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Penn & Teller facts for kids
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Penn & Teller
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Penn Jillette (left) and Teller (right) in 2012
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| Born |
Penn Fraser Jillette
March 5, 1955 Raymond Joseph Teller February 14, 1948 |
| Occupation | Magicians, entertainers |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Known for | Magic, comedy, skepticism |
Penn & Teller are a famous American duo of magicians and entertainers. The team is made up of Penn Jillette and Teller. They have been performing their unique style of magic and comedy together since 1975.
What makes them special? Penn is the talker of the group. He's a lively storyteller who explains what's happening on stage. Teller, on the other hand, is completely silent during their acts. He communicates using mime (acting without words) and body language.
They are famous for their long-running show in Las Vegas, Nevada. In fact, they are the longest-running headliners to perform at the same hotel in Las Vegas history. Besides magic, they are also known for their interest in scientific skepticism, which means they encourage people to question things and look for evidence.
Contents
The Story of Penn & Teller
How They Met
Penn Jillette and Teller first met through a mutual friend named Weir Chrisemer. They performed their first show together on August 19, 1975, at a festival in Minnesota. For a few years, they were part of a trio called "The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society."
When Chrisemer left show business in 1981, Penn and Teller decided to continue as a duo. This was the beginning of the Penn & Teller team we know today.
Rising to Fame
By 1985, Penn & Teller were becoming very popular. They had a successful show Off Broadway in New York City and won an Emmy Award for a TV special. In 1987, they started performing on Broadway, which is home to some of the world's most famous theaters.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, they appeared on many popular TV shows, like Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live. This helped them become famous across the country.
Las Vegas and Television Stars
Since 2001, Penn & Teller have had a permanent show at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. They have also appeared as guest stars on many TV shows, including:
- The Simpsons
- Futurama
- Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
- Bill Nye the Science Guy
- The West Wing
From 2003 to 2010, they had a TV show called Penn & Teller: ...!. On this show, they took a skeptical look at topics like psychics and conspiracy theories, encouraging viewers to think critically.
Since 2010, they have hosted Penn & Teller: Fool Us. In this show, other magicians try to perform a trick that Penn & Teller can't figure out. If a magician fools them, they win a trophy and a chance to perform in the Las Vegas show.
Famous Magic Tricks
Penn & Teller are known for revealing the secrets to some of their tricks, but this often makes the tricks even more amazing.
The Bullet Catch
One of their most famous illusions is the bullet catch. In this trick, both Penn and Teller fire a gun at each other at the same time. They then appear to catch the bullet fired by the other person in their teeth. It is a very dramatic and classic piece of magic.
The Flag and the Bill of Rights
In a trick with a political message, they wrap an American flag in a copy of the United States Bill of Rights. They then seem to set the flag on fire. When the fire is gone, the Bill of Rights is unharmed, but the flag has vanished. They use this trick to make a point about the importance of freedom of speech. At the end, they usually make the flag reappear, perfectly safe.
The Nail Gun
Penn uses a nail gun that has some real nails and some blanks (which make noise but don't fire a nail). He fires real nails into a board, then fires blanks at his own hand. The trick builds suspense as he switches between the board and his hand, making the audience wonder what will happen next. He always explains that it's just a trick and that they would never do anything truly dangerous on stage.
Life Outside of Magic
Even though they work together, Penn and Teller have very different lives and interests. However, Penn has said that Teller is his best friend and that his children think of Teller as a close family member. They have a strong partnership built on respect.
Teller has said that when they disagree on an idea, it often helps them be more creative. Their different points of view help them come up with even better tricks and performances.
Honors and Awards
- In 2013, Penn & Teller received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Their star is located near the star of the legendary magician Harry Houdini.
- They were nominated for a BAFTA Award for their documentary film Tim's Vermeer, which was directed by Teller.
- They were nominated for an Olivier Award in 2020 for helping create the stage show Magic Goes Wrong.
Other Projects
Besides their stage show, Penn & Teller have been involved in many other creative projects.
Books
Together, they have written several books about magic, including:
- Penn & Teller's Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends
- Penn & Teller's How to Play with Your Food
- Penn & Teller's How to Play in Traffic
Penn and Teller have also written books on their own.
Video Games
- Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors: An unreleased video game from 1995 that included a famous mini-game called Desert Bus. In Desert Bus, the player drives a bus for eight hours in real time from Tucson to Las Vegas to score one point. The game is intentionally long and boring. It has since become famous for a charity event called "Desert Bus for Hope," which has raised millions of dollars for children's hospitals.
- Borderlands 3: Penn and Teller provided the voices for two characters named Pain and Terror in this popular video game.
See also
In Spanish: Penn y Teller para niños