Penn Jillette
Penn Jillette is the loud, tall, opinionated half of Penn & Teller, the longest-running comedy-magic act in Las Vegas history and a relentless advocate for atheism and free speech.
Who is Penn Jillette?
Penn Fraser Jillette was born on March 5, 1955, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. He is the talking half of the legendary duo Penn & Teller, which he has performed with since the 1970s alongside the silent Raymond Joseph Teller. Together they built one of the most durable acts in American entertainment, debunking psychics, exposing magic tricks, and somehow making it all hilarious.
Beyond the stage, Penn is a prolific author, podcaster, and television personality. He co-hosted the long-running Showtime series Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, hosted Penn & Teller: Fool Us on The CW, and has appeared in dozens of films and TV shows. He’s also a committed libertarian and one of the most prominent public atheists in the United States.
Penn made massive headlines around 2015–2016 when he lost over 100 pounds in a dramatic, documented weight-loss journey that drew as much media attention as any of his magic stunts. He’s been characteristically outspoken about exactly how he did it, making the story as much a philosophical statement as a health one.
He lives large, literally and figuratively, and has cultivated a public persona that is impossible to ignore: 6’7”, silver ponytail, painted pinky nail, and opinions delivered at full volume. That combination of spectacle, intellect, and controversy keeps him a perennial search subject.