Article: Magic men Penn & Teller shun bogus hocus-pocus

Penn Jillette almost scared himself to death once for art. He almost fell off a stool in the New York Museum of Natural History, almost clutched his chest in horror and almost crashed to the ground.

Teller, his partner in magic, in comedy and in lunch most days, was in equally bad shape.

It was not highly unusual that Penn & Teller, a duo who still believe a trick is not a treat unless it involves life-threatening risk or live vermin, were at the museum getting to know the little people.

Cockroaches. You can't get much worse.

"I was terrified," said Penn, "because you know how coddled we are as a nation. It took time to put your hands in a bowl full of hundreds of the little guys. ...

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