Ulie *fjidn t ig
Free 'Red Corner' screening
Check out the latest Richard Gere film, "Red Corner," for free. In the
film, Gere stars as Jack Moore, general counsel to a large entertain-
ment firm, who travels to China to broker a communications deal and
is accused of murder in the process. The screening, sponsored by
Cinema Guild, will be in Angell Hall Auditorium A at 9:30 this
evening. Get there early because seating is limited.
Thursday
October 23, 1997
PENN &
TELLER TAKE ON A2
Bad-boy magicians bring bullets, spandex, opera to Michigan Theater
By Gabe FaJuri
Daily Arts Writer
Twenty-three years ago, Penn and Teller joined forces to
'@ate one of the most successful, thought-provoking and
entertaining magic shows on stage. The magic world hasn't
been the same since.
For those uninformed members of the public, the reason
that P&T are at the ton of their nrofes-
out to the strip clubs at night, Teller likes to relax to Bach and
turn in for the night around 10.
Teller said that his "only goal was to lead a good life" when
he started out his career as a performer. And what a life!
Since their off-Broadway run at the Westside Arts Theatre in
the mid-'80s, Penn and Teller have been steadily moving up
the ladder of stardom. National tours keep them busy per-
I
aldt I ldp V1 U l lJPIJV
sion is simple: They're different. They'reP
unique.
Most magicians pull rabbits out of Pe
empty hats. Penn and Teller throw them
into industrial-sized chipper/shredders.
If you've yet to experience the insani-
W hat is a Penn and Teller show, either
live or on TV, then shame on you. How could you have missed
them?
If not making appearances on Leno, Letterman, Conan,
Regis and Kathie Lee, drowning themselves in a giant cham-
pagne glass after hosting Fox's New Years Eve bash or other-
wise spreading themselves across the tube, the duo is per-
forming live somewhere else.
At the very least, you've got to recognize Penn as the pre-
dominant voice-over presence on Comedy Central. Who else
could make a statement like "And tonight, Kenny dies!" with
h character and abandon? Others might remember his
cameo as an encyclopedia salesman on NBC's "Friends" two
weeks ago, to name one of countless appearances.
Admittedly, Teller (he's the short one who doesn't talk on
stage) isn't as great a force on the small screen as his partner
is, but without him, there would be no Penn (he's the tall one
who never seems to be able to shut up).
Of the two, Teller was the magician first. A magic set
ordered from the Howdy Doody show at an early age had him
hooked on the idea of performing magic for the rest of his
life.
tin a recent telephone interview,
enn freely admitted that he "hated "It's a dou
magic until I met Teller. He (Teller)
had this way of thinking about catch n ,. ,
magic that was so different from died
everyone else's ideas of how magic h v
was that I changed my mind."
"Teller is probably one of the five tick
great magic minds alive today"
Penn said.
What brought the two together
s their great friendship. As usual,
nn had something to say on the subject.
"The reason we work so well together is that we've been
friends for 23 years. Unlike most comedy teams, we get along
really well," Penn added.
They met in 1974 through a mutual friend. Penn was 19,
Teller 25. The rest is history.
And despite their agreement on what they do in the public
eye, P&T lead completely different lives. Both make their
homes in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world.
But while Penn listens to the Velvet Underground and heads
UEVIEW
nn and Teller
Tonight at 7:30
Michigan Theater
$25
years ago. Now
forming hundreds of shows a year and
have made them a featured attraction at
Bally's Casino/Hotel in Las Vegas.
"It's just us and George Carlin at
Bally's" said Teller, when asked about
their Vegas contract.
"We started out working there for two
weeks a year, and that was about four
we're at Bally's 12 weeks a year," Teller
rl.
C
added.
Penn's goals were different. "I was 19 years old at the time.
I was hoping I could make a living doing this stuff. I didn't
really have a plan for my future; I was just 19.' And make a
living at it he has.
For anyone who hasn't experienced a live P&T show, or
even heard of the dynamic duo for that matter, tomorrow's
performance will be a baptism by fire of sorts.
Let's put it this way: Material may not be suitable for young
viewing audiences. Aside from mutilating bunnies, Penn will
be giving a physics lecture during the show "using his head
and a five-pound sledge hammer, as described by Teller.
Other items in the show Teller mentioned include "an opera
that uses rope, a staple gun, audience members, a big piece of
spandex and someone from the audience who will become
the first disciple in the religion of Teller."
The evening's entertainment concludes with a finale that's
not soon to be forgotten.
"It's a double bullet-catch" said Penn. "You know, 12 peo-
ple have died doing this trick."
The whole stunt revolves around
ale bullet two .357 Magnums loaded by audi-
ence members and fired at living
p ophuman beings. Historically, when
.l magicians have presented the bullet
toing $this catch, they have a gun fired at
them, escaping death by catching
the bullets in their teeth. Sure,
- Penn Jillette these guys can catch the bullet in
Magician their teeth too, but, as with every-
thing Penn and Teller do, there's
something different about their ver-
sion of the trick.
If you hadn't already guessed, the two have put their own
twist on the whole thing. Where most tricksters have one gun
fired at one person (the performer), P&T use two in the show,
one pointed at Penn, shot by Teller, and the other pointed at
Teller, fired by Penn.
It's not all about revenge, they suggested. After all, you've
got to remember that these guys are great friends.
P&T are on tour in support of their third book release,
"How To Play in Traffic," which hit bookstores across the
t
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t
1
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i
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Penn and Teller bring death, destruction and utter mayhem to the Michigan Theater tonight at 7:30. Don't miss the opportun
ty to witness their unique take on magic.
country last Wednesday. I'm already interested, aren't you? Hell, it sounds better
The book marks the team's third collaborative literary than anything else CBS has regularly programmed.
effort, following on the heels of "Cruel Tricks for Dear But don't settle for books or TV. The boys are coming to
Friends" and "How to Play With Your Food." "How to Play Ann Arbor tonight. Granted, the ticket price is a little bi-gh
in Traffic" can be best described as an interactive book, a but well worth it in my humble opinion. Hey, I've seen them
collection of practical jokes, miracles and anecdotes that twice before, and I'm going back for more.
will make travel funnier than ever before. When will you again have the opportunity to watch two.'
In addition, look out for theirTV special, "Penn and Teller's grown men end the life of an innocent bunny rabbit in a cruel
Home Invasion," which will air on CBS Nov. 11th. and unusual manner, witness the juggling of broken bottles,.
"Basically, we had a camera crew set up in these peo- hear one of them preach about the ills of organized religion
ple's houses for five hours," Penn said about the show. and watch them shoot at each other with .357 magnums?
"Then we'd go in there and show the family a card trick or Ask Penn and Teller what all this craziness amounts to and M
something and thank them for letting us use their house for they'll both give you the same answer.
a day." "We're making a living.'
F horroruwtN
story's protagonists try to unwrap the *IR41 i
mystery surrounding it, other characters
24A T @xT.. rnerP[:1'6 rIT~lY.
Saul's 'Presence' disappoints fans ol
The Presence
John Saul
Fawcett Columbine
John Saul has certainly made his
presence felt within science-fiction cir-
cles. His stories about creepy muta-
'ions, horrific spectacles and man's bat-
tle against the supernatural
have allowed his nov-
els to consistently
top the nation'sn'
best-seller list.
But his new
riller, "The
resence,"
though above aver-
age by any other stan-
dards, is a disappointment to
anyone who has come to expect the
excellence of which Saul is capable.
"The Presence" has all the compo-
nents that make up a good science-fic-
Lion thriller - horror, intrigue, a
bizarre but gripping plot and engaging
personal stories. But many of these
components are so trite and overused by
the popular genre that "The Presence"
gets sucked into the realm of medioc-
rity.
Saul's tale of the strange occurrences
surrounding people on the Hawaiian
island of Maui is a work that the author
describes as "speculative
fiction." He explores
the possibility of
the origins of
the human
species in
relationship
to theories of
extraterrestrial
life, while questioning
if these ideas can truly be dis-
missed as fiction.
"The Presence" begins with
Katharine Sundquist, a talented arche-
ologist, moving to Maui to study the
baffling skeletal remains that have been
unearthed near the base of a volcano.
During her stay, her son Michael and
his friends experience strange physical
ailments after going on a night dive.
Soon Michael's friends begin dying
mysteriously, and Katharine's research
into the skeleton's origins uncovers a
shocking conspiracy that could lead to
the deaths of many more people.
Saul introduces the possibilities of
life on other planets spawning life on
Earth through the presence of a myste-
rious element that wreaks havoc on a
person's respiratory system. But as the
are experimenting with it insidiously.
"The Presence" carries all of Saul's
trademark thrills and chills, complete
with three-dimensional characters and a
driving plot. The novel even contains
profound philosophical and scientific
questions. It makes you wonder about
unknowns in the universe - about
which we don't know.
The book's setting is breathtaking,
unfolding on the beaches and deep in
the rain forests of heavenly Hawaii.
See BOOKS, Page 11
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Octob~er 30.0 1997 7:30 P.M.
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FOR JUNIOR NURSING STUDENTS
A NURSING EXPERIENCE AT MAYO CLINIC
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Here is your opportunity to work at Mayo Medical Center for
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Summer IlI is a paid, supervised hospital work experience at
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You are eligible for Summer Ill after your junior year of a four
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