Penn Jillette of The CW's "Penn & Teller: Fool Us": Forever a Friend of “Friends”

While Penn ampamp Teller together are a household name itamp8217s one half of the act that gets recognized more and surprisingly itamp8217s not for his magic tricks Twentyamp160years agoamp160during its fourth season Jillette appeared on a little show called Friends playing an encyclopedia salesman amp160It tuned out to be a guest appearance that thanks to constant reruns is likely to live on forever amp160amp8220Every night and every time we do a show someone will come up and mention selling encyclopedias to Joey Tribbiani Matt LeBlancamp8221 he tells meamp160 amp8220It happens every night amp160Every nightamp160 LeBlanc and Jillette are pictured below in a scene from Friendsamp8220That was a really great experienceamp8221 he continued amp160amp8220Itamp8217s wonderful to have been on a show that was so much a part of the culture at the time amp160But I must confess I am more blown away by surfing on the wave than the actual particular things of the showamp8221Jillette equates his Friends experience to that of doing The Howard Stern Show in the 1980s where his onair conversations with the shock jock would often continue long after his appearances were over amp160amp8220Cab drivers afterwards would continue the conversation I had on Sternamp8221 he recalledamp160 amp8220It was just so much part of the fabric of our culture for that momentamp160 People knew my voice and Friends was kind of like that amp160It doesn39t have the continuity in real time but that Friends episode would air and all of a sudden everyone everywhere would have the same comment about the encyclopediasamp8221According to Jillette his brief yet memorable appearance came out of the blue amp8220They just called up and said amp8216Do you want to do the showamp8217 amp160The same thing happened when I did Modern Family amp160They just said amp8216Youamp8217d be good for this partamp8217amp8220They were all real prosamp8221 he added amp160amp8220It was just great to work with people who knew what they were doing amp160It gets really wonderful and when you have people if they39re good professional and creative you have people that really know what they39re doingamp8221Unlike the hordes of Friends fanatics that like to remind Jillette of his appearance on the show the man himself has yet to see it amp160amp8220I39ve never seen it because I don39t care to watch myselfamp8221 he admitted amp160amp8220Itamp8217s just not what I do amp160My kids have watched it but I just don39t have the willpower to not want to redo something I39ve done if I watch it amp160That happens every moment I watch myselfamp8221Editoramp8217s noteamp160 This is the latest in Steve Gidlowamp8217s recurring series of interviews with actors who gueststarred in the iconic sitcom Friends a personal obsession of his amp160He has also interview Friends alumni Eddie Cahill Leah Remini and Anna FarisPenn ampamp Teller Fool Us is telecast Thursday at 800 pm on The CWClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Penn Jillette of The CW's "Penn & Teller: Fool Us": Forever a Friend of “Friends”

Author

Publish date

Channel

Archived in

Steve Gidlow

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

More Videos:

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Penn Jillette of The CW's "Penn & Teller: Fool Us": Forever a Friend of “Friends”

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Steve Gidlow

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

Cookies