Rachel Ling Gordon is the youngest magician in Penn & Teller: Fool Us history—an accomplishment so notable that the CW series titled the episode after her. “The Youngest Magician in Fool Us History” aired Feb. 2 and saw the 11-year-old impress audiences nationwide. But what brought her to getting a standing ovation at the Penn & Teller Theater?
“My first taste of magic was when I was in preschool,” Rachel recalled. “At the time, I was suffering from selective mutism and felt anxious all the time, but I’d always look forward to my magic class after school. Then one day, I found Penn & Teller on YouTube. Watching them perform gave me so much joy and hope! I fell in love with magic and wanted to be great performers like them! I also love David Copperfield’s magic; he inspires me to dream and achieve the impossible!”
That’s what sets Rachel’s story apart from those of other young aspiring stars. She’s not simply talented; her talents have taken her on a personal journey. Magic is only one part of what she does; she’s also been an actress, a singer, a musician and a model. And those opportunities in entertainment helped her overcome her early challenges to do incredible things.
“Performing is my therapy and it distracts me from my anxiety,” she explained. “When I couldn’t speak in public, performing as a runway model for New York Fashion Week and as a pianist at Carnegie Hall gave me the confidence to be in the spotlight without having the pressure to talk. These valuable experiences helped me overcome my disorder. Performing on stage for musical theater is so much fun me now that I feel free to express myself. My training as an actor and voiceover artist has certainly helped me with storytelling and [to] become a better magician!”
“Every performance is a personal celebration of my journey from silence to music & magic,” Rachel continued. “The most rewarding part is seeing the audience light up with joy and wonder. It makes me happy to make people happy and inspire them!”
Given how much those Penn & Teller videos had meant to her, she was thrilled to take her act to the stage of their Las Vegas theater for Penn & Teller: Fool Us. The CW series, now in its tenth season, involves performers trying to get one over on the legendary duo. Rachel’s work was met with a standing ovation and she spoke about how much the TV show affected her.
“My Penn & Teller experience is literally my childhood dream come true! It made me realize that miracles do happen as long as I work hard towards my goals and don’t give up,” she enthused. “Kindness is a big theme on Fool Us. Everyone on the team was so nice to be cheering for me. Penn & Teller even made a special trip backstage to congratulate me on my performance. That means to the world to me!”
Yet while she’s generated plenty of new fans from her television appearance and has proven herself to be one to watch in multiple disciplines, Rachel remains down to earth and focused on continuing to grow, both in terms of her career and personally. Her goals aren’t so much about herself as they are about how she can uplift others the way that people like Penn & Teller motivated her.
“I’d describe myself as a happy, regular kid and a full time student who goes to a public school. I was lucky to have found my passion for performing at a young age,” she told me. “I would love to have my own show one day where I can use all my talents to inspire and transform my audience!”
As for what she’d say to other young people hoping to follow in her footsteps? “Everything and everyone blooms in their own time,” she concluded. “Stay open, be positive and never give up on your dreams!”
Penn & Teller: Fool Us airs Fridays at 8:00 p.m. on The CW. For more information on Rachel Ling Gordon, visit her website.
Article content is (c)2020-2024 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram.
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