Penn Jillette Quotes

I'm not a big fan of doing it because I get really frustrated because I can't do any of the tricks, but I love to watch magic.

I definitely went through my magic phase. I think all little boys do at some point or another - they get fascinated by magic tricks.

Magic is like special effects live, and I love to perform, so it sounded like doing magic tricks were a good way to entertain people.

My interest was magic, believe it or not. I became an amateur magician and did something like 400 magic shows through my teen years.

He spent hours and hours and hours practising these conjuring tricks. It's just such a curious thing.

I've been doing magic since I was five years old, and when I was trying to get acting gigs, I found I could make a good living at it. It's great to kind of shake the cobwebs off and get the feeling of a live audience again. I love close-up magic, the card stuff, the coin stuff, the really up-close David Blaine stuff.

I've always done magic as a hobby. I've done it professionally, too.

I love magic. Like, 'pull a scarf out of your fake thumb' magic. I have a legit bag of 'Magic Stuff' in my garage.

I never quite know how to describe what I do. I normally just say, 'Oh, I'm a magician', which probably puts fairly naff ideas in people's minds but is pleasantly conversation-stopping.

I always wanted to do magic tricks - I feel like that could be the the next wave.

I suppose that if I could only do one thing, a solid card effect would be pretty high on the list. That's the root of it all, sleight-of-hand. It's certainly the thing I feel most comfortable with.

I don't think you can say something is or isn't magic. That's what was cool about Houdini, because he was a magician who had a magic show, but he was also an escape artist, and they kind of, over time, blended together. They both kind of enhance each other, I think.

If I had auditioned for 'Merlin' on magic alone, I don't think I'd have got it. Like any kid, I probably had a magic kit, but it's not something I ever pursued. I've never watched a magic show like David Copperfield or used him to base my character on, but I really like David Blaine and Darren Brown. They are doing wonders.

If people are fans of 'Mindfreak,' they are going to be so excited with 'Believe.' They are actually going to see those illusions that people think can only happen with trick photography.

The problem with stage magic is that it looks really good, but everyone knows there's a trick box.

All David Blaine is is a good-looking magician.

I started performing when I was 9 or 10, doing magic.

I had a magic kit. I never really followed through on it, but I had my phase of wanting to do it, sure.

For the most part, any serious magic show is not using very much technology newer than theatrical lights.

I've always performed magic as a kid.

My interest in magic was kindled by Steve Martin, the comedian I'd gone to high school with.

Of course, in all magic tricks there's a secret.

Dai Vernon, the greatest sleight of hand figure in the history of the art, rarely performed. But he invented magic and had an enormous influence on the whole range of sleight of hand. And so often, the magic he was doing was to fool other magicians.

One day, I saw a magic show, and I was like, 'I have to learn how to do this!' Every time I went to Las Vegas, I had to get at least two or three tricks from the magic shops.

Indian street magic tends to be very gory, blood and guts. One trick is for a magician to take a knife and appear to cut his kid's head almost off. The magician then says to the crowd, 'Well I can continue to cut off my son's head or you can all give me some money.' Then he wanders around and takes 10 rupees from everyone and restores his son.