It turns out Saturday Night Live wasn’t the only production marking a 50-year anniversary in 2025: Magicians Penn & Teller performed their first show together a half century ago. Since then, the duo have become two of the most famous magicians in the world, as well as the longest-running headliners in the history of Las Vegas. And, as they proved during their March 26 Tonight Show visit, they remain masters of their mix of comedy and jaw-dropping tricks.
The Fool Us stars reminisced about their first time performing together in 1975, minutes before blowing the audience’s mind by playing a (magic) trick on Fallon. “The first place we played was the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. And I will give you a moment to picture us in tights,” Penn Jillette — the speaking member of the act — told Jimmy Fallon. “We tried to be a little bit Renaissance,” he explained, adding that they’ll return again this year.
Walking Fallon over to the 50th anniversary merch table they’d set up on the Tonight Show stage, Jillette encouraged him to choose an item (he opted for the magic kit). As Teller silently handed the Host what seemed like a gift, Jillette insisted that Fallon hand over his credit card. Less than a minute later, Teller had found a creative way to make it disappear.
Watch Penn & Teller magic-trick Jimmy Fallon
“Even though your credit card has vanished, you’re still responsible for all the future charges,” Jillette told Fallon.
“I don’t like this trick,” Fallon replied, still holding his shopping bag.
Explaining that they’d found themselves in middle of a classic “object to impossible location” trick, Jillette directed Fallon to peer in the bag. He did find plastic in there, but not the kind that fits in your wallet.
Magicians Penn & Teller during a magic demo with host Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Season 12, Episode 91 on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Photo: Todd Owyoung/NBC
“If the trash is where the credit card should be… maybe, just maybe, the credit card is where the trash should be,” Jillette said, ushering Fallon to a chain-wrapped metal waste can and instructing the Host to tear through its contents.
Inside the trash can was — what else? — a smaller, chain-wrapped trash can, which contained yet another. You’ll never guess where Fallon finally recovered his card.
“That’s INSANE!” a shocked Fallon told the two. Watch them briefly and hilariously rob Jimmy Fallon above.
Does Teller from Penn & Teller speak in real life?
Yes.
The silent half of Penn & Teller — who goes professionally by the one name — only keeps quiet as a foil to Penn Jillette onstage. He’s also an occasional actor, guesting on shows including Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory.
In a 2020 interview with Vanishing Inc. Magic, Teller said he feels a “powerfully intimate” nonverbal connection with audiences.
“It’s almost as if the audience can read my mind. I never ‘act,’ I never really make faces, I never do, you know, that sort of clown stuff. I just think the thoughts that I’d think if the thing were really happening,” Teller said. “And somehow or other, the audience seems to be able to read that on my body […] it’s almost — if I believed in that sort of thing — it seems almost telepathic.”