# Penn and Teller Fool Us (season four) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198 "2017-07-13T22:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/101 "2017-08-07T15:16:44Z")
Yum! I love Smart Food popcorn! ---
**Author:** ![TheHYPO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@TheHYPO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheHYPO)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/102 "2017-08-08T06:35:14Z")
> [@numeroussyrup](#): > > I was watching another routine from an older season on youtube and the magician had commented on his video by saying that the producers don’t just want to only show card tricks. I think this makes sense because four card tricks, while great, don’t make for a good hour of television. So my guess is they are trying to mix things up and also have enough variety to make each episode feel unique. Don’t get me wrong. I’m fine with escapes, but the 2 minutes dry explanation like this was the first time we’ve ever heard of someone escaping from handcuffs in a water tank was boring, not exciting. I was referring specifically to his personal presentation/intro to the trick which (again) we know is a trick from the simple fact that he’s on this show. He just didn’t have much energy in his presentation to make me feel the added sense of peril. > [@](#): > > I would imagine she does the trick exactly like she did it on the show with a regular audience. Incidentally, the reveal is also one of the oldest reveals I know since I had a friend in high school who was into magic and did this exact reveal although not with ash or soot but with regular dirt. I am unclear if in the regular context if she would have different people call the cut spot vs. picking up the paper from the ground; I would have assumed it was the same volunteer normally, but for whatever reason, they didn’t want P/T to physically participate, but you may be right. Either way, unless the person picking up the scrap was an assistant (not audience member) or could not see the cut point before the cut, the issue would remain if the cut was between paragraphs. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/103 "2017-08-08T15:40:06Z")
> [@TheHYPO](#): > > On Shin Lim, the most interesting thing to me is what he was practicing when he severed tendons. Sounds interesting. I assume he accidentally disappeared his thumb into hammerspace along with the cards. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/104 "2017-08-08T18:46:32Z")
Hey, how does that “write on your arm with ash” or whatever work? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/105 "2017-08-08T18:49:52Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Hey, how does that “write on your arm with ash” or whatever work? Totally amateur blind guess here: Various responses written in a clear sticky substance on various parts of the body? ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/106 "2017-08-08T19:49:19Z")
Soap appears to be the traditional substance. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/107 "2017-08-08T20:36:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Totally amateur blind guess here: Various responses written in a clear sticky substance on various parts of the body? What was the word? I’m curious whether it’s something where you could easily add/remove letters from either end to get different words. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/108 "2017-08-08T20:46:19Z")
Just write on your skin with some soap. The liquid soap in restrooms is fine, or just a wet a piece of bar soap. The trick usually involves discovering some word or number and writing that on your arm with the soap just before the reveal but the soap will have some holding power for quite a while after you write it on. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/109 "2017-08-09T02:42:48Z")
Matt Johnson’s ability to hold his breath is impressive. The long bit about Alyson playing with the keys/lock and mixing them up in the glass etc. is made irrelevant when his assistant comes out and apparently (just before the camera conveniently cuts away) hides said glass full of keys behind the table - I assume he simply swaps it out for a glass full of valid keys - no? ---
**Author:** ![numeroussyrup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/edb3f5/32.png) [@numeroussyrup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/numeroussyrup)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/110 "2017-08-09T05:14:24Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Hey, how does that “write on your arm with ash” or whatever work? The article is written upside down. The last word is “time” thus where the cut is made, the first word will always be “time”. All she had to do was write the word on her wrist with glue before the trick. Potentially, in a bigger act, she might have more words as well. ---
**Author:** ![numeroussyrup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/edb3f5/32.png) [@numeroussyrup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/numeroussyrup)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/111 "2017-08-09T06:10:28Z")
I just saw this on youtube but on the original show UK [Richard Bellars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMnk4tE6N9A) fooled P&T. He has now [posted](https://youtu.be/Lff5amhI14M) a video explaining in detail exactly what he did. I won’t spoil it as you can watch the video and find out yourself but it is damn clever. And so amazingly simple that it’s amazing that no one had done something like that before, at least to my knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/112 "2017-08-09T13:21:51Z")
> [@numeroussyrup](#): > > I just saw this on youtube but on the original show UK [Richard Bellars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMnk4tE6N9A) fooled P&T. He has now [posted](https://youtu.be/Lff5amhI14M) a video explaining in detail exactly what he did. I won’t spoil it as you can watch the video and find out yourself but it is damn clever. And so amazingly simple that it’s amazing that no one had done something like that before, at least to my knowledge. Brilliant. Once again demonstrates how effective a simple gimmick can be. And how P&T can be fooled by finding a new twist on an old trick, they would be inclined to consider how he got the paper into his shoe from his hand someone instead of considering that he could take it up from the floor. ---
**Author:** ![numeroussyrup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/edb3f5/32.png) [@numeroussyrup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/numeroussyrup)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/113 "2017-08-09T15:42:23Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Brilliant. Once again demonstrates how effective a simple gimmick can be. And how P&T can be fooled by finding a new twist on an old trick, they would be inclined to consider how he got the paper into his shoe from his hand someone instead of considering that he could take it up from the floor. Exactly. And it shows how important presentation is. The entire trick requires one very simple move near the end and everything else is just patter. He wrote on a comment somewhere below that afterwards Teller said to him that given tons of guesses he still wouldn’t have figured it out, it’s that clever. It’s such a nice gimmick that I hope magicians consider using it more. It’s a great and simple effect and has the added bonus that almost everyone will believe it goes down to the shoe, not up to it… Bellars said he sold it and only like 3 copies were sold. Maybe this video will get more people to buy it. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/114 "2017-08-09T18:29:31Z")
> [@numeroussyrup](#): > > Exactly. And it shows how important presentation is. The entire trick requires one very simple move near the end and everything else is just patter. He wrote on a comment somewhere below that afterwards Teller said to him that given tons of guesses he still wouldn’t have figured it out, it’s that clever. > > It’s such a nice gimmick that I hope magicians consider using it more. It’s a great and simple effect and has the added bonus that almost everyone will believe it goes down to the shoe, not up to it… Bellars said he sold it and only like 3 copies were sold. Maybe this video will get more people to buy it. I’m still confused. Who wrote the predictions? And how did the paper get on the stage where he could step on it? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/115 "2017-08-09T19:28:29Z")
Hold up hold up hold up… TELLER HAS NEVER PLAYED ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS AND HAD TO HAVE IT EXPLAINED TEN TIMES?!?!?! That video is full of secrets!!! ---
**Author:** ![numeroussyrup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/edb3f5/32.png) [@numeroussyrup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/numeroussyrup)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/116 "2017-08-09T19:35:25Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I’m still confused. Who wrote the predictions? And how did the paper get on the stage where he could step on it? Someone off stage. He points out that editing helped him here because we don’t see the table for the briefcase brought on stage because it’s hidden by an edit. That’s how it gets on stage. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Hold up hold up hold up… > > TELLER HAS NEVER PLAYED ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS AND HAD TO HAVE IT EXPLAINED TEN TIMES?!?!?! > > That video is full of secrets!!! Yeah that was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/117 "2017-08-09T20:10:39Z")
> [@numeroussyrup](#): > > Someone off stage. He points out that editing helped him here because we don’t see the table for the briefcase brought on stage because it’s hidden by an edit. That’s how it gets on stage. Huh. That seems like a huge detail to edit out. How did Penn and Teller miss that? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/118 "2017-08-09T21:42:54Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Huh. That seems like a huge detail to edit out. How did Penn and Teller miss that? They were still looking for him to pick up the paper with his hand and transfer it somewhere else. They didn’t know it would end up in his shoe, and even if they did it’s a new technique to pick it up with a trick shoe so they still might not have noticed. But by the time they found out the paper was in his shoe it was too late to look for how it got there, they just had to guess. ---
**Author:** ![Dingbang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/119 "2017-08-10T20:01:04Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > I assumed that the assistant switched the entire batch of keys/glass as he was taking them over to the box to dump in. So ALL of the keys in the box actually worked, which was why he wouldn’t want P&T to take even a cursory look at the keys left inside. > > OTOH, the guy was wearing baggy shorts and had a HUGE beard. It would have been utterly trivial for him to have had a second working key stashed there, for him to pull out and use when his air supply got low. Though in that case, he should probably have taken the risk of letting them examine the keys, both the ones in the box and the ones he’d tossed around – only one of them was the original “right” key, so what are the odds they’d have hit on that one to test or would have persisted testing past one or two keys? Having the assistant come out and take the batch of keys made everything that came before it pointless. He spends time showing that the keys don’t work, then his assistant comes out and takes those keys, moves them out of sight for a long moment while the focus is elsewhere, and then puts a batch of keys in the water tank. I was surprised Penn’s guess wasn’t something like, “Well, gee, did you just have your guy walk out and dump a bunch of matching keys in the tank? But bravo for holding your breath a while.” Now if he’d had Alyson walk over and dump the keys in the tank, that would have been more impressive. Or even do it himself. There was no need whatsoever to have an assistant enter and do that, so of course that’s a tip to how it was done. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198/120 "2017-08-11T03:21:13Z")
Most recent episode: the David Parr/Allyson Hannigan trick was amazing. Does anyone have any idea how he did it? Also, Penn & Teller’s trick at the end was kind of mind-blowing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-and-teller-fool-us-season-four/791198.md?page=7)