The Compressed Illusion was on Penn and Taylor's Fool Us ----- and It fooled Penn and Taylor--- did I miss something that was not shown on TV?? Surly Penn and Taylor know how that illusion is done. What did I miss???

The Penn and Teller show is a reality TV show... it is NOT reality. Just like AGT or American Idol.
In it's first season on British TV, there was a concerted effort to find people who could genuinely fool Penn and Teller.
When the show was moved to US production, the focus shifted to creating a more entertaining.. if less 'fooling' presentation.

In some cases, those who are now credited with having 'fooled' P and T are recognized professionals and therefore are accorded a certain level of 'respect', by having P & T saying they were fooled.
It also appears in the last two seasons, that many performers that appear have a primary goal of just logging some TV time, rather than actually fooling P & T.

I'm good friends with JP, I talked to him last night & today. He genuinely fooled them.
Yes, some people do it for the TV credit with no thought that they'll fool P & T.
This is the first illusion that has fooled them.

Last year, Greg Wilson (son of Mark Wilson) performed Excalibur: Their version of the substitution trick using swords and with an added switch of personnel at the end.
This too was a 'Grande Illusion" that ostensibly 'fooled' them. At least they said so, but I'm not entirely sure that they were completely without a method.
I think it was an acknowledged tribute to the many accomplishments to the legacy of the Wilsons.
Just one man's opinion....

I forgot about that. I think it surprised them more than it fooled them.

Yes it is a nice surprise at the end!

There is no way that illusion fooled Teller. The method is as plain as day to anyone knowledgable about illusions.

Well, you might think the method is plain till you start figuring where the blades on the top are and there's no trap.

???? blades, trap???? are you talking about the same illusion?

No the subject changed
It started off as Compressed and changed to Excalibur.

Maybe. thomasR's comment could be about compressed, and that is how I took it.

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Are you guys kidding me? blades? traps? mirrors? cameras? USSR tech? Excalibur??

no, $7,500: http://www.danielsummers.com/compressed.html

And, the assistant was either trained, or the trick is so simple she was reading basic instructions off the monitor in front of her.

No way they were tricked, Teller was even standing next to it and could have peeked behind (or grabbed her arse)

The monitor was there so Alison could see herself. It's usually placed elsewhere which is what threw P & T

Do the rules for the show allow Alison to be trained before the show?

She rehearsed for about an hour

The Wilson "Excaliber" segment was a living tribute to the First Family of Television magic and the "award" was in respect to Mark & Nani and all they meant to the magical community. There is no way there were actually "fooled" by this wonderful but very well known Alan Wakeling illusion.

Im quite surprised that Penn & Teller would stoop to lying (saying something fooled them when it didn't).

And yes my original comment was on Compressed.

Read the posts by JNeal. The TV show really isn't about fooling Penn & Teller. That is just the hook for the show. Most trophies have been given out for reasons other than fooling P&T. The escape artist in the dryer comes to mind. I personally don't like the show because of the way Penn explains how he thinks the trick was done. He tries to be subtle and elusive, but I think he still gives too much away. So I have not watched any recent episodes. I much preferred Penn's earlier show "Wizard Wars."

Yes I saw those posts... I understand how the shows work and marketing etc. Still surprised that Penn and Teller would agree to lie about a trick fooling them or not.

I haven't watched every episode, but based on early episodes and interviews I've heard about the show, it seems originally the goal was to actually fool them with a trick.

Does anybody has a link to this episode with the Compressed illusion, to make my own opinion ?

Thanks


Oliver