Penn & Teller and My Monkey Chaos

In 2015, My husband and I took Frankie, our capuchin, to Penn & Teller: Fool Us, where chaos met magic. The producers tipped us off: Penn loves monkeys and the idea that one could, given eons, type Shakespeare. So, we built our act around Frankie at a typewriter, tapping out a magical reveal with his untamed paws. It was thrilling, like juggling fire, but offstage, Frankie was, as Penn called him, a “monster in the house.”

Penn’s words cut deep. He saw the guilt and turmoil of loving a wild creature who shredded my sanity. On that Vegas stage, Frankie’s typing sparked laughs, but it mirrored my 17-year wrestle with motherhood and meaning. Writing this memoir in the Ozarks’ misty hills, I’m unraveling those moments—how chaos taught grace.

This blog is my journey: updates, excerpts, and reflections on Frankie’s lessons. That typewriter? It’s a symbol of the unpredictable truths I’m chasing. Subscribe to follow along, and tell me: what’s the wildest choice you’ve ever made?

(Next up: a draft excerpt from the book!)

Sean-Paul, Juliana Fay, and Frankie the Monkey on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us!