# Why does "Teller", in Penn & Teller, never speak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216 "2008-07-03T18:35:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scrambledeggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@scrambledeggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scrambledeggs)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/1 "2008-07-03T18:35:39Z")
Why does “Teller”, in Penn & Teller, never speak? Is it some kind of parody of a dominant/submissive relationship? Is it based on showmanship–because the old “hot blonde” assistants were to be sawed in half, never spoke? Is Penn making fun of that, or just imitating it because it works better on the stage? I did hear Teller speak ONCE on their show, as part of a gag. I think it was one word. Usually Teller is on the receiving end of some kind of physical torment or danger, making his silence even more unusual. This issue of submissively silent partner thing is crying out for a women’s studies major to unleash some feminist criticism. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/2 "2008-07-03T18:38:01Z")
From the [Penn & Teller FAQ](http://www.pennandteller.com/sincity/penn-n-teller/faq.html): When Teller first began performing at fraternity parties in his college days, he discovered that if he didn’t speak, the frat boys would set down their cups of beer, remove their hands from their girlfriends’ breasts, and pay attention to what he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/3 "2008-07-03T18:42:21Z")
From [his Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teller_%28magician%29): > [@](#): > > Teller’s trademark silence originated during his youth, when he earned a living performing magic at college fraternity parties. He found that if he maintained silence throughout his act, spectators refrained from throwing beer and heckling him and focused more on his performance. The same page also has a list of his speaking bits, and also has a very interesting bit of trivia about him: > [@](#): > > He legally changed his name to “Teller” and possesses one of the few United States passports issued in a single name ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/4 "2008-07-03T18:42:48Z")
Penn speaks enough for both of them. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/5 "2008-07-03T18:49:52Z")
Every now and then he does speak. Sometimes he’ll sing, but from behind a curtain. He’s spoken to me. It was a very touching moment. He said “That’ll be fifteen bucks.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/6 "2008-07-03T18:55:22Z")
Another thing you have to remember is that Teller is the magician, and \*Penn \* is the hot blonde assistant. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/7 "2008-07-03T19:03:36Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Another thing you have to remember is that Teller is the magician, and \*Penn \* is the hot blonde assistant. [/QUOTE] That concept makes my brain hurt. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/8 "2008-07-03T19:11:24Z")
When I saw their show years ago, Teller was the voice of Mofo, the talking gorilla, as well as the (singing) voice of the ghost of Harry Houdini. He also chatted with audience members in the lobby after the show. He just doesn’t talk _as Teller_ while performing on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/9 "2008-07-03T19:14:00Z")
He does speak. After the show I saw (and from what I understand is every show), both Penn and Teller stay behind and greet the entire audience. When you meet him he doesn’t pretend to not speak. He acts like a normal human. Well, a normal human wearing a toga and covered in stage blood (when I saw him anyway). And he taught Latin at my BIL’s high school. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/10 "2008-07-03T19:18:13Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Another thing you have to remember is that Teller is the magician, and \*Penn \* is the hot blonde assistant. [/QUOTE] …My mind is totally blown. Dude. The universe makes so much more sense now. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/11 "2008-07-03T19:22:55Z")
[QUOTE=Terminus Est] Penn speaks enough for both of them. [/QUOTE] … and I wish he’d stop. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/12 "2008-07-03T19:37:30Z")
He speaks quite a lot in his instructional magic videos which he makes without Penn. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/13 "2008-07-03T19:37:47Z")
[QUOTE=scrambledeggs] Is it some kind of parody of a dominant/submissive relationship? [/QUOTE] By that logic, Harpo Marx pulled a train every night. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/14 "2008-07-03T19:44:44Z")
Teller wrote a book not too long ago and gave an interview on NPR about it (sorry, my Google-fu is failing and I can’t find the title). Where Penn’s voice is harsh and grating, Teller’s is very pleasant: sonorous and sincere. It’s ironic that the one with the nicer voice never talks on stage… J. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/15 "2008-07-03T19:47:01Z")
I’m reminded of when P&T were on the old Daily Show with Craig Kilborn. As the final of the “Five Questions”, Kilborn said, “This one’s for Teller: _Say something!_” Teller apparently said “Fuck!”, but of course it was bleeped, so you still didn’t hear him. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/16 "2008-07-03T19:47:50Z")
When they started out in their respective careers, both Penn and Teller had to find a way to deal with such difficulties as lack of attention or hecklers or noisy environments. Penn coped by being louder and more dominant than anyone else in the room. Teller didn’t have this option and opted instead to go silent and to do dangerous stuff that got people watching. When they started working together, they decided to keep to these respective roles, and it has worked very well for them. Teller is delighted to have a fantastic front man for the act who does all the talking and the jokes, and who can handle anything thrown at him (sometimes literally); Penn is delighted to be working with a man regarded by most other magicians as one of the greatest magical thinkers and inventors there has been. Off stage, Teller talks normally, just like anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/17 "2008-07-03T19:49:51Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] By that logic, Harpo Marx pulled a train every night. [/QUOTE] Okay, now MY brain hurts. And my eyes are negotiating a strategic withdrawal. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/18 "2008-07-03T19:59:18Z")
He spoke on “The Simpsons.” Homer: Hey, I thought you never talked. Teller: Uh, I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out. Oh, God, now Penn’s going to beat me. Penn: Folks, it’s all part of the act! Teller: No it isn’t! Don’t leave me alone with him! Penn: You’ve ruined the act! I’m going to kill you! Teller: He’ll do it! I’m not the first Teller. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/19 "2008-07-03T20:00:26Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] He spoke on “The Simpsons.” Homer: Hey, I thought you never talked. Teller: Uh, I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out. Oh, God, now Penn’s going to beat me. Penn: Folks, it’s all part of the act! Teller: No it isn’t! Don’t leave me alone with him! Penn: You’ve ruined the act! I’m going to kill you! Teller: He’ll do it! I’m not the first Teller. [/QUOTE] Was that really him speaking, too? He has a nice voice. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216/20 "2008-07-03T20:09:09Z")
[Teller speaks.](http://youtube.com/watch?v=TgtgOs_OkTU) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-teller-in-penn-teller-never-speak/455216.md?page=2)