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[Jay Shadow]

The magician with the coin trick has me wondering if the magicians that managed to fool Penn & Teller share their tricks back stage after the show is over. I know I would if I fooled them with an original trick.

I think Penn said once that they don't ask the magicians how they did it, but most of the time they're so excited that they will come up to them and tell them how it was done.

Also kinda interesting was that there was also one case where Penn did know how it was done, but he didn't know that Teller didn't know the technique, so when Teller didn't know he just assumed it must have been something else. So someone along the way fooled them without actually fooling them.

 

[Aarglefarg]

The magician with the coin trick has me wondering if the magicians that managed to fool Penn & Teller share their tricks back stage after the show is over. I know I would if I fooled them with an original trick.

They said in an interview about a month ago that people who fooled them normally can't wait to reveal the method. Mattieu Bich from the first season was an exception.

 

[Fusebox]

So the mentalist guy has a book which told Penn and Teller how he did it - anyone take a look to see how it was done?

I want to know too, the numbers were written scratchy as fuck but there's no time after Teller gives him the number 1 he could have done it.

It is a slightly thicker business card than usual, electronics transfer writing from the notepad to the business card maybe?

 

[morningbus]

So the mentalist guy has a book which told Penn and Teller how he did it - anyone take a look to see how it was done?

It seems pretty hard to find, but Paul Vigil linked the book on his Facebook: http://youvefinalllyarrived.blogspot.com/

$200 bucks.

Edit: I found some people talking about the trick on a magician's forum. The trick is called update, and while it doesn't give it away, it should give you an idea of what's involved:

I have used Update, and yes I feel it's a great improvement. I will admit that after I obtained all the materials to make it, it was a LONG Saturday of adjusting thread lengths, repositioning minutia, etc. BUT it was only one Saturday and after that, it was always ready. Once everything was in place it was a hell of a thing. I've opened three shows with it so far, a small number compared to the times Paul has done it I'm sure (and I know I still have a lot to work out and learn), but all of my audiences were totally stunned when I turned around and revealed the card. It is THE opener (but can only be an opener as the movement of one of your arms will be restricted) for mentalist.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

There was a Penn Sunday School podcast episode where he talked about Piff the Magic Dragon screwing up a dog switching trick on some show. Does anyone have a link to this by chance? Might be America's Got Talent or something? Sounds like Piff screwed up and the TV cameras screwed up as well, but it was mostly Piff's fault.

Also, re this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y&spfreload=10

Wow, I have no idea what the turtle and flintstone stuff was in this episode. Usually, I can piece enough of it together to figure things out, but I'm stumped on their jargon this time. Kind of nice!

 

[firehawk12]

The turtle thing is really impressive when it's basically something the audience member could feel for themselves.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

How many episodes of this are there going to be?

 

[Fusebox]

It seems pretty hard to find, but Paul Vigil linked the book on his Facebook: http://youvefinalllyarrived.blogspot.com/

$200 bucks.

Edit: I found some people talking about the trick on a magician's forum. The trick is called update, and while it doesn't give it away, it should give you an idea of what's involved:

Aaah I think I might have it. He's manipulating long threads attached to a drawing device on the back of his jacket. When he straightens his jacket shoulders just before the reveal is when he ditches the writing kit. Thats why the numbers are written so scratchy.

 

[NekoFever]

Wow, I have no idea what the turtle and flintstone stuff was in this episode. Usually, I can piece enough of it together to figure things out, but I'm stumped on their jargon this time. Kind of nice!

I'm not sure on the turtle thing but the Flintstones code was referring to Daub ("Yabba daub-a doo"), which is a system for invisibly marking cards.

 

[Spladam]

I'm not sure on the turtle thing but the Flintstones code was referring to Daub ("Yabba daub-a doo"), which is a system for invisibly marking cards.

I believe the flintstone reference was a reference to the weighted card he added to the deck with the marked Daub. So that he could pick the deck by it's weight.

 

[perfectchaos007]

The turtle thing is really impressive when it's basically something the audience member could feel for themselves.

I think that's why Penn said to the magician he had balls of steel for doing that. Also, the magician during his routine kept emphasizing if there's any funny business to call him out on it, which takes steel balls given the audience members can probably tell what's going on. Fortunately for him, his 2 guests acted amazed and decided not to ruin the trick.I'm sure 99% of guests do the same thing, but there's probably 1% of the time where one of his participants will call him out. That's why he didn't pick some young punk from the audience, and instead he picked 2 jolly individuals whom he hoped would allow his routine to continue without a hitch.

 

[Spladam]

I think that's why Penn said to the magician he had balls of steel for doing that. Also, the magician during his routine kept emphasizing if there's any funny business to call him out on it, which takes steel balls given the audience members can probably tell what's going on. Fortunately for him, his 2 guests acted amazed and decided not to ruin the trick.I'm sure 99% of guests do the same thing, but there's probably 1% of the time where one of his participants will call him out. That's why he didn't pick some young punk from the audience, and instead he picked 2 jolly individuals whom he hoped would allow his routine to continue without a hitch.

Unless he's come up with a shell and a way of laying it in the hand that goes unnoticed.

 

[perfectchaos007]

I have the "nickles to dimes" shell somewhere in my old magic kit, but I'm sure he used one more like this.

 

[hamchan]

It seems pretty hard to find, but Paul Vigil linked the book on his Facebook: http://youvefinalllyarrived.blogspot.com/

$200 bucks.

Edit: I found some people talking about the trick on a magician's forum. The trick is called update, and while it doesn't give it away, it should give you an idea of what's involved:

I'm thinking if someone really wants to fool Penn and Teller, you should bring an all new trick instead of something you've already written in a book, because chances are they've read your book.

 

[morningbus]

I'm thinking if someone really wants to fool Penn and Teller, you should bring an all new trick instead of something you've already written in a book, because chances are they've read your book.

Yeah, especially Teller. He goes deep and out of his way to research tricks.

But it does fall back to what they've said their goal for the show is: to showcase talent on network television. The gameshow "fool us" aspect of the show is a conceit or trick to get people watching.

There's definitely been a few people this season that are just their friends they're looking to show off.

 

[NekoFever]

I'm thinking if someone really wants to fool Penn and Teller, you should bring an all new trick instead of something you've already written in a book, because chances are they've read your book.

Matieu Bich fooled them with a trick you can buy on his website. I'm pretty sure you can buy Shawn Farquar's too, though that might have happened after the show.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

The coin routine from last weeks episode was pretty great. When Penn started the turtle talk I realized what he meant, and yeah that does take huge gonads.

 

[Five]

That Scrabble guy blew my mind, not least because of how fun it was to decipher the elaborate linguistic exertions. Now I'm digging around for my copy of the game and hoping my girlfriend wants to play, heh. It's been a while.

Penn was really on the nose with the drivers license explanation and the rope one. I lapped it. Lapped it. Lapped it. Get it? Lap? I lapped it. Boy, wouldn't it be great to have more than one can of coke? Heheheh. Hey, magnetic. Magnets. Magnetic. Did I say it enough times for you?

 

[dLMN8R]

It's pretty clear he had a second can of coke sitting there but I'm not sure what "lap" is supposed to mean...

Also, the Scrabble trick definitely had something to do with the tray of letters since he was carefully hiding the tray from Penn and Teller when they went up to inspect things, but I can't really think of what exactly was special of that tray.

 

[Five]

It's pretty clear he had a second can of coke sitting there but I'm not sure what "lap" is supposed to mean...

Also, the Scrabble trick definitely had something to do with the tray of letters since he was carefully hiding the tray from Penn and Teller when they went up to inspect things, but I can't really think of what exactly was special of that tray.

He put stuff down in his lap. When he draws the envelope the purportedly has Penn's license in it, it's actually just one of the several empty envelopes, and the license is then put down in his lap. There are plenty of times after this where he could have inserted the license into the rigged second can.

 

[AMUSIX]

Just watched this week's...the coke can and the rope were really scraping the bottom of the barrel, as far as tricks go. I've got to think that P&T are trying not to roll their eyes too hard when someone steps out with a routine bought on Main Street in Disneyland.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

Just watched this week's...the coke can and the rope were really scraping the bottom of the barrel, as far as tricks go. I've got to think that P&T are trying not to roll their eyes too hard when someone steps out with a routine bought on Main Street in Disneyland.

While the Coke one went on for so long, the rope trick was really lame considering that it's been done to death. I'm not a follower of magic outside of this show and Penn and Teller, but I could tell how it was done real easy, and I've seen it done. I feel like this season on a whole was a little lackluster.

 

[jett]

They reached an insurmountable peak with Shim Lim, to be honest. I liked the first act this week, the others...eh.

 

[hamchan]

Yeah the rope trick was super lame. Your gimmick magnetic trick ropes ain't impressing anyone.

I did enjoy Francis Menotti's scrabble trick though.

 

[Abounder]

Yea the rope trick featured a moving life story but the performance seemed elementary

 

[Aiii]

The problem with the Coke trick, and this might be because of this program and the fact you start noticing these things, was very easy to spot. Because he didn't hide very well when he made the switch of the Coke can.

Then again, the idea is you're at the table with him, he distracts you with the burning of the envelopes part and that's when he switches the cans. Meanwhile, we're looking from further on and the movement is very clear.

 

[Five]

The problem with the Coke trick, and this might be because of this program and the fact you start noticing these things, was very easy to spot. Because he didn't hide very well when he made the switch of the Coke can.

Then again, the idea is you're at the table with him, he distracts you with the burning of the envelopes part and that's when he switches the cans. Meanwhile, we're looking from further on and the movement is very clear.

He also didn't hide the original envelope swap either, in my opinion. I didn't even realize he had meant to for a few moments because of how sloppy it was.

Hopefully this isn't indicative of how the rest of the show will go.

I also wonder how much pressure there is for Penn and Teller to be fooled by someone. I guess they could easily enough get opening acts in other (and more traditional venues), but I wonder if there's some push to let a certain percentage through. The reason I wonder this is because it feels like the last few weeks have seen some foolers where the trick is probably pretty simple, and educated people like P&T should well know what it is.

I still enjoy the show. There are plenty of good moments, and the banter remains entertaining. I'm probably overthinking this.

 

[zulux21]

He also didn't hide the original envelope swap either, in my opinion. I didn't even realize he had meant to for a few moments because of how sloppy it was.

Hopefully this isn't indicative of how the rest of the show will go.

I also wonder how much pressure there is for Penn and Teller to be fooled by someone. I guess they could easily enough get opening acts in other (and more traditional venues), but I wonder if there's some push to let a certain percentage through. The reason I wonder this is because it feels like the last few weeks have seen some foolers where the trick is probably pretty simple, and educated people like P&T should well know what it is.

I still enjoy the show. There are plenty of good moments, and the banter remains entertaining. I'm probably overthinking this.

part of it is that they only really get one guess on how something is done. A number of tricks can be done with multiple methods and thus they could guess which route they took incorrectly and the trick would get through.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

part of it is that they only really get one guess on how something is done. A number of tricks can be done with multiple methods and thus they could guess which route they took incorrectly and the trick would get through.

While true, I haven't felt like they've run into this problem since season 1 where those two jackasses cheated the system and "won".

 

[Five]

part of it is that they only really get one guess on how something is done. A number of tricks can be done with multiple methods and thus they could guess which route they took incorrectly and the trick would get through.

Right, which would make a perfect cover for being fooled. Want to let the magician through? Just guess one of the methods you think he or she isn't using, especially if it's the obvious method.

Honestly, I don't even care a lot if the act actually fools Penn or Teller. I mean, I guess I enjoy it a little more when it doesn't and Penn leaves breadcrumbs for people to figure out how it worked, but I'm not too fussed either way.

I'm just curious if maybe it would make the show look bad if Penn and Teller could virtually never be fooled. If you went episodes without them being fooled, for example, would that reflect poorly on the show?

Again, I'm probably way overthinking this.

 

[Jay Shadow]

Bump

New season starts Tomorrow

 

[morningbus]

Has anyone called making a season 3 thread?