Who is Piff The Magic Dragon? 'AGT: Fantasy League' contestant's dog Mr Piffles helped him achieve success
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'America's Got Talent: Fantasy League' Season 1 contestant Piff the Magic Dragon aka John van der Put is a comedian and magician. He has captivated millions of fans with his Las Vegas residency, 'AGT' appearances, and non-stop touring.
According to his website, Piff has headlined the iconic Flamingo Hotel and Casino for the last five years, with over 250 shows a year in the Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre.
According to Mirror, Piff completed his graduation in computer science as a backup "in case the magic didn't work out."
However, Piff started to struggle with health after he had stomach pain which only worsened. He needed morphine to reduce the pain over two years.
He shared with the outlet that after that, doctors figured out that a key tube in his pancreas was missing, leading to the organ digesting itself. He compared the operation to fix the organ to a car crash, with a 25% chance of dying.
However, Piff made it through his health struggle and successfully embarked on his journey in comedy and magic. Over the years, Piff had bagged several gigs and accolades.
Piff was also voted one of Variety's Top Ten Comics to Watch in 2019. He won TBS 'Tournament of Laughs' in 2020, winning over his heroes Jeff Ross, Natasha Leggero, and Judah Friedlander.
He has also bagged Best Comedian, Best Magician and Best Headliner at the Best of Las Vegas Awards. However, Piff is incomplete without his friend and dog Mr Piffles.
Mr Piffles is the world's only magic-performing chihuahua and has been Piff's secret weapon to win over America with their double act.
How did Piff the Magic Dragon meet Mr Piffles?
Piff the Magic Dragon was hustling at the start of his comedy and magic career until he met Mr Piffles.
Piff adopted Mr Piffles as his assistant from a Dundee shelter after the Edinburgh Festival show chief asked him to involve her pet chihuahua in his gig.
The audience loved the duo, which led them to multiple successful shows. Piff revealed in his interview with Mirror about his furry assistant, "He is a natural. He was unfazed by whatever we did, including firing him out a cannon."
Piff The Magic Dragon to wow judges in 'AGT: Fantasy League'
Piff The Magic Dragon appeared on 'America's Got Talent' for the first time in 2015. ABC show judge Neil Patrick Harris sent Piff and his furry friend directly to the final with a golden buzzer.
However, he lost the round to stand-up comedian Paul Zerdin. Piff tried his luck again on 'AGT: The Champions', but he unfortunately failed to advance to the show's top three.
Piff The Magic Dragon is once again ready to fascinate fans with his new tricks in 'AGT: Fantasy League' Episode 2. He teased his appearance on the latest spin-off and wrote, "Mark your calendars people! This Monday the real Hunger Games begin. And I’m hungry. As usual."
Piff The Magic Dragon will vie to advance to the semi-finals and win the coveted prize. So far, five contestants have advanced to the ABC show semi-finals.
'AGT' show judge Mel B has already used her Golden buzzer but Piff The Magic Dragon still hopes to advance directly to the finale as Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Heidi Klum still have the buzzer.
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'America's Got Talent: Fantasy League' airs on Mondays on NBC at 8 pm ET.