Penn and Teller Explain Sleight of Hand

(walking bass)

Know what I'm talking about?

Looks simple, doesn't it?

But when you're dealing with a master of sleight of hand like my partner Teller,

even the simplest activity may be a complex deception.

Let's watch that routine again.

Is he really crushing out a cigarette?

Is he really adjusting his hat?

Is he really pulling out a fresh cigarette?

Is he really bothered by that itch in his left eye?

Is he really just lighting a cigarette?

To understand the complexity of Teller's life,

you need to know the seven basic principles

of magic.

One, palm.

To hold an object in an apparently empty hand.

Two, ditch.

To secretly dispose of an unneeded object.

Three, steal.

The opposite of ditch.

To secretly obtain a needed object.

Four, load.

To secretly move the needed object to

where it's needed.

Five, simulation.

To give the impression that something that hasn't happened has.

Six, misdirection.

To lead attention away from a secret move.

And seven, switch.

To secretly exchange one object for another.

Teller needs nothing

but a pencil,

one lit cigarette,

and a flashlight.

Let's watch that original routine again,

but this time from the other side.

He...

Palms the cigarette.

He simulates crushing it out.

He steals the palmed lit cigarette

and ditches the lit cigarette in his ear.

He exhales smoke to misdirect from the smoke coming out from around his hat.

He steals the pencil.

He simulates taking the pencil,

which is simulating a cigarette, from the nonexistent cigarette pack

and puts the simulated cigarette in his mouth.

He rubs his eye to misdirect, as he loads the burning cigarette from his ear.

He simulates a lighter with a flashlight,

switches the lit cigarette for the unlit pencil under cover of misdirection from the flashlight.

Palm.

Simulation.

Steal.

Ditch.

Misdirection.

Steal.

Simulation.

Misdirection.

Load.

Simulation.

Switch.

Misdirection!

Looks simple, doesn't it?