A couple years ago, my algorithm started feeding me clips of a smart ass doing inexplicable things with a deck of cards. I’m not talking about card tricks – I’ve seen lots of impressive card tricks over the years. But Jason Ladayne is not a magician who does tricks. He’s a card mechanic who makes you question the nature of space and time by doing things with cards that simply defy the laws of physics, as well as the bounds of imagination. And, as I mentioned, he’s also a smart ass.
In a typical Ladayne video – and there are many out there – Jason will accept an online challenge from some skeptical viewer, and then, humiliate the skeptic by demonstrating a level of card mastery that’s difficult to describe, usually while insinuating an inappropriate relationship with the skeptic’s mother. Here is on Instagram doing that very thing, blowing the Internet’s collective mind, along with my own. https://www.instagram.com/reels/DJ60VUqtYEg/
I finally caught Jason live last week, at a little club up in Oxnard. He was every bit as fantastic and rude as he is online, and thoroughly entertaining. The next day, he joined me on the podcast for one of my favorite conversations, ever. It’s not just a chat about the business of fooling millions of people every single day or entertaining a live audience several times a week. It’s about the challenge of mastering a skill that few possess, and then, figuring out a way to make a living in these challenging times. I know the secret to Jason’s success – hard work, determination, and decades of practice. As for the card stuff, I have absolutely no idea.
I’m happy to report that in real life, Jason is not a smart ass. He’s a very generous and accommodating guy, who has mastered his craft. Our whole conversation is here, along with a few demonstrations that will break your brain. I guarantee it. https://bit.ly/TWIHIEp486JasonLadanye
June 1, 2026
Like many of you, I was troubled by my last guest. I’ve followed Jason Ladayne for over a year, and I’ve seen him do things with a deck of cards that left me flabbergasted, amused, bemused, amazed, and occasionally, gob smacked. Most of it, however, can be explained by raw skill. Jason is one of the best card mechanics to ever live, and when the cards are in his control, he can conjure up anything. But what he does in this clip takes things to another level.
Watch it and tell me what you think. I cut the deck several times when his back is turned. There’s no way he can see what I’m doing. After the final cut, which is left entirely up to me, I take three cards off the top, and put them into my shirt pocket. Jason tells me to remove one. Any one. I doesn’t matter which. And somehow, he knows what it is. Likewise, the other two.
How?
On the other hand, do I really want to know? I think I do. But the world is more interesting with a bit of mystery, right?
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