Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Backstage at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, two members of Las Vegas magic royalty are holding court, as jesters in matching dragon suits.
Piff the Magic Dragon and Penn Jillette have just performed a preview of “Piff and Pop’s Magic Shop,” a show they are touring through the U.K. in September. A series of nine one-offs, the barnstorming tour will be a break from their shows at the Flamingo (Piff’s home venue) and the Rio (where Penn & Teller have headlined for 26 years). Showgirl Jade Simone, Squire Brett Alters and Mr. Piffles, the world’s only magic-performing Chihuahua, join the tour.
Jillette and John van der Put, creator of the Piff character, are talking about the state of magic in Las Vegas.
“It’s kind of stagnant, isn’t it?” Van der put asks with characteristic skepticism. “I don’t see anything new. Are there new shows?”
“We have new close-up shows,” Jillette answers. “We have the show coming into the MGM Grand, ‘Now You See Me,’ which I hear is good.”
Piff reconsiders, “Magic is taking over the country. Las Vegas is the capital of that. It’s always been a destination for magic. It certainly was for me.”
The city is host to about 25 magic, mentalism or hypnosis residency productions. Magic is as prevalent now as ever in the city’s history. A scan of our favorites on the sleight-of-hand scene:
Backstage at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, two members of Las Vegas magic royalty are holding court, as jesters in matching dragon suits.
Piff the Magic Dragon and Penn Jillette have just performed a preview of “Piff and Pop’s Magic Shop,” a show they are touring through the U.K. in September. A series of nine one-offs, the barnstorming tour will be a break from their shows at the Flamingo (Piff’s home venue) and the Rio (where Penn & Teller have headlined for 26 years). Showgirl Jade Simone, Squire Brett Alters and Mr. Piffles, the world’s only magic-performing Chihuahua, join the tour.
Jillette and John van der Put, creator of the Piff character, are talking about the state of magic in Las Vegas.
“It’s kind of stagnant, isn’t it?” Van der put asks with characteristic skepticism. “I don’t see anything new. Are there new shows?”
“We have new close-up shows,” Jillette answers. “We have the show coming into the MGM Grand, ‘Now You See Me,’ which I hear is good.”
Piff reconsiders, “Magic is taking over the country. Las Vegas is the capital of that. It’s always been a destination for magic. It certainly was for me.”
The city is host to about 25 magic, mentalism or hypnosis residency productions. Magic is as prevalent now as ever in the city’s history. A scan of our favorites on the sleight-of-hand scene:
