Teller—of Penn and Teller fame—reveals the secrets behind some of the world’s favorite magic tricks.[[MORE]]
An excerpt from the March 2012 edition of Smithsonian Magazine:
“ Nothing fools you better than the lie you tell yourself. David P. Abbott was an Omaha magician who invented the basis of my ball trick back in 1907. He used to make a golden ball float around his parlor. After the show, Abbott would absent-mindedly leave the ball on a bookshelf while he went to the kitchen for refreshments. Guests would sneak over, heft the ball and find it was much heavier than a thread could support. So they were mystified. But the ball the audience had seen floating weighed only five ounces. The one on the bookshelf was a heavy duplicate, left out to entice the curious. When a magician lets you notice something on your own, his lie becomes impenetrable.”
Full story: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Teller-Reveals-His-Secrets.html?c=y&story=fullstory
The article outlines the role psychology, foresight, and sleight of hand play in some of the world’s most famous magic tricks.
Teller has a lot more to say in print than on-camera….