Since the very early days of commercial television in 1948, prank shows have been a part of the video landscape. 

Allen Funt’s Candid Camera revealed everyday people’s reactions to unexpected situations. Decades later, Ashton Kutcher’s Punk’d captured celebrities reacting to bizarre developments like everyday people might. 

As the shows’ viewers consider how they might have acted in their place, it’s that human reaction that they relate to. 

Justin Willman, host of Netflix’s Magic for Humans and The Magic Prank Show with Justin Willman, is a modern master of the harmless prank. And he knows how to get a reaction. 

You can experience his genial approach to mind-bending manipulation live on stage when he brings his Illusionati Tour to Embassy Theatre on Friday, Jan. 24.

Foot in the door

Willman began to develop his remarkable skills of sleight of hand at the age of 12, when an orthopedic surgeon recommended card tricks as therapy after he broke his arms. 

After achieving a degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College in Boston, he relocated to Los Angeles to seek a career in entertainment.

His big opportunity came when he scored the hosting gig for the Food Network show Cupcake Wars. His laid-back, bemused charm was perfect for the genre, and the show was a hit. 

Willman continued to host game shows, including the reboot of the classic Win, Lose, or Draw on Disney Network in 2014.

Game shows paid the bills, but Willman continued to build his prank magic credentials with monthly live performances of Justin Willman’s Magic Meltdown as part of Chris Hardwick’s The Nerdist series in Los Angeles.

Magical pranks

His game show presentation experience served Willman well when he launched his hit series Magic for Humans in 2020. 

Like a benevolent illusionist Criss Angel, Willman stops strangers on the street and absolutely blows their minds with setup tricks, sleight of hand, and mentalist mysteries. Just when the target thinks they’ve figured out the trick, Willman routinely finds a way to take it a different way. 

His pleasant demeanor disconcerts his audience and reduces their suspicion, whether he’s “stealing” a video game for a bunch of juvenile delinquents or baffling children by sneezing out a never-ending supply of marshmallows.

After three seasons of gentle pranking, Willman is taking it up a few notches with The Magic Prank Show. 

The concept is as simple as it is devious: People request a much-deserved revenge prank for a loved one, and Willman assembles a team to make their little capers spectacular.

Part Punk’d, part Mythbusters, and part relationship therapy, the show produces huge pranks with elaborate staging and casting. The benevolence and pleasant demeanor are tucked away, and Willman is clearly enjoying his devious role as an agent of vengeance. 

The victims are all good sports, but there are a few generally frightening scenarios touching on life in the modern world, like when an AI-powered robot seems to know way too much personal information or the goriest wedding proposal you can imagine.

Doing some good

Willman offsets his conniving prankery with a healthy portion of philanthropy, serving as the magic director and board member for MagicAid, a charity organization dedicated to providing therapeutic comfort to patients by teaching simple magic tricks to health professionals.

In between producing extravagant stunts to get payback on behalf of random strangers, Willman is also touring the country with his new Illusionati Tour. The show is family-friendly, with a conspiracy  theory theme. It’s classic magic with a twist, plenty of audience participation, and a theater full of blown minds.

Prank shows have thrived for decades on the power of editing. A good producer can choose from multiple angles to capture the best version of their victims’ reactions. Taking that premise to a live setting adds to the difficulty level, but there’s nothing like that feeling of having your mind blown and knowing the editing had nothing to do with it.