What Happened to Piff the Magic Dragon: Where is He Now?

Piff the Magic Dragon, aka John van der Put, is a magician from England. He started performing as a magic dragon in 2008, entirely by accident, when he showed up to a party in a dragon suit, and no one else was in costume. His friend suggested he should perform as a magic dragon, and he was off to the races. Wearing the dragon suit made van der Put feel more like himself–it juxtaposed his grumpy face and deadpan delivery. 

Let this be a lesson for magicians: Sometimes, you need to accidentally stumble on some kind of radical change that lets you be yourself on stage, even if it’s a dragon costume. And when you realize you’re finding yourself, you know. 

Does Piff the Magic Dragon Still Perform? 

Yes, Piff headlines his own show at the Flamingo Hotel in Vegas on most nights of the week. He’s accompanied in the show by his dog, Mr Piffles, and Jade, a Vegas showgirl (who is, unfortunately, a human and not a dragon). 

Is Piff Married To Jade?

Piff is married to Jade, who is much more than a showgirl assistant–Piff goes into detail about how much work she puts into the show in his new book named Piff the Magic Book. 

Who is Mr Piffles? 

Mr Piffles is the world’s only magic-performing chihuahua. Piff added him to the act at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2009. He felt he needed a gimmick to make his show better, and the woman who ran his venue suggested he put her dog, Nacho, in the act. He did and it worked, and bought Mr. Piffles the next day. 

What is Piff’s Magic Book?

Piff the Magic Book was released at Magic Live! in August 2023 by VanishingInc. Detailing 10 tricks from his working repertoire, Piff put his stamp on the magic community. Unlike most magic books, Piff doesn’t give the reader permission to perform any routines he teaches. This is an interesting trend that your author hopes continues, much like listening to a comedian talk about joke structure without giving permission to use it. Piff’s bits are intricate and thought-through, and the book is a fascinating look into the mind of someone with thousands of performances under his belt. 

What Place did Piff get on AGT?

Piff was a finalist on AGT’s season 10, where he finished in the bottom 5 of the top 10. He also competed on America’s Got Talent: The Champions. He bills himself as “the loser of America’s Got Talent.”

Is Piff the Magic Dragon for Kids?

You must be 8 years or older to see Piff’s show in Vegas–but don’t let that trick you into thinking that he’s a kids’ show act. Piff appeals to adults and kids. 

Should I See Piff the Magic Dragon?

It’s rare in magic to have truly original material from a unique, memorable character. So the answer is yes–you should see his show. Whether you like it or not, it’s a phenomenal lesson in character development and identity on stage. 

What Will Piff Do Next?

His book is technically titled “Volume 1,” implying there will be at least one more. So, he’s probably hard at work with a cup of tea (or whatever dragons drink), pounding away at the typewriter. 

As for shows, Piff performs his show almost nightly in Vegas but will also leave to tour. It’s a good model for someone who wants consistency and to grow his audience–Vegas during the week and other cities on some weekends (he has upcoming shows as far as Anchorage, Alaska).