Money may not grow on trees, but for Penn Jillette, increasing his net worth almost seems like magic. The Las Vegas based author, magician and television personality is estimated to be worth about 200 million dollars. Along with his partner Teller, Jillette made Forbes’ list of highest-paid magic acts, thanks to their intensive hustle. Beyond performing in Vegas shows five nights a week, the pair has gone on international tours and even written a TV show or two. One of their most recent TV programs Fool Us is currently running its seventh season. This can all mean only one thing for Jillette: a massive income.
Now, however, some fans are wondering what Jillette has done with all of his cash. Has the performer’s busy work life prevented him from spending his money? And what kinds of major purchases has Jillette made in recent years? Read on for the inside scoop on how Penn Jillette spends his fortune.
Honey, I’m Home!
One of Jillette’s biggest expenses in recent years has been related to his real estate portfolio. The magician seems to love few luxuries more than an enormous house, and if his choice of a living environment is anything to go by, Jillette has not held back from building the biggest mansions possible.
In 1982, the performer acquired a nine acre property in the Las Vegas area. While some house aficionados like to bite the bullet and build their compounds up as quickly as possible, Jillette spent years putting together his dream house. By the time the magician was ready to sell the property in 2016, he had developed a complete fairytale world with neon and brightly colored grass. As reported by the LA Times, Jillette has even said that the mansion seems like it belongs to “a twelve year old with a lot of money.” What an image!
The house, which Jillette dubbed “the Slammer,” boasts a wide range of amenities. In addition to a movie theater and a lap swimming pool, the mansion contained a recording studio with some incredibly expensive equipment. If that weren’t exciting enough, the property also has a spa meant for a bit of delightful relaxation.
In terms of size, the Slammer boasts 7,900 square feet. The mansion has more bedrooms than a boutique hotel with seven suites and eight bathrooms scattered throughout the property. The grounds themselves are also somewhat reminiscent of a small European village with an enormous clock tower at the center.
McMansion, Take 2!
The Slammer was clearly a property like no other, but as the years went on, Jillette found himself pining for a change. He sold the property for 1.88 million dollars in 2016 and went after an even more luxurious estate. According to Realtor.Com, the magical performer traded his old lodgings in for a new home at almost twice the price. The outlet maintains that Jillette spent a whooping $3.3 million on his new mansion. That’s a whole lot of cash!
Once again, Jillette went for a property with a truly impressive size. His new dig boasts a similar 7,800 square feet, although the home is not located on grounds as expansive as the ones surrounding the more isolated Slammer.
The magician attributes this change to the transformation of his lifestyle after the birth of his two children. Since the Slammer was located in the middle of the desert, getting to school was very complicated for his kids. The house itself was also designed as a kind of fantastical bachelor pad, making his attempts at child-proofing nearly impossible.
His new property tackles these issues with a more central location in an upscale Las Vegas community called The Ridges, where the family will be able to socialize with other big name folks. Realtor.Com maintains that the neighborhood only contains luxury houses with prices that range up to 30 million dollars.
Surprisingly Simple Tastes
Based on his love of mansions, it may seem that Jillette enjoys living the high life. In spite of it all, the magician has pretty simple tastes when it comes to other common luxuries, like clothing and travel.
In an interview with NBC, the magician reported that he actually wears what he describes as a “uniform.” Its components? A pair of blue jeans and black Dickies brand work shirts. Even when Jillette travels, he has been known to pack up to five identical shirts.
He also confessed that he doesn’t get too hung up on hitting any particular luxury destination or traveling in any specific style. When the outlet asked him which place he would choose for his last trip, the actor responded, “Doesn’t matter. Anyplace as long as it’s with my family.” How sweet!
We hope that the actor is able to fulfill his dream and spend as many hours with his family as possible!