5 ms·

Is anyone else as impressed as I am that Teller remembered the name of an up-and-coming magician they met after a show more than a year earlier? And that he ref

Is anyone else as impressed as I am that Teller remembered the name of an up-and-coming magician they met after a show more than a year earlier? And that he referenced the 'inside joke' with no prompting? Also, I think folks are missing what seems to me to be the key takeaway: "And if I'm good, it's because I should be a film editor. Bach should have written opera or plays. But instead, he worked in eighteenth-century counterpoint." He's taking something that's well understood in one area and bringing it to an area where that thing is not understood. Sometimes people call that a 'distinctive'. Sometimes it's a 'paradigm shift'. Teller could have been an average film editor, or he could take ideas from film and bring them to magic.

SoftwareMaven 15y ago
I actually went back to e original letter to see if I had missed a reference. From what I've seen of Teller, though, it isn't surprising that he would remember or that he would reply. He's one of the few famous people I wouldn't mind meeting.
- zecho 15y ago
  If you'd like to meet him, even briefly, go to the Penn and Teller show at the Rio in Vegas. After every show, they hang out in the hallway and chat with the audience as they leave. They usually wait until everyone is gone before they head out. (By the way, Teller's letter mentions his version of The Miser's Dream, which is still in his act. And it's the most amazing interpretation of it I've ever seen.) I always joked that if college didn't work out, I'd work as a street magician. As I've traveled around the country, I still make a point, time permitting, to stop by magic shops. I've yet to find one that doesn't have something from Teller written on the walls somewhere.
  - alanfalcon 15y ago
    This article has made the rounds a few times, including a recent Gruber link that I can recall, but certainly it'll be new to some people. If you ever wondered how long Teller is willing to work on a trick to get it right, just read this. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2008/nov/20/man-ball-hoop-bench-and-alleged-thread-teller/ http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2008/nov/20/man-ball-hoop...
    - michaelcampbell 15y ago
      Penn goes into a lot of his life, both with respect to his career and not, in his book "God No!" One's views on religion notwithstanding, it's an interesting read; very personal and poignant.
  - ars 15y ago
    Isaac Asimov and Piers Anthony have both written in their books that they never suffer from writers block, and the reason both gave is that they read and reply to letters from their audience. Isaac Asimov especially replied to every single letter he received (I'm not sure about Piers Anthony). Penn and Teller seem to have the same idea: Interact with every member of your audience who wants to talk to you. And they are one of the most successful magicians. I think everyone should learn from this. Do you write a blog? Read every single comment you get, and reply to as many as you can. Run a business? Read as much customer service mail as you can. And if you are small read ALL of it.
    - alanfalcon 15y ago
      Piers Anthony had one ongoing correspondence with a fan, and he wrote so much that he published a novel length book, Letters To Jenny, containing that correspondence. And it's a good read, too. Obviously Peirs doesn't write so much to everyone, and I can't answer whether he responds to everyone, but he certainly welcomes the letters.
    - kragen 15y ago
      Piers Anthony did, at one point, reply to every single letter he received. I don't know if he still does.
    - phreanix 15y ago
      Funny that you mentioned Piers Anthony, he was my entry point into sci-fi/fantasy and I've been a voracious reader ever since.
shoover 15y ago
Yes, that blew me away. Almost too good to be true.
motoford 15y ago
I think maybe Brushwood really was Teller's long lost son. Only Teller and Brushwood's mom knew the truth. This fact would explain everything.

SoftwareMaven 15y ago

I actually went back to e original letter to see if I had missed a reference. From what I've seen of Teller, though, it isn't surprising that he would remember or that he would reply. He's one of the few famous people I wouldn't mind meeting.

zecho 15y ago
If you'd like to meet him, even briefly, go to the Penn and Teller show at the Rio in Vegas. After every show, they hang out in the hallway and chat with the audience as they leave. They usually wait until everyone is gone before they head out. (By the way, Teller's letter mentions his version of The Miser's Dream, which is still in his act. And it's the most amazing interpretation of it I've ever seen.) I always joked that if college didn't work out, I'd work as a street magician. As I've traveled around the country, I still make a point, time permitting, to stop by magic shops. I've yet to find one that doesn't have something from Teller written on the walls somewhere.
- alanfalcon 15y ago
  This article has made the rounds a few times, including a recent Gruber link that I can recall, but certainly it'll be new to some people. If you ever wondered how long Teller is willing to work on a trick to get it right, just read this. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2008/nov/20/man-ball-hoop-bench-and-alleged-thread-teller/ http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2008/nov/20/man-ball-hoop...
  - michaelcampbell 15y ago
    Penn goes into a lot of his life, both with respect to his career and not, in his book "God No!" One's views on religion notwithstanding, it's an interesting read; very personal and poignant.
- ars 15y ago
  Isaac Asimov and Piers Anthony have both written in their books that they never suffer from writers block, and the reason both gave is that they read and reply to letters from their audience. Isaac Asimov especially replied to every single letter he received (I'm not sure about Piers Anthony). Penn and Teller seem to have the same idea: Interact with every member of your audience who wants to talk to you. And they are one of the most successful magicians. I think everyone should learn from this. Do you write a blog? Read every single comment you get, and reply to as many as you can. Run a business? Read as much customer service mail as you can. And if you are small read ALL of it.
  - alanfalcon 15y ago
    Piers Anthony had one ongoing correspondence with a fan, and he wrote so much that he published a novel length book, Letters To Jenny, containing that correspondence. And it's a good read, too. Obviously Peirs doesn't write so much to everyone, and I can't answer whether he responds to everyone, but he certainly welcomes the letters.
  - kragen 15y ago
    Piers Anthony did, at one point, reply to every single letter he received. I don't know if he still does.
  - phreanix 15y ago
    Funny that you mentioned Piers Anthony, he was my entry point into sci-fi/fantasy and I've been a voracious reader ever since.

shoover 15y ago

Yes, that blew me away. Almost too good to be true.

motoford 15y ago

I think maybe Brushwood really was Teller's long lost son. Only Teller and Brushwood's mom knew the truth. This fact would explain everything.