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The core conceit behind Awesome People Talking is that magic enthusiast and host Braden Carlisle interviews people who are, to use the parlance of our times, “awesome.” Well, he’s cocked that up already, because while Piff the Magic Dragon satisfies many of the criteria used to diagnose awesomeness, he is not, as a matter of fact, a person. He is a genuine magic dragon, an actual mythical beast.

Considering Carlisle is interviewing a comedy magician, the interview is surprisingly grounded. Piff, who occasionally moonlights as human John van der Put, talks candidly about his creative process, his start in the magic business and his controversial appearances on America’s Got Talent.

Mr. Piffles was not present for the interview.  

 

Las Vegas is a hotspot for live entertainment and magicians, but it’s also the home of the Consumer Electronics Show. CES shows up at the Las Vegas Convention Center every year in January to host the likes of Samsung, Sony, and more as they show off the latest televisions and strange gadgets for the 21st century household. And on Twitter, the worlds of high-tech magic and actual magic collide when Piff the Magic Dragon decides to help test out a new toy.

Canadian science show Daily Planet made its way over to Piff’s palatial Las Vegas manor to show off the latest in pet entertainment technology with a device called Pebby. Pebby is a webcam mounted inside a gyroscopic ball, which is viewed and controlled through whatever smart device you have lying around. Mr. Piffles is, of course, a puppy of very discerning taste, and isn’t easily impressed by your run-of-the-mill squeaky toys. So what did he think of Pebby? Check out the video below to see for yourself:

While Mr. Piffles might as well be comatose when responding to Piff at the beginning of the video, he easily takes to the smart ball while playing out in his backyard (though he doesn’t seem particularly fond of the cat sound effects). Piff even had a bit of a go—he is a very real dragon, after all, and dragons deserve recreation, too.

The advantages of having a sidekick like Piff the Magic Dragon‘s chihuahua, Mr. Piffles, are pretty obvious. First, he’s adorable. Second, he can actually do magic. Third, he’s really cheap labor – give him a little chicken and he’s good for a week. There is a serious downside to working with an assistant like Mr. Piffles, however, and it’s on full display in this video from Piff’s appearance on King5 in Seattle. It’s not for the faint of heart.