# Does "Teller" ever speak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 29, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008 "2004-03-29T03:35:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/21 "2004-03-29T16:25:47Z")
> [@green\_bladder](#): > > Yep. And his birth name was Raymond Joseph Teller. > > [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0854418/bio](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0854418/bio) ohhh wait - so that means he changed it later? ---
**Author:** ![dav01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@dav01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dav01)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/22 "2004-03-29T16:26:26Z")
In my previous career, I was a stage technician and had the pleasure of working on two separate Penn & Teller stage shows. (Slight hijack- even after being backstage and involved with the show during several weeks of rehearsal and performances, I’m still at a loss as to how they did several of their tricks.) Anyhow, what’s interesting is that during rehearsals and while developing their tricks, Teller is the main man- comes up with most of the stage direction, gives the orders to his staff and the crew, plans everything out, etc., while Penn hangs by the craft services table and chats up anyone who will walk by, especially if attractive and female. Then Teller will call him to the stage and Penn takes over. Not to minimize Penn’s contribution- he’s a tour de force when onstage; it’s just interesting that for someone whose stage persona is a mute, I think he’s the vocal one right up until showtime. The two work very well together. ---
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/23 "2004-03-29T16:28:35Z")
> [@river](#): > > ohhh wait - so that means he changed it later? gaahh nevermind, just clicked the link. mea culpa. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/24 "2004-03-29T16:49:46Z")
NTTAWWT, but is Teller gay? I’ve noticed that in all the self-referential writing the two have put out there have been numerous mentions of Penn Jillette’s various girlfriends, past and present, but I’ve never read any mention of any love interest in Teller’s life. I also noticed that one of their books was collectively dedicated to six people; Penn’s mother and father, Teller’s mother and father, Penn’s girlfriend, and a man who was named but not described. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/25 "2004-03-29T17:26:26Z")
I’ll verify what others have said. Teller has done lengthy readings from his written work on NPR, says “Sure” or “Yeah” during the “By Buddha, That Duck Is Immortal” routine, provides the voice for “Mofo, the Psychic Gorilla”, and stands out in the lobby after shows and talks for as long as you please. I just wanted to post that if you EVER have the opportunity to visit Penn Jillette’s house (known as “The Slammer” for its exterior resemblance to a minimum security prison) in the residential area of Las Vegas, do not pass up this thrilling and deeply unnerving opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/26 "2004-03-29T17:35:48Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Met him once. He has a very pleasant speaking voice. I, too, have spoken to Teller. It was outside of a theatre in Philadelphia, where P&T had given a performance. Cool guys, the both of them. I have a picture of Teller and me from the incident, in which we’ve got the same expression. Apparently Teller was trying to imitate my half-smile, half-smirk! ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/27 "2004-03-29T17:43:00Z")
> [@Joe Random](#): > > I once saw Penn and Teller being interviewed once – I forget by whom, but I think it was one of your standard late-night talk show hosts, like Leno or Letterman or something. Anyway, the topic of Teller’s silence came up, at which point Penn insisted that, yes, Teller can speak. He then told Teller to say something, and he did. He said “fuck”, so that it would be bleeped out in the actual broadcast. That was on _The Daily Show_, back when Craig Kilborn was hosting. The fifth of Five Questions, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/28 "2004-03-29T19:44:22Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Teller speaks a lot on instructional videos (for magic enthusiasts.) He’s _very_ good at the sleight of hand stuff. Really? Good enough to make a living at it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/29 "2004-03-30T03:10:21Z")
The first time I heard him was in [Invisible Thread](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137162/). But he spoke into a bullhorn and his mouth was covered. (Check out the cast list in the link!) ---
**Author:** ![mcott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@mcott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcott)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008/30 "2004-03-30T04:58:17Z")
He also had one word at the end of an episode of Babylon5 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teller-ever-speak/237008.md?page=1)