London Jones’ first time seeing magic was on a pizza date with her dad three years ago.
“I said to my dad, ‘I want to learn how to do that,’” the nine-year-old said.
Friday evening in Calgary, she will meet her magician idols, the famed duo Penn and Teller.
She wrote them a letter saying she was a big fan, requesting a photo and autograph, but also included an important question.
“I asked: ‘Why aren’t many girls doing magic?’”
Watch below: London shows Global News the cup and balls illusion.
Like magic, a response didn’t take long.
Penn Jillette tweeted a photo of the letter, saying receiving letters such as hers is why he’s a magician.
“Hard to stop crying to type. Women are the future of magic!,” he posted.
In a Skype interview with Global News, he said London’s letter really touched him.
“You know there’s been a problem in magic, like there’s been in comedy forever, and that is: magic is a boys club,” Jillette told Global News.
If women have been featured on stage, they’re often assistants, targets for swords or saws in boxes, as opposed to featured for their skills.
“I guess this is why this touched me so much,” Jillette said.
“People always ask me if my son’s into magic and the answer is always no. And no one has ever asked me if my daughter is into magic. And the answer is yes.”
Watch below: London shows Global News the toothpick illusion.
London’s dad, Jeff Jones, said they’re thrilled to be meeting the celebrities before their daddy-daughter date Friday night.
His daughter knows about 75 tricks, with his help, but will learn something extremely valuable because of this experience.
“It’s a tremendous lesson for her to know that just because she’s a girl, that it’s not going to hold her back from doing anything she wants,” Jones said.