Penn Jillette is nearly two metres tall, talks without pause and has the voice of a street preacher. Teller is small, wears a grey suit, and hasn't said a single word on stage since 1985. Together they have been the most successful magic duo of all time for over fifty years — and the most provocative.
The experiment that became a career
They met in 1975 through a mutual friend, Wier Chrisemer. The idea: a show that would deliberately break the rules of magic. No mysterious robes, no 'glittery assistants', no lies about having 'real' magical powers. Magic as art, without pretension.
Their show 'Mofo the Psychic Gorilla' in 1981 was the first big test. It worked. In 1985 they got their first Off-Broadway run, in 1991 their own Showtime special, in 2001 their own Las Vegas residency at the Rio (later Penn & Teller Theater).
The tricks that broke the rules
Their 'Cups and Balls' is performed with transparent plastic cups — the audience literally sees how the ball is moved. Yet it is astonishing, because they are faster than the eye. It is a joke, a lesson and a spectacle all at once.
Their 'Magic Bullet' is the highlight: they shoot bullets at each other and catch them between their teeth. It has been performed every evening in Las Vegas since 1990. No one has ever figured out how they do it without loss of life.
- ✦Longest-running headliner act in Las Vegas history (since 2001)
- ✦Own TV show 'Penn & Teller: Fool Us' (since 2011)
- ✦Hollywood Walk of Fame: 2013
- ✦Penn writes books, does stand-up; Teller directs Shakespeare
Honest lies
Their philosophy is unique in the world of magic: they openly say 'what we do is illusion, not supernatural power.' They have campaigned for years against mediums and spiritualists who con people. At the same time they make magic that becomes even more impressive precisely through that honesty.
Teller did not choose silence as a gimmick. He discovered at a young age that audiences watch more carefully when he doesn't speak. It is a lesson in attention that every modern mentalist still learns from.
Penn & Teller proved that magic can be honest and still impossible. Their show is comedy, critique and art at once — and the standard against which every duo is measured.