Magician
Penn & Teller
PENN & TELLER
Bally's
3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South
This unusual duo -- one never speaks, the other one never shuts up -- is apparently a welcome breath of cynical air to readers who have grown a tad tired of the town's more traditional-minded magicians. These guys are the anti-illusionists, taking little seriously except their ability to entertain in most unusual ways. Nick Lewin, the engaging British-born afternoon fixture at the Maxim, moved into second place ahead of the guys who launched Las Vegas' magic boom -- Mr. Siegfried and Mr. Roy.
Our Pick:
JEFF McBRIDE
Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Yes, we realize you may not have heard of Jeff McBride but we're hoping to change all that. A magician's magician, McBride's alluring illusions are bolstered by moody lighting and mystical overtones that are nothing short of riveting. He's been away from Las Vegas for almost a decade, studying shamanism among other things, and his resulting New-Age act seems light years ahead of the pack. See him when he drops into Caesars Magical Empire on a regular basis and you'll be as thrilled about him as we are.