Penn Jillette Loathed Magic Until He Met Teller: Celebrating 50 Years of Penn & Teller
Half a century later, Penn & Teller are celebrating 50 years of redefining magic as the art form’s most iconic duo.
“I had hated magic growing up,” Jillette told the Boston Herald. “I thought it was disrespectful. I thought it was dishonest by definition. I thought it was cheesy. I thought it was misogynistic. I just hated it.”
But not long after high school, Penn started having intellectual discussions about magic with Teller. The two Western Massachusetts residents had crossed paths a few times and struck up a friendship in the mid-’70s. At the time, Penn was hitching around the country making a surprising amount of money as a street juggler. Teller was teaching high school Latin and moonlighting as a magician.
“Every magic trick is a silly discussion of epistemology, of how do we determine what’s real,” Penn said ahead of the duo’s November 21-23 stand at the Shubert Theater. “Teller and I and [Penn’s mentor] the Amazing Randi had discussions about doing a magic show that was not condescending, not disrespectful, and deeply honest. It was an intellectual exercise.”
Penn convinced Teller to take a leave of absence from his teaching job and try to work up a show that accomplished those things. It’s worked out pretty well since: Off Broadway run, Broadway run, constant late night TV appearances, a few different TV shows of their own, and the longest headline run in Las Vegas history, which continues to this day.
Hitting such an impressive milestone could be reason to look back, to recycle some classic tricks or reference some memorable bits. Penn isn’t interested in any of that.
“That didn’t even really cross our minds,” he said. “All I have ever wanted to do is think up weird stuff and do it in front of people.”
“Someone is putting together a book and I think they have come up with 285 tricks we have done in our career,” he continued. “Those are the ones that have been successful, not counting TV or ones we did only a few times. Most magicians in history have done 20 to 30 tricks in their lives. We just really, really like writing stuff.”
Penn says his inspiration has always been Bob Dylan. He has great respect for the Paul McCartneys of the world — the talented performers who lean into their greatest hits in concert — but he loves Dylan’s restless, nostalgic heart.
He got to see his idol live recently.
“Bob Dylan did one song that wasn’t from the past three years,” Penn said with a laugh. “And the ones that were from the past three years were different versions of the songs.”
Now 70, Penn might have to think about retirement in the next decade or so. Thankfully, he has a plan.
“If you told me right now that I was retired and had to pick a hobby, the hobby I would pick would be doing the Penn & Teller show,” he said. “There is no exaggeration or cuteness there. It’s just a fact.”
For tickets and details, visit pennandteller.com.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/17/penn-and-teller-celebrate-50-years-of-magic/