Teller speaks, and reveals what is behind magic
Teller, the quiet half of the famous magic team Penn & Teller, started his speech at the Idea Festival by pulling a carpenter’s hammer from his coat pocket and placing it at the edge of the stage.
Teller said he planned to reveal some secrets of his magic, but he didn’t want videos of it showing up on YouTube. So he asked audience members to use the hammer to smash any video cameras they saw among them.
That introduction drew laughs. Many others were simply surprised to hear Teller, who is usually silent on stage, actually speak.
As it turned out, Teller was a terrific speaker, and he explained how he performs one of his most difficult illusions — making a red ball dance around in thin air. Let’s just say it has to do with thread, skill and lots and lots of practice.
Some magicians want to keep their secrets secret. But Teller said his theory is this: “If you know how a trick is done, you’ll like it more, not less.”
During the explanation, he offered several insights into magic tricks and illusions and why they work, such as:
“Magic’s cause and effect are linked by poetry instead than physics.”
“Nothing fools you better than the lie you tell yourself.”
Teller may be one of the world’s most famous illusionists, but that doesn’t mean he no longer needs to practice. In fact, he said he spends much of his time practicing tricks over and over to improve his skill and make them look effortless.
“The muses don’t drop by unless you keep regular office hours,” he said.
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