It was presented as kind of a mystery to me, Peterson says. He wouldnt tell me what it was, but he was going to be doing something, and would I be willing to come in through FaceTime.

That "something" was Sommers guest appearance on the CW show Penn & Teller: Fool Us," a competition in which magicians perform tricks in front of American magician-comedian duo Penn & Teller.

Sommer, an actor known for shows like Mad Men, In the Dark and Glow, was asked to call a friend to be part of a magic trick involving the audience.

To see the entire segment, go to the shows website.

Peterson says he was a little surprised when the phone rang.

It wasn't my friend Rich, it was Penn Jillette, who said, 'Hi, you're on stage right now, and we're going to be doing a magic trick with you.' And I said, 'Wow, this is amazing!'" Peterson recalls.

Peterson says they had a nice chat.

I was really excited. As they do in all television shows, they edit things down quite a bit, so there was a lot more conversation that happened back and forth between Penn and I, he says.

It was especially fun for Peterson and presumably Sommer because the two men have been fans of Penn & Teller since they were boys growing up in Stillwater, Minn.

My parents took us to see Penn & Teller at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. I think we were 13 or 14 years old, Peterson says. But we fell in love with Penn & Teller and have just kind of followed them for a while.

Peterson says he never would have imagined then that as a grown man hed get to take part in Penn & Tellers act.

It was mind-blowing for me now, but my 13-year-old self would have probably would have fainted, he says.

Eventually, Sommer and Peterson both left Stillwater to attend Concordia College in Moorhead, where they were roommates. Peterson attended the seminary and is now a pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, while Sommer has had a successful TV and film career, getting his first big break in The Devil Wears Prada.

Peterson says the segment was actually filmed in March before the pandemic hit. Since then, he still stays in touch with Sommer and other friends on weekly Zoom calls. He says he enjoyed helping with the magic trick, and in case youre wondering, he doesnt know how they did it. But he says he doesnt have any more brushes with fame planned.

I think the ministry is my calling. I think that's where we'll be at, Peterson says.

But Trinity Lutheran Church members, dont be surprised if he asks you to pick a card" during his next sermon.

Originally posted here:

Minnesota pastor appears on Penn and Teller's TV show | INFORUM - INFORUM