Oz Pearlman facts for kids
Oz Pearlman, born on July 19, 1982, is an amazing American mentalist, magician, and super athlete! He's known as "Oz the Mentalist" and wowed audiences on America's Got Talent, even finishing third in Season 10 (2015). Besides his incredible mind-reading skills, Oz is also a fantastic long-distance runner, competing in marathons and ultramarathons.
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About Oz
Oz Pearlman was born in Israel and moved to the United States when he was three years old. He always loved magic! From age 13 to 18, he almost always had a deck of cards with him. He started performing magic for fun at restaurants and parties when he was just 14.
Oz went to the University of Michigan and earned a degree in electrical engineering in 2003. Even while studying, he was already earning money from his magic shows. After college, he worked at a company called Merrill Lynch. But when his company hired him to perform a magic show for their bosses, he decided to become a full-time entertainer!
Super Runner
Oz Pearlman is not just a mentalist; he's also an incredible long-distance runner! He has broken world records and won many races.
Amazing Running Records
On April 4, 2022, Oz Pearlman broke a world record in Central Park, New York. He ran over 116 miles (that's like running 16 laps around the park!) in less than 18 hours. This amazing run also helped raise money for people in Ukraine.
Later that year, on August 5, 2022, Oz ran an incredible 130 miles from Montauk to Manhattan. This took him almost 22 hours! News outlets like The New York Times wrote about his amazing achievements.
Oz has won the New Jersey Marathon four times! In 2015, he won the 50-mile Chicago Ultra Marathon, finishing in just over 5 hours. He's one of the fastest Americans for 50-mile races. He has also competed in some of the toughest races in the world, like the Hawaii Ironman World Championship and the Badwater 135 Mile Run.
Marathon Highlights
Oz has run many marathons and ultramarathons. Here are some of his best times and wins:
- In 2014, he ran his fastest marathon in Philadelphia, finishing in 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 52 seconds.
- He won the Hamptons Marathon three times (2009, 2014, 2008).
- He won the New Jersey Marathon four times (2008, 2011, 2013, 2014).
- In 2009, he won the Chicago Lakefront 50-Miler with the fastest time in the world that year for 50 miles.
- He also won the Westchester Marathon twice (2006, 2007).
TV Star
Oz Pearlman has appeared on many popular TV shows, sharing his amazing mentalism skills with millions of people.
America's Got Talent
Oz became very famous after appearing on America's Got Talent in 2015. He impressed the judges and audience so much that he finished in third place! He returned to the show in 2020 for America's Got Talent: The Champions.
Other TV Shows
In 2018, NBC TV aired a travel show called Oz Knows, where Oz traveled to famous places and performed mentalism. He even won an Emmy Award for this show!
Oz has performed for many famous people and sports teams. In 2023, he appeared on HBO's Hard Knocks and performed for the New York Jets. He has also performed for the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ESPN.
You might have seen him on The Ellen Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, or the NBC Today Show. He even predicted the Super Bowl winner on TV! He has also appeared on business shows like Varney & Co. and Squawk Box.
Teaching Magic
Oz Pearlman has also helped others learn magic! He created many instructional videos for a magic store called Penguin Magic. In 2003, he made a special DVD called Born to Perform Card Magic. This DVD taught people different card magic tricks. It was filmed in Las Vegas and sold over 100,000 copies, becoming one of the most popular magic DVDs ever!
