S05.E10: Penn & Teller Keep You in Suspense

[The Crazed Spruce]

Quote

Featured magicians include Simon Pierro, Nicholas Wallace, Darcy Oake and Alex Geiser.

[rmontro]

I thought the most interesting thing about this week's show was the cookie fooler.  Mainly Alyson's reaction to having to eat cookies, and her blindfolded bewilderment over what it had to do with magic:  "This is a weird trick".  You can see how the girl has kept her figure all these years, I have never seen anyone else so revolted by the idea of eating cookies.  I didn't think she was going to be able to force them down.  The razor blade was a nice touch.

Of course when Teller went up to congratulate him, he grabbed one and popped it right down.

The coin through the glass looked a little awkward, but like Penn said it did show some guts to do it right in front of them, and in Teller's hand no less.

Edited September 2, 2018 by rmontro

[MsTree]

I wonder if Alyson is told ahead of time exactly what she'll be doing when "assisting" a trick. I think her reaction to eating the cookie was probably due to the sugar content, but she specifically stated that she was trying to avoid gluten, which for some is irritating.

[rmontro]

On 8/30/2018 at 3:25 AM, MsTree said:

I wonder if Alyson is told ahead of time exactly what she'll be doing when "assisting" a trick. I think her reaction to eating the cookie was probably due to the sugar content, but she specifically stated that she was trying to avoid gluten, which for some is irritating.

Some people find gluten irritating, but other people also just try to avoid it because they believe it is bad for them (I'm not going to get in on that debate).

I also wondered if there was a rehearsal of any kind, which would have also clued her in to what she would be doing.  Given the nature of the show, I tend to doubt that there are any rehearsals, unless maybe they have a stand in for Penn and Teller.  If they did have them, and I was P&T, I would be wanting film of those rehearsals.

[Amarsir]

I believe the only trick that Alyson has rehearsed with the performer was the Cruise Ship performer with the big stage act that "shrunk" her. (Who was labeled a fooler because Penn guessed something with the monitors.) That's because she was a stand-in for a missing assistant, not a stand in for the audience. On everything else, she's as new to it as we are.

I was glad the cookies fooled them, because they basically got 2 guesses which we know is a bit unfair. Although if it wasn't slight of hand, I'm fooled myself.

Edited September 2, 2018 by Amarsir

[mansonlamps]

Potential solution for cookie:

 

Spoiler

Fake cookie and fake blindfold.  No real cookie would withstand both insertion and removal of razor blade without crumbling.

[Taeolas]

36 minutes ago, mansonlamps said:

Potential solution for cookie:

 

  Hide contents

Fake cookie and fake blindfold.  No real cookie would withstand both insertion and removal of razor blade without crumbling.

 

Possible, but that seems iffy...

Spoiler

A fake blindfold would make sense; but I suspect there was two swaps, one right after the 5 cookies were dumped, he ditched the razor cookie into his lap and actually dumped 6 cookies. (Hard to tell on the screen). 

That way Allison could swap the last cookie and still be safe; the trick would not be allowed to happen if there was any chance at all that either would bite into a razor. 

When he reveals the razor at the end, there was another palm and switch; though I'm not sure where the safe cookie went. Note that Teller bit the razor cookie after to confirm it was real; though that was well after the FU trophy was given.  The big trick is figuring out where the palmed cookie went, probably into his lap or down his sleeve. 

[rmontro]

Spoiler

Nice catch, Taeolas.  I hadn't realized that Teller took a bite out of the cookie that supposedly had the razor.  Sounds like a very Teller-ish thing to do, and kind of being a wise arse as well.  I had thought he just went up and grabbed a cookie because he was hungry.

[lynxfx]

Spoiler

Didn't they guess sleight of hand and he said no? So that would rule out palming the cookie and/or making a switch. As for asking Allison if she wanted to switch cookies at the end, he could have an "out" for if she did say yes to switch since the other cookie does contain the razor blade. We just never got to see that scenario play out. Most probably stick with their cookie.