What Is Teller's Net Worth?
Teller is an American magician, illusionist, actor, comedian, writer, and director who has a net worth of $100 million. Teller is best known for being part of the world-renowned magic duo Pen & Teller. Born Raymond Joseph Teller, he legally changed his name to simply "Teller" in order to reflect his on-stage persona. Aside from being a talented magician and illusionist, Teller is famous for never speaking a word during live performances.
Outside of his magic shows, Teller speaks freely at certain events like conventions. On a few rare occasions, he has spoken during performances – although the audience is often unaware of it. Teller is an outspoken critic of religion and identifies as a libertarian. Both he and Penn discuss various matters on their own television series, and Teller has made a number of appearances in other series over the years. He is also a playwright and author, and he has directed stage productions of Shakespeare plays.
Early Life
Raymond Joseph Teller was born on February 14, 1948, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised by a father with Jewish heritage and a Methodist mother, Teller graduated from high school in 1965. He then attended Amherst College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Classics. Although Raymond initially became a high school Latin and Greek teacher after graduating from high school, he quickly gravitated towards performing arts and magic.
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Career
After meeting Penn Jillette in 1974, Teller initially collaborated with Jillette and Weir Chrisemer in a three-man magic act. By 1981, Penn and Teller were performing as a duo. This continued long into the future, and they have subsequently been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Magicians of the Year Award by the Magic Castle.
Over the course of his career, Teller has collaborated with Penn to create three magic books. In 2010, he wrote an off-Broadway play called "Play Dead." In 2008, he and Aaron Posner co-directed a production of "Macbeth" that incorporated the heavy use of magic. In 2014, the pair teamed up once again with a production of "The Tempest," putting heavy emphasis on magic once again.
Outside of these achievements, Teller has appeared in a range of television shows. During the 80s, he booked roles in shows like "Miami Vice." Throughout the '90s, Teller appeared in series like "The Drew Carey Show," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and "Dharma & Greg." In the 2000s, he made a notable appearance in "The West Wing." He is also known for his recurring role in "The Big Bang Theory." In addition, Teller has starred in shows like "Penn & Teller: Fool Us," "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!," and "Penn & Teller Get Killed."
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Teller's Silence
When asked to explain why he never speaks during his magic performances, Teller has given a number of reasons. During one interview, he opined that speaking during magic shows was simply redundant. Teller explained, "When I was a teenager, I rebelled against the idea of Magic Patter because it always seemed redundant. A guy would be standing up there going, 'Here, I have a red ball.' Well, yeah."
Teller has also maintained that silence during magic shows enhances immersion and makes the audience believe that what they're seeing is real. In another interview, he pointed out that if a magician says that a pack of cards is perfectly normal, the audience is more likely to assume there's something different about that pack of cards. By staying silent, Teller avoids bringing too much attention to certain props and elements.
Finally, Teller has admitted that when he was just getting started with magic, silence made him less likely to suffer ridicule at the hands of his audiences. During these early years, he would often perform at frat parties at university. He found that these unruly students would throw beer at him and hurl insults his way if he so much as opened his mouth during the act. Teller eventually learned that by staying silent, his audience was more likely to focus on the magic unfolding before their eyes and not the performer.
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Lawsuits
In 2012, it was revealed that Teller was suing a Dutch YouTuber for stealing one of his magic tricks. The YouTuber offered to reveal the secret of a trick called "The Rose & Her Shadow," and Teller realized that the trick was actually one of his own. Desperate to maintain the secrecy of this trick, Teller called this YouTuber and offered him money in exchange for taking the video down. However, the YouTuber wanted to charge over $3,000 for anyone who wanted to learn the secret, and so he rejected Teller's offer.
In response, Teller took legal action against this YouTuber in an effort to protect his intellectual property. According to US law, magic tricks are copyrightable as long as the choreography has been recorded ahead of time. Fortunately for Teller, he wrote down the details of this trick and filed a copyright in 1983.
Before filing this lawsuit, Teller sent a DMCA takedown notice to YouTube. When this had no effect, the magician called the Dutch YouTuber and asked him to take down the videos. Left with no other choice, Teller was tasked with showing that the two tricks showed enough similarity to warrant a copyright infringement in court. In 2014, it was reported that Teller had won the lawsuit, winning $545,000 in damages.
Political Views
Teller identifies as a Libertarian. Both he and Penn constantly mock religion, and they have also been critical of the war on drugs. For the most part, Teller's views make him a dividing figure. While his opposition to things like illegal wiretaps and the death penalty may be supported by many, his stance against illegal immigration and gun control may be less popular. These political ideas are often discussed at length during the show "Penn & Teller's Bullshit!"
Both Penn and Teller oppose mainstream American conservatism, preferring to align themselves instead with the Cato Institute. This Libertarian think tank advocates for a smaller government in most cases and greater protection of civil rights. As a member of the Cato Institute, Teller is also opposed to the Affordable Care Act, the Federal Reserve System, and many other aspects of modern America.
