Oz Pearlman, known professionally as The Mentalist, is one of the most successful and in-demand mentalists in the world, captivating audiences with jaw-dropping demonstrations of mind reading, suggestion, and psychological illusion.
Born in Israel and raised in Michigan in a secular Jewish family, Oz discovered his passion for magic at age 14 and was already performing professionally by his mid-teens.
A prodigy who graduated high school at 16, he went on to earn an engineering degree from the University of Michigan before leaving a promising Wall Street career at Merrill Lynch to pursue entertainment full-time.
Pearlman combines advanced techniques, including suggestion, subliminal messaging, body language reading, statistical analysis, and neurolinguistic programming, to create experiences that feel impossible.
He skyrocketed to national fame by finishing third on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, which led to multiple primetime TV specials and appearances on NBC, ABC, CNBC, and major media outlets worldwide.
An elite endurance athlete, Oz is an enthusiastic marathon and ultramarathon runner with a stunning marathon personal record of 2 hours and 23 minutes.
He has completed some of the world’s toughest races, including Badwater 135, the Hawaii Ironman World Championships, Western States 100, and the Spartathlon, and has also won dozens of races across the country.
Happily married to Elisa and father to five children (three girls, two boys), Oz runs his own full-service production and entertainment company, managing bookings, live events, branded shows, and television projects.
He is the author of the 2025 book Read Your Mind: Proven Habits for Success from the World’s Greatest Mentalist.
Chapters
0:00 Setting the Stage: The Mysterious Setup
05:07 Early Life and Family Background
14:36 Discovering Magic on a Cruise
44:04 Career Risks and Leaving Wall Street
50:15 The Power of Personal Connection
56:08 The Psychology Behind Mentalism
57:38 America’s Got Talent and Innovation
01:23:35 Debunking Psychics and Practice
01:31:36 Mentors and Lifelong Learning
01:42:43 From Magic to Mental Mastery
01:47:56 Ultra Marathons and Resilience
01:50:13 Live Mentalism
