Legendary Performers Cancel Upcoming Shows Following Serious Injury

Penn and Teller have performed what might just be one of their most memorable tricks in their 50-plus-year career: they have disappeared from stages in Las Vegas.

According to TMZ, the legendary performers had to make a very last-minute cancellation to their weekend shows due to a nasty ankle injury sustained by Penn Jillette. 

Jillette was cleary heartbroken heartbroken in having to share the news. He shared a message as a Facebook Story, which read: “Hey everyone! We are sorry to have to cancel this weekend shows.”

“I broke my ankle yesterday, and on doctor’s orders, I am not able to do the show,” Jillette continued, before concluding the note with: “Thanks so much for understanding and we hope to see you soon.”

Ticketmaster indicates the list of cancelled shows extends far beyond this weekend; all shows through Sunday, January 25th are being shown as having been “cancelled.” Their next show at Sin City’s Rio Hotel & Casino, where they have maintained a residency for a whopping 25 years, is scheduled for Thursday, February 5.

How Long Have Penn & Teller Worked Together?

Comedians, magicians, and all-around performers Penn Jillette and Raymond Teller were introduced by a mutual friend, Weir Chrisemer, in 1975—more than 50 years ago—and immediately hit it off. 

Shortly after, they performed together for the very first time when they took the stage at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival on August 19, 1975. To celebrate this momentous beginning, and their 50-year partnership, they returned to the festival on August 16, 2025, to perform a special show back where it all started.

But Penn and Teller weren’t always just “Penn and Teller.” In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, they worked alongside Chrisemer as “The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society,” a comedy troupe with a very vaudeville-type vibe. The trio disbanded in 1981, when Chrisemer decided it was time for a career change. 

In the decades since, the duo has developed a massive following and have taken their act from Off Broadway to Broadway, from PBS to Showtime, and all over the world. But for the past 25 years, most of their work has been relegated to Las Vegas. 

On January 5, 2001, Penn and Teller performed their first show at the Rio Hotel & Casino, where their popular residency show has been an essential part of the Las Vegas nighttime scene for 25 years.