Blank Night 2025 by John Archer

The first-ever trick to fool Penn & Teller on “Fool Us” is back with a new version featuring updated envelopes and instructions!

Back in 2011, during the first season of “Penn & Teller: Fool Us”, John Archer managed to leave the iconic duo dumbfounded with a sneaky twist on an all-time classic. This signature routine Blank Night is one of the most entertaining and deceptive Bank Night effects you’ll ever see.

You show five envelopes and explain how only one of them contains the top prize of $100 (or whatever amount or currency you desire). The other four have $0 bills, slips of paper, or even nothing at all.

Four different audience members freely choose whichever envelope they want. Upon opening them, they discover that, unfortunately, they have not won the top prize. It’s clear that the last envelope you’re still holding contains the top prize. The way that prize is revealed though is where Blank Night strays from the normal path and is the moment that earned John the coveted “Fool Us” trophy.

Without any suspicious moves, you take the final envelope and open it to reveal $100. Not only that, but it’s $100 in multiple bills that are NOT folded or wrinkled in any way. Everything can be seen being pulled directly from the envelope. There’s very clearly no thumb tips or body loads in play.

You won’t find a Bank Night more direct and impossible than this.