like he’s on stage

[@mattjohnston2]

Yeah, they're movements he does that are so ingrained that he does them whether he's on stage or not. I love it too!

[@darrengordon-hill]

Can't kick the habit

[@Jadzebra]

"But remember; I lie" is the best advice I've ever been given.

[@Pikminiman]

Indeed. It's a nice reminder to always be skeptical.

[@wolfaja755]

“They made Tom cruise look tall” the best quote of this whole video.

[@gandalfthegrey7146]

Actually it is Chris Pratt doing that...he does it on the graham norton show as well.

[@magicmanscott40k]

Oh yeah. I forgot about that. I remember him doing it awkwardly. I always liked those kinds of tricks, where u think they're wrong or that's the method and then they hit hit you with another trick. It's fun story telling

[@gandalfthegrey7146]

Scott Fillinger that’s what I always do...I’ve got one trick like that...nobody has ever figured it out...it’s pretty genius in my humble opinion lol...

[@hasukumori]

Just came to make sure someone gave Chris Pratt his due. I was irritated that Penn didn't do his research.

[@gandalfthegrey7146]

Hasu Kumori lol...I don’t think he even knew who Pratt was, seeing as how he kept referring to him as “the actor”...

[@DaveDEF82]

You can even see that he does the shuffling. Those are his hands.

[@movingparts6270]

Wow I legitimately didn't recognize Penn. He's lost so much weight, lost the pony tail and he's showing grey.

[@akaRicoSanchez]

He is also 64.

[@AC3handle]

What a drag it is, gettin old.

[@ampz1466]

@@akaRicoSanchez Whaat?! Wow, dude really is magic.

[@djmips]

but the voice is the same

[@ericynot]

Actually, I think he lost a bunch of weight, but has put some of it back on. But I don't care because I love the guy and have for a very long time. Smart man, good performer, nice guy, and great storyteller.

[@abdullahalmazny]

Penn loves to talk , and i love watching him talk.

[@stv0036]

Arrested Development has no tricks, they're illusions.

[@funkychicken4509]

tricks are for whores

[@Smingleflorp]

.....same.....

[@markostefanov6158]

Bees?

[@faunaflage]

Yeah! Do they think Gob would be doing mere tricks in $400 pants? COME ON!

[@ShaneWelker]

BEADS!

[@brittanygarrison8030]

I could sit with this man and listen to him speak about anything. He's brilliant.

[@JodiStrikesBack]

He has a podcast! Penns Sunday School. He chats away, its chill and funny.

[@pringlesmegastack8575]

it o

[@DaviniaHill]

He's a libertarian who doesn't believe smoking causes cancer.

[@furrykef]

@@DaviniaHill I don't think he's ever denied smoking causes cancer.

[@notbob555]

@@furrykef People will say literally anything on the Internet to spread hate.

[@rockah12]

I would legitimately love to see Penn's opinion on The Prestige as a whole. One of my absolute favorite films, an utter delight to watch, and the film that got me interested in both Nikola Tesla and magic in general. The bullet catch scene in particular would be interesting to hear Penn's take on a trick (intentionally) gone wrong.

[@richyrich4011]

Watched Penn and Teller two different times in Vegas. And I watched other Magician acts.... It ain't close Penn and Teller to this day is my favorite one. They just get it

[@AntonioGee]

I want to see them perform. To me they are the greatest duo of all time. Their accomplishment of headlining Vegas for over 40 years is crazy!

[@magicmanscott40k]

I don't like their tricks, especially if u compare them to classics, but I will admit, they're far more charismatic than most and u can see them care about the audience and every little thing. To care about something, even after 50 plus years of repetition is incredible

[@springbloom5940]

@@magicmanscott40k Yeah, they're not that great magicians, but they're entertaining.

[@m7mdronaldo7]

@@springbloom5940 i would disagree , watching ''fool us'' , they practically solve most of the tricks which shows that they are great magicians, they just choose to be more entertaining .

[@springbloom5940]

@@m7mdronaldo7 That means they're book-smart, not 'magicians'. They'd be the first to tell you the difference. Im not much of a magician, but after a couple months of youtube magic tutorials, I could bust about 80% of the Fool Us acts. Ive even hit some that they've missed; though thats likely because they just didn't want to bust them, or I guessed right on which one of multiple possible methods, that they just passed on.

[@ryzorzen]

Penn is looking so healthy these days, glad he's taking care of himself. We need more!

[@chrishubbard64]

I like how he talks about walking through the crowd you would think they would notice you but they dont. Its a great example of every slight of hand/misdirection trick done. When you are the one doing it, you cant believe the crowd doesnt see you palming the card, or swapping the deck around. Everyones attention is drawn to the water chest full of "blood" so they dont see what you are actually doing. Its the most fun part of magic tricks, card tricks, etc for me. Is knowing how obvious the trick is and being amazed that people keep falling for it.

[@Ishamv3]

2:31 - He's telling exactly what My Cocaine said in the movie. So cool! Caine in the film knew about the 'too perfect' concept; Jackman didn't, apparently.

[@andreasbuder4417]

Nice autocorrect fail :-D

[@RickReasonnz]

What Penn was talking about was one of the themes of the film.

[@FanboyFilms]

Yeah, I wish Penn had talked about the plausibility of the actual point of the movie which is that the performer's ego wouldn't allow the act to be done with twins. Only he had the charisma to introduce the act which left the twin to soak up all the applause at the end, which he couldn't tolerate, leading him to search for a way to do the trick without twins. What Penn was talking about was the implausibility of that trick launching Christian Bale's character, and later Hugh Jackman's, to being the greatest magician in the land. He's just saying the audience wouldn't accept the trick at any rate because they'd quickly realize the only way to do it was with twins and once they realized that, the trick becomes easy and would no longer impress. Even if that's not how it was done.

[@David_Last_Name]

It looks like for SOME reason, Isham's phone has "my cocaine" as a commonly used phrase...... lol. #notsuspiciousatall

[@paulturtle92]

@@David_Last_Name It's a story Michael Caine told on the Graham Norton Show - when a hostess at a party he attended thought he was a drug dealer because she misheard his name as being "My Cocaine".

[@alexmc7882]

Penn these days looks like he should be yelling at peter parker to have those pictures on his desk by friday

[@jonweik4091]

That or jamiesons brother

[@DisobedientSpaceWhale]

He hates Spider Man

[@AaroInTheKnee]

PARKER!

[@theelectricindian]

Though if Penn Jillette yelled at you to have pictures of spider-man on his desk by Friday you would probably have them on his desk Thursday.

[@TaushaBrooke]

I mean, yeah, he's 64 years old.

[@VAOdin]

*Chris Pratt shoots guy in the head* Penn *deadpan*: He's performing under a lot of pressure there. Me: ROFL!

[@EdgyShooter]

I am still impressed by the upsidedown trick, just keeping your arms locked to the desk for that amount of time is impressive

[@CanalTremocos]

It's so sad it's a trick you really can only fully enjoy once. I was in awe the first time i saw it.

[@viliamvacula8111]

@@CanalTremocos The trick served its purpose, it was designed for a TV audience of millions, not for the few people in the studio.

[@amunra4256]

I disagree. I thought it was very obvious that they were actually upside down. It's much more fun to watch knowing this, and multiple viewings doesn't make it less impressive or interesting

[@shinkaiatsuya950]

Most people cant see teller in the background doing the invisible ninja trick.

[@CyberMew]

Shinkai Atusya did you? I did!

[@edgarricardo8257]

maybe cause is invisible ?

[@IRVDawg]

*Friggidy fraggles get frigged on Fraggle Rock.*

[@CapnSlipp]

You can tell Penn really likes the movie The Prestige. _“I’m not talking about Hugh Jackman or the overall movie.”_ Penn definitely understands the movie is a love letter to magic, and the era in which rapid technological development was confusable with magic, and how a normal human’s perception of wonders is the goal of it all on either side, and how the movie’s use of a supernatural/sci-fi reveal near the end subverts a modern audience’s expectations- that the movie is itself a magic trick.

[@holdintheaces7468]

The best part of his prestige talk is his concept is a fundamental part of the show. They have that exact conversation in the movie.

[@TypetwoAbsolute]

I could watch Penn talk about magic forever, good thing he chose this as a career

[@leighmcmillan6282]

I like his appreciation for Paul Rudd's trick and his explanations about stage craft. Wonderful lecturer.

[@leighmcmillan6282]

Oh, and "instant stooging," what a great phrase and concept.

[@cleverusername9369]

This is unbelievably fascinating. Penn is so knowledgeable and it seemed like he was having a lot of fun. This is good stuff. I'm not a huge fan of magic myself, but I do respect an expert like Mr. Gillette, especially when it's informative and fun content.

[@nikslau]

*Jillette

[@onbored9627]

3:03 They actually address that later on in the movie. They say "you have to give them a reason to doubt that it's real" Also, pick a card was probably not as old of a trick in the old west where that movie is set.

[@Jack_Wolfe]

I would just love to hear Penn and Teller just chatting and geeking out on camera i love them dearly.

[@MrJlee93]

"wow, they made Tom Cruise taller!" LOL

[@ericynot]

@n n I've noticed that they've also made Tom Cruise older. It happens to the best of us.

[@gokurocks9]

Cruise is a short guy, look at him standing next to people in pictures.

[@kimaboe]

@@gokurocks9 Or Jean Reno in the scene they show here.

[@amymarie6822]

The Prestige and The Illusionist are 2 of my favorite movies!

[@BL4K]

I had the pleasure of meeting them both after years of watching them, not gonna lie I was so excited and will never for get them moments, true enthusiasm shines through Penn and Teller every time they try to entertain you and most of the time they succeed. If you go to Vegas go see them as they are one if the very few who will meet all guests after the show F.O.C! To me that was priceless I have seen many shows in Vegas David copper is good but his best trick is disappearing after the show P&T tick all the boxes and then tick a few more on the back page!

[@FlamingoRadio_]

“It’s not a magic trick, Micheal! It’s an illusion!”

[@SmoofDizzle]

"A trick is something whores do for money!"

[@x2f01mick]

Ffs MichAEl. It's possibly the most ubiquitous name, how do people get it wrong?

[@darkashtar]

Or if you make a mistake you give them oopsie pills

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

x2f01mick It is super common, true, but so is dyslexia. I thought Chloe was Chole until I was about 18, because I’d only read the name and when I heard “Chloe,” I didn’t associate that with “Chole.” For some words the only way I knew to write them correctly was to get it wrong a million times and then remember “write it the WRONG way, so it will be right.” Because in my mind it still looks weird spelled correctly. Sure, for some people, it’s just a typo, but especially with misspelled names (specifically if they’re misspelled repeatedly) dyslexia is quite a possibility.

[@NotDingse]

@@SmoofDizzle or cocaine

[@Interitus1]

I love that he genuinely laughs at Ant-Man

[@Tera_GX]

Penn's emphasis on safety in the illusion of danger always makes me think of that one magician doing the knife-hidden-by-paper-tube trick. He brings up an audience member to have her hand under his so they slam down on the paper tube together. She's so terrified and resistive, and ends up intensely tugging her hand as he pushes down, so instead of the tube the magician knew to hit both their hands go to a wrong tube and get impaled by a real knife. The mistake itself was basically the audience member's doing, but still it was the magician's choices that enabled real harm to come out of it.

[@DracoHandsome]

The details are a bit off but a very similar incident occurred on the Polish TV show "Question For Breakfast". The magician was Marcin Poloniewicz, who performed the trick alone first. He then obliged the co-host Marzena Rogalska and held her hand to do it together. They hit the nail. Only her hand was pierced, she suffered no lasting serious injury, and she forgave the magician for the screw-up later. However, I do agree if the trick had been designed properly, none of the paper bags would have held a nail once the time came to slam anyone's hand down on any of them.

[@bb.cute.channel]

More Penn Interviews please. He is very entertaining. 👍👍👍👍

[@aresef]

The best trick in the Prestige is hiding a second Christian Bale in plain sight.

[@Jennyfisch]

On second viewing I couldn't believe how blind I was, it's so obvious. I guess the film was right, we want to be fooled.

[@aresef]

@@Jennyfisch Cutter goes and says "he's using a double!" and Angier says "no, it's not a double, it's him" and the viewer is fooled into going along with Angier.

[@Dan16673]

@@Jennyfisch read the book. It's even better

[@duncancole1742]

It was pretty obvious to me in the first viewing. Not because I'm a genius or something but they had this whole other side character and worked really hard to not show his face clearly. I mean, there is no reason to do that unless his identity is somehow crucial to the plot.

[@MartKencuda]

Dude, spoilers

[@kenhaley4]

Penn Jillette and James Randi (R.I.P.): Two of the most honest magicians in the business. They lie and they tell you they lie.

[@SaraH-jn5db]

I thought you meant both were dead and I freaked out for a minute

[@lechanneldemysterieuxmante1807]

Yes! Ian Jamy Swiss was also a notorious honest liar. These magicians (I include Ricky Jay here too) are open they are tricksters, which is refreshing.

[@valmarsiglia]

"Now You See Me" is a waste of time for a professional magician to review - the characters in that movie basically have superpowers.

[@clinsjsn7796]

And with expensive/ advanced technology that wasn't probably invented that time.

[@HeihachiChaolan]

Totally agreed. What an embarrassment of a movie, and also its sequel

[@JasminMiettunen]

HeihachiChaolan it's still a good movie, that's like saying superhero movies suck because they're not realistic

[@HeihachiChaolan]

@@JasminMiettunen the thing about magic is that even though we may not know how it's done, we know that it's possible and the trick behind it is clever. Superheroes are superhumans, it's impossible and there's no trick behind them. This movie on the other hand, presents magicians as superhumans with their utterly impossible magic tricks and makes the viewers look dumb with its constant "it was planned all along!" moments. C-tier trash movie disguised with AAA production

[@uhoh5464]

I'll admit it's absolute garbage, but i like it, it was one of my friend's favorite movies when he moved away

[@bernlin2000]

11 minutes? Couldn't we give Penn an hour...he can talk about anything, really. The dude is fascinating far beyond the world of magic.

[@MrPlow-jc4cr]

How could you have Arrested Development in the title and not have it say "Penn Jillette Reviews Magic ILLUSIONS"?

[@ChristopherWeiss]

Penn, you are a consummate artist. What an amazing interview. And Kudos to Vanity Fair for making this happen!