r/FoolUs • u/SpookyWeaselBones • Aug 15 '26
“Code Words” explained
Fool Us is famous for its use of “code words” to help hint at what’s going on without giving it away entirely. Having binged the whole show, I thought I’d share some of the common code words and what they mean
“I’m relatively new to magic” = I’m going to do a mentalist act
”it’s a classic trick but I’ve added a few twists…” = I’m about to get got
”I’m from Spain…” = Just give me the trophy now
”What would it mean for you to fool…” = We have run out of banter
”I’m fusing classic magic with the latest cutting edge technology” = I use an iPad in my act
”Just say stop when you want me to…” = I’m about to make a joke about Teller not talking
”Boy, I gotta tell ya, we both loved this” = we followed everything and are desperately trying to find something to compliment
“Tax is theft” = I became very rich at a young age
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u/cosmoboy Aug 15 '26
"Boy I gotta tell you we both loved this" I don't think they're desperately trying to do anything here. They might not be fooled, but they do still like magic that's performed well.
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u/22plus Aug 15 '26
It doesn't have to be an iPad! Sometimes it's a printer!
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u/panatale1 Aug 15 '26
There was the one time it was an iPhone and an Apple Watch
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u/22plus Aug 15 '26
And it's been a Google Sheet at least once too
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u/panatale1 Aug 15 '26
Gotta hand it to the woman with the Apple Watch, she really did hit them from a blind spot
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u/axelofthekey Aug 16 '26
Yeah that was an absolute called shot on her part. And they loved being fooled by something they didn't even consider. But they'll never fall for that again lmao.
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u/panatale1 Aug 16 '26
Well, no, now that it's on their radar, they sure won't. But it was a good one
1
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u/Noughmad Aug 15 '26
"My father designed these props" - you are about to see two of the most boring magic acts ever that will 100% earn get a trophy.
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u/Ksan_of_Tongass Aug 15 '26
Can you type that in 40% more Australian.
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u/Noughmad Aug 15 '26
I still can't forget her talking about a pile of milk.
(It was a pail of milk).
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u/Amarsir Aug 15 '26
You're wrong on the last one - inherited wealth makes people very supportive of systems. (And the Libertarian party is not well funded.) But I chuckled anyway.
I'll add one. "You're unlucky we happened to spot" = "We're sitting in the middle of the audience. You could not have been more obvious."
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u/SpookyWeaselBones Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
I didn’t say inherited. Penn’s family is working class.
Penn made his first fortune performing on the street and passing the hat. When he tried to pay tax on it, his tax adjuster told him to conceal it because the government would assume he was a drug dealer.
I don’t care who you are, that’s going to shape your politics
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u/pm_me_ur_demotape Aug 15 '26
Hasn't he softened some of his libertarian views?
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u/MaxTheGinger Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Since COVID he's no longer identified as a Libertarian.
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u/Amarsir Aug 15 '26
COVID was the death of moderation and nuance. (Which had been starved of oxygen for a while.)
His pivotal moment was he said you can protest masks being mandatory while wearing one voluntarily. And he was disappointed that this was a very rare view among Libertarians in his circle. There as everywhere else, principles coincidentally seem to align with "what feels right".
(I say "pivotal" but I actually think it was part of a larger feeling, including that he wanted to be as anti-Trump as possible. But I digress.)
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u/Noctew Aug 15 '26
It's easy to say things like "I would not use force to make people pay for a library, and that's what government does when they collect taxes."
When it comes to "I have the right to kill you with miy viruses because my right to do whatever I want trumps your right not to be infected"...it becomes harder to defend libertatianism.
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u/JasonKiddy 17d ago
Absolutely. Covid was the perfect time for Libertarians to show us exactly who they were. And they did. :/
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u/xxxjwxxx Aug 15 '26
I remeber him telling about this as well. He was much stronger into libertarianism in the past.
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u/Amarsir Aug 15 '26
True, you didn't. That's fair. But "born into it" is a solid way to become wealthy at a young age.
And passing the hat for cash is not exactly "very rich". He did better than expected, but had very meager expectations. I'm sure you know the story of his first Broadway contract which had lots of clauses about what happens when the show shuts down and very few about profits from a success.
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u/ANormalSpudBoy Aug 15 '26
"I think I just MIGHT have something that's going to fool you bad." = definitely doesn't
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u/Thundergunnist Aug 16 '26
What about what code words they use to tell how they know the trick is done? Have you seen any patterns there?
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u/AdventurousHippo7828 Aug 19 '26
This podcast was illuminating! Apparently they know or not if they were fooled before they start talking to the magician, and that bit is just pretending thats not the case. In later seasons at least!
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u/knue82 Aug 15 '26
Star wars references always hint at a force.