When a magician lets you notice something on your own, his lie becomes impenetrable.
TellerRead
People do not come to a Penn & Teller show to see a magic show. They just don't. They come to see weird stuff that they can see no place else, that will make them laugh and make the little hairs stand up on the backs of their necks.
Interpretation
The essence of a Penn & Teller show is not just magic, but the unique, entertaining, and surreal experience they provide.
This quote emphasizes that the appeal of a Penn & Teller performance goes beyond traditional magic; it is rooted in delivering bizarre, memorable experiences that elicit laughter and astonishment. The duo's artistry lies in their ability to create a distinctive atmosphere that captivates audiences and leaves them with lasting impressions, which is what draws people in rather than the mere spectacle of magic tricks.
In practice
In a speech about creativity, you could reference how Penn & Teller redefine what a magic show can be.
When a magician lets you notice something on your own, his lie becomes impenetrable.
The silent thing onstage allows for a kind of intimacy that no conversation can have. If I just shut up, we're forced to look at each other and really confront that moment.
Sometimes, magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.
I don't think one should be comfortable standing on a stage with people applauding and laughing at every stupid thing you say.
The words come. Usually, it's a long time before they come. And then when they start to come, it doesn't take so long for it to be finished. It takes a long time to begin. And then it sort of gets finished.
Burn, burn tree and fern! Shrivel and scorch! A fizzling torch To light the night for our delight, Ya hey! Bake and toast ‘em, fry and roast ‘em! till beards blaze, and eyes glaze; till hair smells and skins crack, fat melts, and bones black in cinders lie beneath the sky! So dwarves shall die, and light the night for our delight, Ya hey! Ya-harri-hey! Ya hoy!
The art of bread making can become a consuming hobby, and no matter how often and how many kinds of bread one has made, there always seems to be something new to learn.
Beauty is all very well at first sight; but who ever looks at it when it has been in the house three days?
Art is not like other culture because its success is not made by its audience. The public fill concert halls and cinemas every day, we read novels by the millions, and buy records by the billions. 'We the people' affect the making and quality of most of our culture, but not our art.
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