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The Penn Commandments

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  • Description

    Famed magician Penn Jillette talks with Alan about politics, atheism and his passion for magic.

  • Duration 10:24
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-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- About twelve or thirteen it was bear re very into science.

I loved science and I'm from a wealthy family.

My parents were you -- middle class or -- rest.

And I saw crest and of course it wasn't on it's like jokes -- Carson would have more.

But probably Merv Griffin madly in the Tonight Show live action.

Never within the claim of -- -- -- about a magician in their record in -- yet -- -- -- a lot of munitions.

And He was He was flogging this PSP -- Which He sold.

As a scientific test kit obvious.

TV show.

That I was actually magic trick but I thought it was an experiment I believed everything and my parents -- -- ESP.

Except for me.

And then because my sister already moved too much older than I was that was essentially raised an only child.

I had to do this stuff with my parents every night -- to -- -- And in the library means your -- you're familiar with the Dewey decimal system he's there the magic books and the juggling books -- right next to each other and our library Greenfield Massachusetts we had one jungle book.

Which I took out all the time zones can be very good juggler.

And that we had like fifteen magic books and I happen to pull down I believe that once might be Korean developing was -- and pulled down the dump your book -- marriage and memorize the Joseph Biden and I opened it up and I found in there.

The experiment.

I'd seen crescent.

-- and the reaction I -- remember I was I was a child this is not a -- reaction.

Was to blame wall science for Warrington mutual why it went from an a student in science to a and no guidance counseling -- teachers could talk me out of of the humiliation I felt good being scammed by -- -- -- disliked intensely DS word which became -- -- utility absolutely yeah and it wasn't until I met amazing Randi James Randi.

And teller.

That I understood that most sciences did -- And that most magicians did lie but there was just this bad one that I bumped NYC and he's very good what He does prayer actually agent actually he's not.

He's really not one of the better ones I mean.

What are the things that's that's almost.

Axiomatic.

In magic is.

It's easier to do magic if you say you might have real powers.

-- so -- come to you and say I'm gonna do would tricked.

All you -- room pull all your services.

Oh your defenses go up you're going to be ready for -- But -- -- saying I have real magical powers if you believe that in the level -- -- -- is -- You're not watching this closely -- also things can fail.

If you are a magician.

Every trick -- to work every -- if you have powers from beyond.

One out of ten times is pretty good today that you think he's a big phony than I think he's I think he's a hack and I think He brought them about -- -- that He tried to assuming.

Yet after I told the story.

He tried to say that He had stolen money from my parents He was actually just an entertainer and I'm so excited about being sued -- -- that I felt that I made this promise.

To a twelve year old boy who was me that would take him down I was on Broadway and I had money in my parents were healthy and have children before that.

At that time so it was just as fabulous -- -- all my money on fighting him and then He served the papers to be sued that was so excited about it.

He backed off.

I have met him a couple times and I've been polite and I have no big problem at all if He would just say the simple sentence.

In the magician that's all I want you love the art you loved show business I saw the whole thing and that's all social beautiful I mean.

There is any number we.

-- now and magic and David Blaine and I've talked about this for hours.

That He believes that the gold of magic used to -- war.

The lines of troops.

He wants to add mystery He wants people to see amber I'm putting words in his mouth this well understood and I could be wrong of course.

But He wants.

People to not know what -- what he's doing these are real event or whether it's a trick and -- it's.

So different from what I want what I want is there's -- world out here and share it in its reality and we love it.

And now in this room would have seen him now all month -- and that's -- And give and you're -- is that your monkey with the auto ship to import more -- -- part of what you do why you libertarian.

I'm a libertarian you know -- -- I think because.

I always want to attack every problem -- can we solve this -- more freedom.

Can we solve this -- more individual freedom.

And the libertarian point of view as being with the Tea Party -- all sorts of other stuff distorted beyond recognition.

But the question I asked him -- situation easier in the way we can do this without force.

You know can we use less force.

And it goes mostly my first thing is what a piece that -- him.

I think that we do much too much policing around the world.

I want there to be.

-- may be no wars that -- united involved in them you know.

I want to have a defense enough that -- someone attacks us to change your lifestyle we can deal without.

But I don't want to go out and police other -- political hero.

But political heroes I was very fond of what Harry Browne who wound -- -- but ran for would -- liberty returned candidate at first ever -- a chance but I -- the when He started his speech which He I don't know the numbers of my fingertips please forgive me.

But He would give the figure.

For how much money we spent on anti tobacco ads from the government.

And then He would give the figures.

On how much we spend subsidizing tobacco farmers and that He would just say for the first step let's just stop one of these -- care which one.

I just it's the social engineering it's the use of force that -- is Ron Paul someone you admire.

Well you know -- guest comes in certain things and I love the anti war stuff into the on the creationism ascent on some of his -- as well as a pro life he's not he's anti choice on abortion absolutely but it's it's with the individual states stuff and -- -- nice thing about.

The libertarian ideas you can when you're talking to someone.

Who wants to do was so lot of social engineering and Michelle Bachmann.

Repair or you wanna control people's lives than what they believe personally is very very important because that's gonna come into their governing.

If you're talking about someone who watched the government out of a lot of things it's okay to disagree with them.

I don't care if He believes in creationism is launches and fortunately.

Penn Jillette is our guest -- put -- -- -- -- you may already be at atheists and other magical -- for example did you convince north do you guessed that He -- he's -- isn't your girlfriend back as a benefit I just had dinner with them.

I did not convince but a -- friend Omar and our friend Martin was an orthodox -- Came out to Vegas for business -- all sold me after the show and asked if I would have.

His first retrieve meal with him as a celebration of -- -- -- Trailers -- coach and -- have what I what I what I mean by you may already be refused.

It's it's -- -- and to me how many people.

Say they believe in god and live their lives as though they -- for instance a wonderful example frightening example.

Is that we don't have a defense in this country for god told me to we have.

Not guilty.

Guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity and when somebody like Yates or someone -- horribly mentally ill.

Does some horrible thing you don't hear any.

Anyone in the media and the -- going.

Well maybe god did tell it to Georgia and -- it's funny that -- that happened in the Bible.

That people say they believe when they happen in modern times.

They just completely -- and would -- be expression there are no atheists in foxholes.

I think he's exactly the opposite there's nothing but if you some fox -- if you believe that god is watching every each barrel fall.

And coming every grain of -- and why wouldn't shall walk on the battlefield going.

God's eyes I'll help you god -- god -- -- Michelle Bachmann run god wants period of run -- -- wanna know exactly Idaho is slightly -- that we you do yes exactly so who do you would you like any of anybody in the -- elect Obama -- -- anybody who do you vote for is a libertarian with no real candidate who can actually win an election -- I do not believe in and I realize this is something that many people disagree -- they're probably right.

I don't believe in voting for the lesser of two evils -- and game theory.

If you keep going for the lesser of two -- -- just keep getting more evil.

And the idea of voting for someone -- a chance of winning.

Seems to me the very deep level cynical so you'll vote for you think you want aren't -- for -- -- not so much the person.

Who I think I agree with the most but the person who thinks that government should do what I think there's anybody in the current -- are very different I mean if you if if if I were forced right now to make a decision I probably would go with Ron Paul I disagree with -- model lot of stuff but the fact that He wants to limit government and most important.

The fact that He wants to -- Obama vs Romney what do you do that.

There has to be more than two choices Penn Jillette the book is god now thank you so much for being here later -- -- -- --

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