So a couple weeks ago I posted this picture and story on my personal Facebook wall (at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1820926238221376).
Just a Vegas headliner, sitting on the floor, helping a kid with his new magic kit…
Penn & Teller, after doing their full show at the Rio in Las Vegas, take the time to stand in the lobby and meet & greet anyone who wants to say hello, take a pic, or get an autograph. They’ve been doing this since they started, for decades.
Everyone. Hundreds of people. Maybe a thousand. Until the last person leaves.
This little guy had a new Penn & Teller magic kit from the merch table, and sat down in the entrance hallway to check it out (because kids who are inspired with something as soon as they see it, tend to just “drop everything and DO IT” on the spot!).
Everyone else had left the theater.
Teller took the time to sit down on the floor with this boy and his parents, to show them some of the different items in the box.
Teller didn’t HAVE to do this… He didn’t take their money, shove them out the door, and run to his dressing room, even though he was surely tired (he had just finished their 90+ minute show AND met with everyone who wanted to say hi). He didn’t do it as a photo-op for gathered press & media; everyone had left.
As the mother (who took this photo) said, “This photo was worth more than seeing the show.”
What a cool dude. This is what a STAR looks like.
And then later, THIS notification pops up on my phone…
This surprised me, because I don’t know the guy personally. He’s, like, famous and stuff. His work has had a major influence on me, I respect him greatly, and here he is, commenting on my personal Facebook. Neato.
Anyway, he commented to defend his absence from the picture:
…Thus far, he hasn’t answered my question.