Penn & Teller, the self-styled “bad boys of magic”, have finally been welcomed into The Magic Circle, the world’s most prestigious magic society, after fifty years on the outside looking in.
Now, after five decades of trailblazing stagecraft, Penn Jillette and Raymond Teller have been inducted straight into the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star — the society’s highest honour, awarded to those who’ve made an exceptional contribution to the art. The announcement was made during their current 50th-anniversary residency at the London Palladium, which made the occasion feel all the more special.
Marvin Berglas, President of The Magic Circle, put it best:
“Penn & Teller have consistently redefined what it means to be magical entertainers. Their originality, creativity, and showmanship are unmatched, and we are proud to finally welcome them into The Magic Circle.”
It’s more than a nice piece of recognition — it’s a genuine moment of reconciliation between tradition and reinvention in magic. Penn & Teller have spent a career proving that wonder can come both from guarding secrets and from having the nerve to share them.
From Las Vegas to London, from television specials to Fool Us, they’ve never stopped astonishing, amusing, and provoking. As official members of The Magic Circle, that legacy now has a proper home.
A small personal note: I was proud to provide the PR signage for the induction pictured above. Huge thanks also to my friend and fellow magician Brendan Rodrigues for the photographs on the day.
