Caleb Foster
Penn Jillette is known for painting one of his fingernails red. Jillette, a juggler, magician, and half of the duo Penn & Teller, first painted all his nails red as a joke in response to his mother, who told him to get a manicure because his hands would be visible to audiences. He has since kept one fingernail painted red in memory of his mother, Valda, who died in 2000.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason | In memory of his mother's advice and as a tribute to her. |
| Mother's advice | To get a manicure because people would be looking at his hands while performing. |
| Ring | His ring holds deep significance as it belonged to his late father, Samuel, and he wears it on his red fingernail. |
| Nail polish | He uses his mother's nail polish. |
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What You'll Learn
Penn Gillette's mother told him to get a manicure as audiences would be looking at his hands
Penn Gillette, the taller and heftier half of the magic duo Penn and Teller, has been seen with a red fingernail on his left hand, specifically the ring finger. This has sparked curiosity and speculation among fans.
Gillette took to Twitter to explain the reason behind his unique choice of nail polish. He wrote, "I wear my dad's ring and my mom's nail polish. It reminds me of them. Momma's boy." In a 2006 radio broadcast, Gillette shared that when he first started out, his mother told him that since people would be watching his hands, he should keep his fingernails neat and tidy. Initially, he painted all his fingernails red as a joke, but later settled on painting just his left ring finger, which he considers his "nicest finger."
Gillette's mother's advice has clearly left an impression on him, and he continues to honour her memory by keeping one fingernail painted red. This unique tribute to his mother has been well-received by fans, with many expressing their admiration for his thoughtful gesture.
In addition to the personal significance of his mother's advice, Gillette may have also been influenced by the historical use of nail varnish by men. Evidence suggests that men have been adorning their nails with colour since around 3200 BCE, as discovered in royal tombs in present-day Iraq. More recently, counterculture rock stars such as David Bowie and Kurt Cobain challenged gender norms by painting their fingernails.
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He initially painted all his nails red as a joke
Penn Gillette, the famous magician and juggler, initially painted all his nails red as a joke. As a performer, Penn Gillette is known for his signature red-painted fingernail, which has sparked curiosity among fans since he rose to fame in the mid-1980s. Initially, he painted all his nails red as a playful response to his mother's suggestion that he get a manicure because audiences would be paying attention to his hand movements.
Gillette first shared this story on a Penn Radio broadcast in 2006. He explained that when he began his career in magic and juggling, his mother advised him to keep his fingernails neat and tidy for his audience. To tease his mother, he decided to paint all his nails red. However, he quickly realised that performing with ten red nails was not practical, so he switched to painting just his left ring finger, which he considered his "nicest finger".
Over time, the red nail took on a deeper significance for Gillette. It became a tribute to his mother, Valda, who passed away in 2000. In an interview, Gillette expressed his close bond with his mother, saying, "My mother was everything to me. My mother and I were the same person — no doubt about it... She was a little old lady; I was a big hippie. We were the same person. All the important decisions made in my life, before she died, were run by my mom."
In 2012, Gillette hinted at another layer of meaning to the red nail during an appearance on the podcast "Skepticality." He revealed that he was considering changing the symbolism of the red nail polish, dedicating it to his daughter Moxie Crimefighter. Gillette's playful nature regarding the red nail is also reflected in his comment that it provides "excellent misdirection" and is "just plain cool."
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He now keeps one nail painted red in memory of his mother
Speculation has long surrounded Penn Jillette's red fingernail. On his left-hand ring finger, the magician and entertainer is known to sport a bright red nail. In 2012, Jillette revealed that the reason for this was deeply personal.
Jillette explained that his mother had always told him to keep his hands neat for the audience. Initially, he painted all his nails red as a joke, but he couldn't maintain this look while performing. So, he began painting just his left ring finger, which he has described as his "nicest finger".
Jillette has also spoken fondly of his late father, Samuel, and wears his father's ring alongside his mother's nail polish. In a tweet, he wrote: "I wear my dad's ring and my mom's nail polish. It reminds me of them. Momma's boy."
Jillette's mother was clearly a huge influence on him. He once said: "My mother was everything to me. My mother and I were the same person — no doubt about it. She was a little old lady; I was a big hippie. We were the same person."
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It provides excellent misdirection
The red fingernail of Penn Jillette, the taller and heftier half of Penn and Teller, has been a subject of speculation. Jillette clarified that it provides excellent misdirection and is just plain cool. It is also a way to honour his mother's advice about keeping his hands looking neat for the audience.
Jillette's mother had told him to get a manicure because people would be watching his hands during his performances. To make fun of her, he painted all his fingernails red. However, he couldn't perform with all ten red nails, so he started painting only his left ring finger, which he claims is his "nicest finger".
Jillette also wears his father's ring on the same finger, along with his mother's nail polish. He has spoken fondly of his late father, Samuel, and has said that his mother was everything to him.
The red fingernail has become a way for Jillette to honour his mother's memory and advice. It also serves as a form of misdirection, adding an element of surprise to his performances.
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It is a new trend in political statements through fashion
Men have been wearing nail polish since around 3200 BCE, as discovered during an excavation of royal tombs at Ur of the Chaldees, the biblical birthplace of Abraham, believed to be in present-day Nasiriyah, Iraq. In the 1400s, Aztec and Inca warriors used dyes on their fingernails, and in the mid-1800s in France, the world's first commercial nail salon opened, catering to fashionable men and women to signify cleanliness. Counterculture rock stars, such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Kurt Cobain, rebelled against gender norms by painting their fingernails.
Recently, a new trend in political statements through fashion has emerged with the "Polished Man" campaign by Elliot Costello, where men with one painted fingernail represent the "one in five children who will be a victim of sexual abuse during his or her life." This trend has been picked up by Penn Jillette, the taller and heftier half of Penn and Teller, who paints the ring finger on his left hand bright red. Jillette first explained the reason behind his red fingernail in a 2006 radio broadcast. When he started juggling and doing magic, his mother told him that because people were watching his hands, he should get a manicure. To make fun of her, he painted all his fingernails red, but he couldn't perform with all ten nails painted, so he settled on painting only his left ring finger, which he claims is his "nicest finger."
Jillette has also stated that he wears his father's ring and his mother's nail polish to honor his parents, as his mother was "everything" to him. His mother's advice to keep his hands neat for the audience has since become a way for him to feel connected to her. While some may see the red fingernail as a fashion statement, misdirection, or a joke, for Jillette, it is a personal and heartfelt tribute to his family.
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Frequently asked questions
Penn Gillette has one red fingernail as a tribute to his mother, who advised him to get a manicure as people would be looking at his hands when he performs.
Penn wears his father's ring, along with his mother's nail polish, as a tribute to his parents.
Men have been wearing nail polish since around 3200 BCE, with evidence of this practice found in royal tombs at Ur of the Chaldees, the biblical birthplace of Abraham, believed to be in present-day Nasiriyah, Iraq.
