Penn & Teller Turn Airport Security Into an Impossible Magic Trick on Fool Us

 Penn & Teller have never been afraid to use magic to make a point. In their memorable “TSA” routine from Penn & Teller: Fool Us, the legendary duo transforms an ordinary airport security checkpoint into a hilarious and increasingly impossible stage illusion.

The performance originally appeared during Season 3, Episode 10 of Fool Us, titled “To Tea or Not to Tea?” The episode aired on September 7, 2016, and featured performances by Timon Krause, Kyle Marlett, The Evasons and Chef Anton. Penn & Teller closed the show with this sharp combination of comedy, social commentary and large-scale magic.

Penn & Teller Put an Airport Metal Detector to the Test

The routine begins with Penn introducing a TSA-style airport metal detector while Teller prepares to pass through security. It looks like a familiar scene encountered by millions of airline passengers—but this is Penn & Teller, so nothing stays ordinary for long.

When Teller activates the detector, Penn begins searching him for whatever caused the alarm. Instead of discovering a few coins or a forgotten set of keys, he produces increasingly ridiculous objects from Teller’s clothing.

Among the impossible items are a metal bowl containing fire and a full-sized fire extinguisher. The discoveries continue escalating until the audience is left wondering how Teller could possibly conceal anything else.

Just when it appears that the routine has reached its limit, Penn & Teller deliver an even larger surprise involving the metal detector itself. The unexpected appearance of a showgirl provides the perfect visual ending to the illusion.

Magic With a Message

Penn & Teller’s “TSA” routine is more than a sequence of impossible productions. The performance uses magic and comedy to question how effective security procedures really are.

If two magicians can apparently carry fire, an extinguisher, a shovel and even another person through a security checkpoint, what good is the detector?

That question is, of course, presented through the exaggerated world of stage magic. However, it gives the routine a point of view that separates it from a standard production illusion. Penn provides the commentary while Teller’s silent reactions and physical comedy keep the performance moving.

The duo has used versions of this routine in its live Las Vegas productions, where the presentation reportedly included an even more direct discussion of airport security and personal freedom. The televised Fool Us version is shorter, but the central message remains clear.

A Classic Example of Penn & Teller’s Style

The performance showcases everything that has made Penn & Teller one of the most influential magic teams in history.

There is a simple and easily understood premise, a steady escalation of impossible moments and a surprise finale. More importantly, the magic supports the larger idea behind the routine.

Penn & Teller have built their career by combining illusion, skepticism, comedy and social commentary. Their magic is rarely presented as a collection of unexplained miracles. Instead, each routine gives the audience something to laugh about, think about or discuss after the performance has ended.

The “TSA” illusion may have originally aired in 2016, but it remains a fascinating example of how the duo can turn a familiar frustration into entertaining and thought-provoking magic.

Shadow Rabbit by Laflin Magic – Complete Kids’ Silk Magic Routine

Now available at www.magiciansmagicshop.com 

 Turn your audience’s color choices into a surprising and colorful magical finale with Shadow Rabbit by Laflin Magic!

The magician begins with two small silks—one black and one white—and attempts to make them change places. The result may not impress

the children at first, but the routine soon produces a large black-and-white picture of a rabbit.

The audience is then invited to choose the colors they believe the rabbit should be. After another magical attempt, the rabbit silk is revealed again—now brightly colored to match the spectators’ selections!

Shadow Rabbit is a highly interactive silk magic routine designed especially for children’s entertainers, family magicians, church performers, and library shows. The routine provides plenty of opportunities for comedy, audience participation, magical mistakes, and a strong visual finish. Although created with children’s shows in mind, the surprising color revelation can also entertain adults.

The original set includes:

* One full-color rabbit silk

* One black-and-white rabbit silk

* One small black silk

* One small white silk

* Clear force bag

* Complete routine and instructions

Produced by Laflin Magic, a respected name among magicians for colorful, practical, and audience-tested silk magic.

Dynamo Returns With His First UK Magic Tour in 10 Years

 Steven Frayne, better known to millions as Dynamo, is returning to the road with his first UK magic tour in a decade.

The Bradford-born magician will take Up Close and Magical to seven cities in early 2027, following successful residencies at London’s Underbelly Boulevard. The tour begins in Salford in January before visiting Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow and Leicester, then concludes with a homecoming run in Bradford in March.

For an entertainer whose biggest television moments have been built around large-scale illusions and headline-making stunts, the new tour marks a deliberate change of scale. Up Close and Magical places the emphasis on intimate magic, live interaction and the sense of wonder shared between a performer and an audience.

Dynamo returns to his close-up roots

According to the official tour announcement, Up Close and Magical draws on material from across Dynamo’s career and is designed for audiences of all ages. The production received four-star reviews from both The Guardian and The Times during its London run.

Frayne says the show helped him reconnect with the reason he began performing magic in the first place. Rather than concentrating on television or headline-making stunts, he has rediscovered the appeal of creating moments of amazement directly with the people in front of him.

That makes the 2027 tour more than a return to live performance. It is also a return to the close-up style that shaped Frayne before Dynamo: Magician Impossible made him an international television star.

The tour’s venues reinforce that idea. Instead of arenas built around distant spectacle, Up Close and Magical will play theatres and more intimate spaces where the audience can experience the magic at closer range.

A personal comeback after serious health challenges

The tour announcement has a personal dimension because Frayne’s relationship with magic has been tested by major health problems.

Frayne has lived with Crohn’s disease for years. In a 2025 interview with The Guardian, he explained that the condition became so severe in 2018 that he could no longer hold a pack of cards. He later underwent keyhole surgery and spoke candidly about the loss of purpose he felt when he was unable to perform.

His recovery gradually changed the way he approached his work. After years in which his public image was closely associated with ambitious television events, Frayne began focusing again on personal storytelling and close-up performance. A run of more than 50 London shows under his real name helped lay the groundwork for this new chapter.

That history gives Up Close and Magical an emotional thread beyond the tricks themselves. It is the work of a performer revisiting his foundations after illness interrupted both his career and his ability to practise the craft that had defined him.

Dynamo’s 2027 UK tour dates

Current ticket listings show the following dates and venues:

• January 17–22: Quays Theatre at The Lowry, Salford
• January 24–27: Redgrave Theatre, Bristol
• February 1–5: The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham
• February 7–10: City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds
• February 15–18: Saint Luke’s, Glasgow
• February 25–28: The Y Theatre, Leicester
• March 2–7: Bradford Playhouse, Bradford

Some dates include early and evening performances. Availability varies, and additional shows can be added, so readers should check the current Dynamo ticket listings before making plans.

A homecoming finale in Bradford

Ending the tour in Bradford gives the schedule a fitting full-circle quality. Frayne has often discussed how magic became a source of confidence and connection while he was growing up in the city. He learned his first tricks from his grandfather and used magic as a way to navigate a difficult childhood.

Returning to Bradford Playhouse at the end of a tour built around rediscovering those early motivations should therefore carry particular significance. The final engagement is not simply another stop on the itinerary; it brings Frayne’s new live chapter back to the place where his interest in magic began.

What audiences can expect from Up Close and Magical

The production is billed as a career-spanning showcase, but its most interesting promise is intimacy. Audiences can expect a mixture of magic and personal storytelling, with the focus placed on direct connection rather than the scale of a television stunt.

For longtime viewers, the show offers an opportunity to see one of Britain’s best-known magicians in a more immediate setting. For younger audience members who did not watch Dynamo’s original television rise, it is an introduction to the close-up skills behind the celebrity persona.

The tour also arrives at an important point in Frayne’s career. It follows a period of recovery, experimentation and acclaimed London performances, while opening a route back to sustained live touring. If the residencies were about rediscovering the pleasure of performing, the 2027 dates will test how that renewed approach connects with audiences around the country.

After ten years away from a full UK tour, Dynamo is not returning with the biggest stunt he can devise. He is returning with something more personal: a show built around the reason he fell in love with magic at all.

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Now You See Me Live Brings the Four Horsemen to the London Stage

 The Four Horsemen have escaped the movie screen and arrived onstage at the London Coliseum—but critics disagree over whether the enormous production strengthens the magic or occasionally gets in its way.

Inspired by Lionsgate’s popular Now You See Me film franchise, Now You See Me Live combines high-tech illusions, dangerous escapes, close-up magic, mentalism and elaborate theatrical effects. The London engagement opened on July 31 and continues through September 6, 2026, before moving to the MGM Grand Theater in Las Vegas from October 15, 2026, through January 5, 2027.

Early reviews range from highly enthusiastic to deeply disappointed. Despite those differences, critics appear to agree on one important point: the individual magicians possess extraordinary talent.

Who Are the Four Horsemen in Now You See Me Live?

The four principal performers appearing as the Horsemen in London are:

• French illusionist Enzo Weyne
• Italian escapologist Andrew Basso
• magician and escape artist Gabriella Lester
• British magician and host Matthew Pomeroy

The production also features special guest performances from card manipulator Eden Choi, hypnotist Fraser Penman and Britain’s Got Talent finalist Rafferty Coope.

The show comes from the producers of The Illusionists and was co-created by Simon Painter and Adam Trent. Enzo Weyne also serves as the production’s illusion director.

Rather than directly recreating one of the films, the stage production borrows the Four Horsemen concept and presents a fast-moving collection of specialty acts and large-scale illusions. Audiences expecting an elaborate heist story similar to the movies may therefore be surprised to discover that the connection to the franchise is primarily thematic.

High-Tech Illusions Meet Live Danger

Now You See Me Live attempts to create the scale and energy of a Hollywood movie without relying on camera tricks or digital editing.

Andrew Basso performs several of the production’s most dangerous sequences, including a recreation of Houdini’s famous water torture escape. He is locked inside a tank while suspended upside down, transforming the theatrical spectacle into a genuine test of skill, timing and physical endurance.

Gabriella Lester adds another dangerous moment by attempting to escape from a safe rigged to explode.

Enzo Weyne contributes large-scale appearances, vanishings and teleportation-style illusions. Several reviewers specifically praised his imaginative routine involving a paper bag and a lightbulb.

Matthew Pomeroy acts as host while presenting close-up magic, mentalism and audience-participation routines. One sequence involves the entire audience tearing and mixing playing cards before discovering an impossible result.

The production surrounds these performances with large video screens, dramatic lighting, pyrotechnics, lasers, smoke and a cinematic electronic score. That approach creates an enormous visual experience inside the London Coliseum, but it is also responsible for much of the disagreement among reviewers.

What Are Critics Praising?

A four-star WhatsOnStage review described the production as a hugely entertaining showcase capable of making a modern, skeptical audience react with childlike amazement.

That review praised Basso and Lester’s escapes, the futuristic scenic design and the way the technical elements sometimes work together with the illusions. It also identified Eden Choi’s card manipulation as one of the evening’s most astonishing moments.

Another four-star review from Jonathan Baz praised the production’s variety and its ability to entertain audiences of different ages. The review highlighted Choi’s manipulation, Lester and Basso’s escapology and the show’s combination of close-up magic with large theatrical set pieces.

The Times awarded the show three stars but found plenty to enjoy. Its critic praised Choi’s apparently endless card productions, Pomeroy’s personable audience work, Weyne’s lightbulb routine and Basso’s dramatic water escape. The overall verdict was that the production provides enjoyable, family-friendly entertainment despite uneven scripting and staging.

Why Are Other Reviews More Critical?

Not every critic believes the magic benefits from such an enormous production.

The Guardian’s review argued that the smoke, lasers and self-important presentation sometimes overwhelm the performers’ genuine abilities.

Even that review praised several individual routines. Andrew Basso’s escapes, Enzo Weyne’s lightbulb illusion and the audience-wide card trick were all singled out as entertaining. However, the critic questioned whether these effects would be even more impressive with simpler staging.

A First Night Magazine review also awarded three stars. It praised the execution, Basso’s composure during his dangerous escapes and Weyne’s creative work, but considered many of the other illusions too familiar to experienced magic audiences.

Other criticisms concern the show’s loose connection to the movies. The Now You See Me films are built around elaborate robberies and unfolding mysteries. The live production is closer to a theatrical magic revue than a direct stage adaptation, with no continuous heist story connecting the acts.

That may not matter to families looking for an exciting evening of magic, but devoted fans of the films could expect a stronger narrative connection.

Is Bigger Always Better for Live Magic?

The most interesting part of the critical response is that several reviewers identified Eden Choi’s card manipulation as a highlight of the entire production.

Choi’s contribution does not depend on explosions, massive scenery or a dangerous escape. It is a focused display of technical skill in which playing cards appear, multiply and cascade from his hands at an incredible pace.

Inside a production designed to resemble a Hollywood blockbuster, one of the most positively reviewed moments comes from a performer standing onstage with a deck of cards.

That contrast illustrates one of the great challenges facing large magic productions. Technology can create scale, atmosphere and excitement, but it can also raise expectations so high that a beautifully executed piece of sleight of hand feels more astonishing than the largest illusion in the show.

The critical disagreement may ultimately come down to what each reviewer wants from live magic. Some embraced the opportunity to see illusions presented with the production values of a major West End show. Others wanted the technology to step aside and allow the performers’ abilities to command the stage.

Now You See Me Live Heads to Las Vegas

Whatever the reviews say, Now You See Me Live represents another major step in bringing theatrical magic to mainstream audiences.

The production has already played in Australia and Singapore. Following its limited engagement at the London Coliseum, it will open at the MGM Grand Theater in Las Vegas on October 15, placing the Four Horsemen in the city most closely associated with modern stage magic.

The Las Vegas engagement is currently scheduled through January 5, 2027.

Whether audiences prefer the dangerous escapes, cinematic illusions or Eden Choi’s pure sleight of hand, the show offers a broad survey of modern magical entertainment.

The critics may disagree about the production surrounding the magic, but few are questioning the talent of the magicians themselves.

Visit the official Now You See Me Live website for dates and ticket information.

Rick Thomas Amazes the Huckabee Audience With Spectacular Dove Magic

 World-renowned illusionist Rick Thomas brought the elegance of classic stage magic to television during a memorable appearance on Mike Huckabee’s TBN program. In a performance filled with beautiful birds, rapid-fire surprises and polished showmanship, Thomas demonstrated why his celebrated dove act has remained a favorite with audiences around the world.

The video, appropriately titled “Where Are These Birds Coming From?!,” features Thomas producing one dove after another from seemingly impossible places. Each time the audience thinks the routine has reached its limit, another bird suddenly appears.

Watch Rick Thomas perform on Huckabee here.

Rick Thomas Brings Classic Dove Magic to Huckabee

Dove magic has been a part of stage magic for generations, but performing it successfully requires much more than simply making a bird appear. The magician must combine precise timing, confident handling, music, movement and a genuine connection with the animals.

Rick Thomas makes the entire process look effortless.

Throughout his Huckabee performance, Thomas works with apparently empty hands, colorful fabric and other simple-looking objects. Without warning, a live dove appears. Moments later, another bird joins it—and then another.

The pace continues to build as Thomas moves smoothly from one magical production to the next. The audience barely has time to react before he creates another impossible moment.

There are no complicated instructions for viewers to follow. The routine is visual, direct and easy to understand: his hands appear empty, and suddenly a beautiful bird is there.

Where Are All the Birds Coming From?

The title of the video asks exactly what viewers are thinking throughout the act: Where are these birds coming from?

Thomas uses his movements and stage presence to guide the audience’s attention, but the performance never feels rushed. Every bird production is given a moment to register before the routine moves forward.

That balance is one of the reasons the act works so well on television. The magic is fast enough to remain exciting, yet clear enough for the cameras and home audience to appreciate each surprise.

Unlike a large illusion involving boxes, curtains or elaborate pieces of equipment, dove magic happens close to the performer’s body. The effect appears extremely clean because the birds seem to materialize from empty space.

The birds also add an element that an ordinary prop cannot provide. They move, react and bring life to the stage. Each appearance is both an impossible magic trick and a beautiful visual moment.

Rick Thomas Demonstrates the Importance of Showmanship

The strongest feature of Rick Thomas’ Huckabee performance is not simply the number of birds he produces. It is the way the entire routine has been constructed as a complete theatrical presentation.

Every gesture has a purpose. The music supports the action, the pacing grows steadily and each magical appearance leads naturally into the next one. Thomas never treats the birds as ordinary props. They are the stars of the routine alongside him.

This type of performance is also a reminder that some of the most memorable magic does not require a complicated story. When an entertainer has developed a strong character, smooth technique and a clear visual style, the magic can speak for itself.

Thomas understands when to slow down, when to create suspense and when to surprise the audience with another burst of magic. That control comes from decades of experience performing for live audiences.

Who Is Illusionist Rick Thomas?

Rick Thomas is one of the most successful touring illusionists of his generation. He has completed five world tours covering more than 50 countries and has performed thousands of shows for audiences around the globe.

His career includes 15 consecutive years as a Las Vegas headliner, sold-out appearances at Caesars Colosseum, a performance at the Sydney Opera House and appearances on Broadway. His full-scale productions blend grand illusions, dancers, comedy, storytelling and theatrical choreography. Read more about Rick Thomas’ international career.

Thomas has also appeared on numerous television programs and magic specials. His television work allows audiences to experience a smaller portion of the spectacle found in his touring production, Mansion of Dreams.

Although he is famous for large illusions, his Huckabee performance proves that Thomas does not need massive equipment to command a stage. With music, a few pieces of fabric and his birds, he creates a routine that is every bit as theatrical as a full-sized illusion.

Why Rick Thomas’ Huckabee Performance Still Captivates Viewers

The act combines nostalgia with timeless visual magic. Longtime magic fans can appreciate the tradition and technical demands of a polished dove act, while casual viewers can simply enjoy the mystery of seeing living birds appear from nowhere.

It is also refreshing to watch a television performance that focuses on presentation rather than exposing how the tricks are accomplished. The audience is invited to enjoy the mystery without being given an explanation.

Rick Thomas’ performance is elegant, family-friendly and immediately entertaining. It represents the kind of magic that can appeal to children, adults and experienced magicians at the same time.

Most importantly, the routine creates genuine wonder. Even after several birds have appeared, viewers continue watching closely because they know another surprise could happen at any moment.

Watch Rick Thomas Perform Dove Magic on Huckabee

Rick Thomas has spent decades performing some of the world’s largest stage illusions, but this appearance demonstrates how powerful a focused, well-rehearsed specialty act can be.

Watch the complete video and see how many birds you can count before the performance ends.

Just don’t expect to figure out where they are all coming from.

Chef Anton Hustles Penn & Teller With Pool-Table Magic on Fool Us

 What happens when a world-class pool hustler combines billiards, comedy and sleight of hand? You get Chef Anton’s unforgettable appearance on Penn & Teller: Fool Us.

Chef Anton—whose real name is Anthony Riniti—brought an act unlike almost anything else seen on the show. Rather than relying on a traditional card table or familiar magic props, he transformed the stage into a pool hall and invited host Alyson Hannigan to help him recreate the greatest hustle of his career.

Chef Anton Brings Pool-Hall Magic to Fool Us

Chef Anton’s performance appeared in Season 3, Episode 10, “To Tea or Not to Tea?,” which originally aired on September 7, 2016. The episode also featured Timon Krause, Kyle Marlett and mentalist duo The Evasons. Watch Chef Anton’s complete performance here.

The routine began with Chef Anton checking whether the pool table was level before pulling a thread from his shirt and magically transforming it into an expensive pool cue. It was a quick, visual opening that immediately established an important rule: never accept a wager from a professional hustler.

Anton then explained that he began playing pool at only four years old and was already hustling games by the age of nine. He credited his grandmother, who had also been a pool hustler, with influencing his unusual career.

That background is more than colorful stage patter. Chef Anton became the first two-time United States Trick Shot Champion of Pool and was twice nominated for Bar Magician of the Year at Hollywood’s Magic Castle. His specialty is a rare combination of genuine billiard skill, comedy, magic and the psychology of classic con games. Learn more about Chef Anton’s career.

The Trick That Once Hustled Minnesota Fats

The centerpiece of Chef Anton’s Fool Us performance was based on a story from his childhood involving legendary pool hustler Minnesota Fats.

Alyson Hannigan freely selected a playing card from Chef Anton’s unusual deck of billiard-themed cards. She chose the Queen of Diamonds and signed her name on a large sticker, which was placed directly onto the face of the card. The signed card was then returned to the deck.

Chef Anton balanced two pool balls on the table and announced that he would attempt to locate Alyson’s signed card using the same shot that he claimed had fooled Minnesota Fats when Anton was only nine years old.

After lining up the shot, Anton sent the balls into motion. In the astonishing finale, Alyson’s signed Queen of Diamonds was found impaled on the end of the pool cue.

The revelation received a huge response from Hannigan and the studio audience. It was an ideal ending because it combined a card trick, an authentic-looking trick shot and an impossible physical souvenir that Alyson could immediately verify.

Did Chef Anton Fool Penn and Teller?

Chef Anton did not officially fool Penn and Teller, but his routine certainly made them think.

Penn revealed that he and Teller initially debated whether Anton had somehow incorporated an elaborate card-sword-style mechanism into the pool cue. They eventually concluded that the secret rested elsewhere and offered enough carefully coded observations to show Chef Anton that they understood the essential workings of the routine.

Even though they solved it, Penn praised the juggling, magic and physical skill displayed throughout the performance. Most importantly, Penn and Teller admitted that Chef Anton had confused them long enough to make them argue about the method.

Their final judgment may not have earned Anton a Fool Us trophy, but it did produce one of the best compliments a pool hustler could receive: Penn and Teller said they would never accept a bet from him.

Why Chef Anton’s Fool Us Performance Still Stands Out

Chef Anton’s routine is a strong example of how a magician can turn specialized knowledge into an original theatrical character.

Every part of the performance supported his pool-hustler personality. The appearing cue, billiard-themed cards, bar bets, balancing pool balls and signed-card finale all belonged in the same world. Nothing felt as though it had been added simply to provide another trick.

The act also demonstrated that fooling Penn and Teller is not the only measure of success on Fool Us. Anton entertained the audience, surprised two of the most knowledgeable magicians in the world and showcased a form of magic rarely presented on television.

Many magicians can perform a card trick, and many skilled players can execute a difficult pool shot. Chef Anton’s real strength is his ability to combine those disciplines with comedy, storytelling and audience participation.

Watch Chef Anton on Penn & Teller: Fool Us

Chef Anton may not have taken home the trophy, but he successfully brought the atmosphere of an old-fashioned pool-room hustle to the Fool Us stage.

Watch the complete performance and see whether you can spot the moment when Alyson Hannigan’s signed Queen of Diamonds finds its way onto the end of Chef Anton’s pool cue.

Just remember the most important lesson from the routine: never bet against a professional hustler.

Mis-Made Flag by Royal Magic – Complete 6-Piece Pure Silk Magic Set

 Now available at www.magiciansmagicshop.com

Create a hilarious series of magical mistakes before producing a beautiful American flag!
The Mis-Made Flag by Royal Magic is a classic comedy silk routine designed for children’s shows, family events, school programs, libraries, patriotic celebrations and stage performances. The magician displays three individual silks—one red, one white and one blue—and attempts to transform them into an American flag.
The first attempt produces a flag that is missing the blue. The magician tries again, only to reveal another incorrectly assembled flag with the colors reversed! After one final magical attempt, the silks transform into a correctly designed American flag for a colorful and applause-filled finish.
This complete six-piece set is made from 100% pure silk with hand-rolled hems. The finished flag silks measure approximately 14 x 20 inches, making them highly visible for parlor and stage audiences.
The complete set includes:
* One solid red silk
* One solid white silk
* One solid blue silk
* One American flag silk missing the blue
* One reverse-colored American flag silk
* One correctly designed American flag silk
* Instructions
A change bag, dye box or another silk-changing device is required to perform the routine and is not included.
Perfect for Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Presidents’ Day, school assemblies and family magic shows.
Retail Price $40.00
Our Price $34.95