Penn and Teller
are a two-man illusionist and comedy team from the United States,
comprising Penn Jillette and Teller. Penn is a raconteur; Teller
(generally) does not speak while performing. The duo specializes in gory
tricks, fake exposures and clever pranks, and have become associated
with Las Vegas, atheism, skepticism, and libertarianism. They call
themselves “a couple of eccentric guys who have learned how to do a few
cool things.” From the beginning Penn & Teller were street entertainers,
performing at San Francisco's famous Fishermans Wharf and where ever
they went, a tradition they still do at spontaneous moments. The duo met
in 1975 and from the early 1970s through 1981, Penn & Teller were part
of a three-man act called Asparagus Valley Cultural Society which played
in San Francisco at the Phoenix Theater. This act was sillier and less
"edgy" than today's Penn & Teller act. The third member of the AVCS,
Weir Chirsamer, helped to develop some bits that have continued on, most
notably Teller's Shadow-Flower trick.
By 1985, Penn & Teller were receiving rave reviews for their Off
Broadway show and Emmy award-winning PBS special, Penn & Teller Go
Public. In 1987, they began the first of two successful Broadway runs.
Through the late 1980s and early 1990s, the pair made numerous
television appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday
Night Live, as well as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with
Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, and many others.
Penn and Teller had national tours throughout the 1990s, gaining critical
praise. They have also made television guest appearances on Babylon 5
(as a comedy team Rebo and Zooty, The Drew Carey Show, Hollywood
Squares, The Bernie Mac Show, Fear Factor, The West Wing, Home
Improvement, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and The Simpsons. They also
appeared as scam artists in the music video for "It's Tricky" by Run-DMC
in 1987. Their Showtime Network television show Bullshit! takes a
skeptical look at psychics, religion, the pseudoscientific, and
paranormal frauds. It has also featured segments on gun control,
astrology, Feng Shui, environmental issues, PETA, weight loss and the
war on drugs. Some have praised the show for its libertarian
perspective, while others have criticized it for the same reason,
alleging that it sometimes employs the same brand of fallacious
reasoning that the show ostensibly opposes, notably in relation to
passive smoking and climate change. The pair has written several books
about magic, including Penn & Teller's Cruel Tricks For Dear Friends,
Penn & Teller's How to Play with Your Food, and Penn & Teller's How to
Play in Traffic. Since 2001, Penn & Teller perform six nights a week in
Las Vegas at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino.
Penn Jillette began a weekday one-hour talk show on Infinity
Broadcasting's Free FM radio network in January 2006 with cohost Michael
Goudeau.