Ep 48: Oz Pearlman (Emmy Award-Winning Mentalist & America's Got Talent Finalist)

Oz Pearlman is an Emmy award-winning mentalist & magician who
recently emerged as the runner up & finalist in America’s Got
Talent Season 10 in 2015. 





In this STIMY, Oz shares what he was like as a child, discovering
magic on a cruise ship to Bermuda and how that transformed his
life as he obsessed over mastering magic. 





Oz got so good, he paid his own way through college and even
continued it as a side hustle while working at Merrill Lynch
before deciding to take the leap & become a full-time
mentalist. 





He hasn’t looked back since. 





Oz Pearlman has performed for an impressive list of A-list
celebrities, Fortune 500 companies, politicians and professional
athletes, and also appeared on numerous networks including NBC’s
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The TODAY Show & ABC World
News. He is also an avid marathon & ultra-marathon runner,
having competed in events like the Badwater 135 Miler, Hawaii
Ironman World Championships, Western States 100 and Spartathlon.





Highlights:


3:47: Being a child math prodigy (scored a perfect 800 for
his SATs at age 12)

4:36: Discovering a love of magic

6:19: Meeting Ryan Hertz & Bruce Kessler

9:41: Getting his first magic gig at age 14

12:13: Knowing how to break the ice with strangers

16:34: Deciding to stay behind in USA & pay for himself
through college

19:00: Finding his own magic community

20:49: The balance between sharing magic tricks & keeping
your secrets to yourself

26:54: Simple magic tricks for anyone to learn

31:30: The Off Broadway Show, Watch Magic, that attracted
Ethan Hawke & the New York Times

35:44: “Making it” as a full-time, freelance magician

37:46: Why Oz thinks he didn’t make it the first time he
applied for America’s Got Talent in 2012

38:46: Coming up with new magic tricks on AGT within days

39:56: Competing on America’s Got Talent while training for 3
marathons!

43:17: Impact of COVID-19 on Oz’s business






Show notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/48