Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends by Penn Jillette

They have also described themselves as teetotalers.

On Bullshit!, the duo describe their social and political views as libertarian. It has also featured critical segments on gun control, astrology, Feng Shui, environmental issues, PETA, weight loss, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the war on drugs. Their Showtime Network television show Bullshit! takes a skeptical look at psychics, religion, the pseudoscientific, conspiracy theories, and the paranormal. They also appeared as Three-card Monte scam artists in the music video for “It’s Tricky” by Run-DMC in 1987, and were thrown out of a Las Vegas hotel room in the music video for “Waking Up in Vegas” by Katy Perry in 2009.

They have also made television guest appearances on Babylon 5 (as the comedy team Rebo and Zooty), The Drew Carey Show, a few episodes of Hollywood Squares from 1998 until 2004, ABC’s Muppets Tonight, FOX’s The Bernie Mac Show, an episode of the game show Fear Factor on NBC, NBC’s The West Wing, in a two-part episode of the final season of ABC’s Home Improvement in 1998, four episodes during season 1 of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch in 1996, NBC’s Las Vegas, and FOX’s The Simpsons episodes Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder and The Great Simpsina and Futurama film Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder in 2009. Penn & Teller had national tours throughout the 1990s, gaining critical praise. Through the late 1980s and early 1990s, the duo 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, Today, and many others. In 1987, they began the first of two successful Broadway runs. Chrisimer helped to develop some bits that continued, most notably Teller’s “Shadows” trick, which involves a single red rose.īy 1985, Penn & Teller were receiving rave reviews for their Off Broadway show and Emmy award-winning PBS special, Penn & Teller Go Public. This act was sillier and less “edgy” than today’s Penn & Teller act. From the late 1970s through 1981, the three made up an act called “Asparagus Valley Cultural Society” which played in San Francisco at the Phoenix Theater. Penn and Teller were introduced to one another by Weir Chrisimer.

They specialize in gory tricks, exposing frauds, and performing clever pranks, and have become associated with Las Vegas, atheism, scientific skepticism, and libertarianism.

Penn Jillette is a raconteur Teller generally uses mime while performing, although his voice can occasionally be heard throughout their performance. Penn & Teller (Penn Jillette and Teller) are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and comedy.

Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends by Penn Jillette