Jonathan Burns Serves Up Hilarious “Magic With Cheese” on Penn & Teller: Fool Us

 Magician and comedian Jonathan Burns proved that almost anything can become a magic prop—even individually wrapped slices of cheese.

During his appearance on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Burns walked onto the stage carrying a lunch box and announced that he planned to perform an original illusion called “Magic With Cheese.” What followed was a wonderfully strange combination of sleight of hand, comedy, and processed dairy products.

Burns began by removing several slices of cheese from the lunch box and inviting host Alyson Hannigan to join him. He then performed his own unusual version of the classic “Cards Across” plot, replacing the playing cards with slices of American cheese.

The premise was simple: Burns placed some of the cheese into Alyson’s hands while holding the remaining slices himself. Without apparently going near her, one slice mysteriously traveled from his packet to hers.

The magic was strong, but the routine’s real charm came from Burns’ commitment to the ridiculous premise. Every pun, facial expression, and awkward interaction helped transform a familiar piece of magic into something completely fresh.

Penn Jillette complimented the routine and explained that he and Teller frequently experiment with performing card tricks using objects other than playing cards. Despite all their brainstorming, however, they had never considered using cheese.

Burns did not receive a Fool Us trophy, but Penn described the performance as “absolutely fabulous.” More importantly, the routine became an audience favorite and demonstrated an important creative lesson for magicians: sometimes you don’t need to invent an entirely new trick—you simply need to find a new and entertaining way to present it.

Jonathan Burns has built his career by combining comedy, creativity, contortion, and audience interaction. His television appearances have included America’s Got Talent, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. He has also performed at hundreds of colleges and appeared at events around the world. Jonathan Burns’ official website

The “Magic With Cheese” performance originally aired during Season 4 of Penn & Teller: Fool Us on July 20, 2017. Years later, it remains a funny and memorable example of how an imaginative presentation can breathe new life into a classic magic plot.