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TED Talks Daily

The art of reading minds | Oz Pearlman

with Oz Perlman

Published October 21, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

Host Elise Hu introduces mentalist Oz Perlman, who explains that he does not read minds but reads people by carefully observing behavior and patterns. Through live demonstrations with audience members, he shows how mentalism relies on psychology, attention, and structured guessing, and then teaches a practical technique-"listen, repeat, reply"-to help people remember names and build better connections. He closes by discussing risk, confidence, and belief, culminating in empowering an audience member to apparently read another person's mind on stage.

Topics Covered

Nonverbal communication Memory improvement Communication skills Personal Development Confidence Showmanship Relationships Perspective shift Social bonding Curiosity

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • Oz Perlman emphasizes that he does not possess supernatural powers and instead relies on a learnable skill of reading people and understanding how they think.
  • He uses a famous-dinner-guest thought experiment with audience members to demonstrate how he narrows possibilities and reads subtle cues to make seemingly impossible guesses.
  • Oz teaches a concrete three-step method-listen, repeat, reply-to help people remember names more reliably in social and professional situations.
  • He breaks down how he categorizes broad possibilities (like types of famous people) to increase his odds, illustrating structured thinking behind mentalism.
  • Oz stresses that an unshakable belief that something will work is a key factor in success and uses a high-risk demonstration where an audience member correctly "reads" another's chosen celebrity.

Podcast Notes

Podcast introduction and framing of the talk

Host Elise Hu introduces TED Talks Daily and the day's topic

Elise describes the show as bringing new ideas to spark curiosity every day[2:01]
She poses the question of whether listeners have ever wanted to read someone else's mind[2:07]
Elise introduces mentalist Oz Perlman as being billed as one of the world's greatest mind readers who claims he has no special powers[2:09]
She frames the talk as a "spectacular talk meets magic show" where Oz opens up to a captivated audience[2:18]
Elise explains that Oz says his abilities come down to understanding the human spirit and mind[2:27]

Guided visualization of being in the TED theater

Elise invites listeners to close their eyes if they can and imagine being in the TED theater (with a caveat for drivers)[2:34]
She describes Oz on stage, house lights coming up, and him walking into the audience[2:36]
Over the next 15 minutes, he engages with multiple audience members he has never met before and amazes them[2:43]
Elise notes that Oz will show how mentalism principles can be tools for living better and more connected lives at home, at work, and in relationships[2:51]

Oz introduces himself and reframes mind reading as reading people

Oz clarifies what he does and does not do

Oz states he is billed as the world's greatest mind reader but immediately says he cannot actually read minds[2:58]
He explains that what he can do is read people[3:09]
He addresses the common question of whether he was born with this ability[3:16]
• Oz answers firmly that he was not born with it and does not have supernatural powers
He emphasizes that he is not a psychic[3:24]
Oz calls what he does a learnable skill that he believes anyone could do[3:27]
He notes he has spent roughly three decades reverse engineering the human mind[3:35]
Oz summarizes his premise: if he knows how someone thinks, he knows what they think[3:38]

Dinner with a famous person mentalism demonstration

Setting up the thought experiment with the audience

Oz asks everyone in the room to take a deep breath in and exhale out, then close their eyes[3:47]
• He humorously notes seeing people with "trust issues" keeping eyes open and holding wallets and phones, calling them fellow New Yorkers
He poses the hypothetical question: if you could have dinner with someone famous, who would it be?[4:11]
• He allows any famous person: dead or alive, past or present, any gender
Oz says he loves asking this question because everyone's answer is different[4:18]
He instructs people who already have someone in mind to open their eyes[4:21]
For those still undecided, he gives a countdown and says a deadline is needed for creativity[4:25]
He asks everyone to clap over their heads if they can see their chosen person in their mind's eye[3:56]

Selecting and engaging audience volunteers

Oz notices a man with very straight-arm clapping and jokes that Michael Phelps would be jealous of his streamline[4:43]
• He asks this man to stand up and introduce himself; the man says his name is Ian
Oz confirms that Ian had no idea who Oz was or what he would do before entering the room[4:56]
• Ian says he did not know, and Oz jokes that nobody reads the agenda
Oz calls for another clap and picks a woman who added a "belly dance" to her clap[5:05]
• The woman hides her name tag, and Oz teases that she is giving the mentalist nothing
• She introduces herself as Nanjira, and Oz confirms the pronunciation
Oz calls for another clap and locks eyes with another man who then tightly closes his eyes[5:29]
• Oz jokes that the man is trying a camouflage shield where if he doesn't see Oz, Oz might not see him
• He calls the man Jeff Johnson and asks him to stand up
Oz asks the audience to applaud all three helpers: Ian, Nanjira, and Jeff[5:45]

Reading whether the chosen person is alive or dead

Oz highlights how he phrased the question: "dead or alive" like a 50-50 coin flip[5:57]
He asks all three to try not to react as he describes sensations associated with their person's status[6:04]
• For alive: a beating heart, room getting warm, blood flowing, happiness and smiling
• For dead: coldness and a shiver down the neck
He concludes that Jeff's person is alive and well and asks for confirmation[6:19]
• Jeff says Oz is right, and Oz points out Jeff's boisterous smile and effervescence
Oz then states that Ian's person is a dead guy, saying the vibe is written all over him[6:27]
• Ian confirms his person is dead

Deducing that Ian is thinking of Alexander the Great

Oz comments on Ian's lingering hands in pockets as an indicator of another guy, suggesting the person is male[6:37]
• Ian confirms the person is male when asked
Oz asks Ian to think of the person's first and last name and to count the letters of the first name[7:04]
• Oz narrates that the last name question confused Ian and that the first name seemed too long when he tried to count letters
Oz suddenly asks Ian to sit down if the person is Alexander the Great[7:19]
• Ian sits down, indicating Oz's guess is correct
Elise cuts in later to confirm that Ian did sit down and looked absolutely flabbergasted[7:27]
• She notes that Ian had been thinking of Alexander the Great and expresses her own surprise

Transition from entertainment to applied mentalism

Oz explains the purpose of his demonstrations

Oz says the audience has seen a taste of what he does, which is used primarily for entertainment[7:48]
He states his intention to show how the principles of his craft, mentalism, can be applied to everyday life[7:53]
• He mentions areas of application: at home, at work, and in relationships
Oz admits that guessing a celebrity from a stranger's mind is not directly useful for most people[8:02]

Introducing the importance of remembering names

Oz presents a scenario where knowing someone's name is incredibly valuable[8:12]
• He describes being at a party or work event, walking up to someone new, making eye contact, shaking hands, and exchanging names
He points out the common experience of realizing you've completely forgotten the person's name a second after hearing it[8:27]
Oz asks the audience to raise their hands if they share this experience[8:34]
• He jokes with someone who doesn't raise their hand, calling them a liar
Oz offers to give the audience a "superpower" so they will never forget the name of someone they just met[8:46]

Teaching the "listen, repeat, reply" method for remembering names

Borrowing a slogan from shampoo bottles

Oz says he will give the audience this superpower using shampoo[8:40]
He explains that the back of every shampoo bottle has the instructions "Lather, rinse, repeat" and calls it a masterclass in marketing[8:55]
• He breaks down the three words: lather makes hair smell good, rinse makes it clean, and repeat sells more product
Oz says he wants to repurpose that catchphrase for remembering names: "Listen, repeat, reply"[9:15]
He has the audience say the phrase out loud with him[9:11]

Step 1: Truly listening to the name

Oz acknowledges that listening sounds obvious but says this is where most people fail[9:21]
He explains that when a person says their name, many are not actually listening[9:29]
• Instead, they are thinking about what they will say next, whether they know the person, if they are hungry, or other thoughts
Oz argues it's not a memory issue: they didn't forget the name; they never knew it[9:38]
He uses a metaphor of writing a name in sand with a twig versus carving it deeply with a thick branch[9:45]
• With a twig, the first wave washes the name away, but with a branch, many waves are needed before there's no trace
Oz challenges the audience to make their minds blank for two seconds when they meet someone new and truly listen when the person says their name[10:03]

Step 2: Repeating the name

Oz moves to the second step: repeat, and has everyone say "repeat" with him[10:05]
He instructs people to say the person's name twice back to them[10:11]
• He gives an example: "Ashley? Is that right? Great to meet you, Ashley."
Oz explains this serves to ingrain the name in memory and also confirm correct pronunciation[10:18]
• He demonstrates confirming pronunciation with "Nanjira? Am I saying that right?"

Step 3: Replying in a way that cements the name

Oz introduces the third step: reply, and repeats the full sequence: listen, repeat, reply[10:28]
Reply is where the name is fully cemented in memory by integrating it into the interaction[10:31]
Oz gives three example strategies for replying with the name: a compliment, spelling, or a personal connection[10:35]
• Compliment example: "Ashley, those earrings. I love those earrings, Ashley." which makes her "Ashley with the earrings" in memory
• Spelling example: asking if Ashley is spelled with E-I-G-H or E-Y, then reinforcing "That's the right spelling, Ashley."
• Personal connection example: saying "Ashley, that's so funny. My cousin's married to an Ashley."
Oz admits his cousin is not really married to an Ashley and calls himself a total liar[11:01]
He points out that now no one will forget the name Ashley, and neither will he, and similarly they won't forget the name Nanjira[11:11]

Second mentalism sequence with categories and Trevor Noah reveal

Determining that Nanjira's person is alive

Oz returns to the earlier dinner question and focuses on Nanjira[11:13]
He notes physical signs like blushing and slight sweating and infers her person is alive[11:19]
• He asks her directly if the person is alive, and she confirms

Breaking famous people into categories

Oz explains his professional approach: taking things that appear to have limitless possibilities and breaking them down[11:27]
He lists categories of famous people: historical figures, singers, movie stars, athletes, comedians, and politicians[11:39]
• He refers to Alexander the Great as a conqueror and historical figure in this classification
While listing categories, he reacts to a nonverbal cue from Nanjira and says he already registered a "hit"[11:41]
• He jokes that she shouldn't have smiled and tells her to "tighten it up"

Story about an audience member challenging him with a song

Oz tells a story from a show he did three days prior in Dallas, Texas[11:57]
He says the last person standing thought of a singer, and he guessed the singer correctly[12:02]
The man didn't sit down and then challenged Oz by asking, "What song am I thinking of?"[12:14]
Oz responded that this is not a streaming service, indicating a humorous pushback on unreasonable expectations[12:14]

Writing a prediction for Nanjira on a whiteboard

Elise narrates that around this time someone hands Oz a small whiteboard and marker from offstage[12:25]
Oz turns to Nanjira and writes down a name while talking to her, without revealing it to the audience[12:28]

Nanjira first says Bob Dylan but reveals she initially thought of Trevor Noah

Oz asks if Nanjira was thinking of a singer and invites her to tell everyone who she imagined having dinner with[12:41]
She says "Bob Dylan" at first[12:45]
Oz suggests he can tell she had someone else in mind and calls this the "grass is greener" approach[12:54]
• He says he can see it when someone's eyes shift, implying they changed choices
He states he believes she actually had someone else in the back of her mind and then shifted[13:00]
Oz asks who the first person she thought of was[13:23]
Elise narrates that this is not Oz's first rodeo and that Nanjira is bouncing up and down as she talks to him[13:16]
Nanjira admits the first person she thought of was Trevor Noah and notes he is not a singer[13:23]
Oz tells the audience not to doubt him and reveals his written prediction[13:37]
• Elise narrates that the whiteboard indeed shows the name "Trevor Noah," and that Nanjira is truly shocked

Discussion of risk, belief, and empowering an audience member to "read a mind"

Oz talks to Jeff about fear of failure

Oz asks Jeff if he knows what the most common question Oz gets at the end of a show is, besides "How do you do it?"[13:54]
He says the common question is whether he is afraid of getting it wrong[14:09]
Oz answers that yes, of course he is afraid, because people understand the risk involved in what he does[14:13]
He contrasts his work with sleight-of-hand card tricks that work every time[14:15]
Oz says people can feel the element of risk, and he believes the number one factor in his success is an unshakable belief that it will work[14:32]
• He calls this belief self-fulfilling
He clarifies that his belief is not about guessing Jeff's person this time-he has done that before and says he doesn't plateau, he peaks[14:39]

Introducing the Frisbee selection process

Oz says he will not read Jeff's mind himself but instead empower someone in the room to do it[14:49]
He produces a bright green collapsible Frisbee and describes it humorously as the worst Frisbee in the world[14:57]
He has a person named Dylan catch the Frisbee and stand up[15:19]
• Oz asks Dylan his name, confirms it, and notes that the Frisbee is made of mesh so it will not hurt physically but could hurt pride if an accident goes viral
He instructs everyone to raise their hands in defensive posture and tells Dylan to close his eyes and throw the Frisbee so he can't aim[15:27]
The Frisbee is thrown up into the seats, and a person named Brett catches it[15:39]
• Brett stands up and confirms he has never met or spoken a word to Jeff Johnson

Bringing Brett on stage to "read" Jeff

Oz invites Brett to come up on stage and the audience applauds[16:00]
He jokes about Brett spelling his name with two Ts and says he's not going to forget that name now[16:08]
Oz confirms Brett has never spoken to him either, and Brett sounds amused to say he hasn't[16:12]
Oz brings Brett front and center and explains the upcoming process[16:12]
• He emphasizes to Brett that he needs to believe in order to achieve the task
Oz confirms with Jeff that Jeff has thought of one person for the dinner scenario and not multiple people[16:36]
• He jokes that unlike Jeff, Nanjira was loading up a six-top at her imaginary dinner

Having Jeff write his chosen name and Brett make a guess

Oz instructs Brett to close his eyes and reiterates that he has to believe to achieve[16:46]
He tells Jeff to uncap a marker and write the first and last name of the person he is imagining on a whiteboard[17:00]
After Jeff writes, Oz tells Brett to open his eyes and look not into Jeff's eyes but into his soul[16:52]
Oz snaps his fingers and prompts Brett to say who Jeff is having dinner with[17:12]
Brett says "Barack Obama"[17:15]
Jeff turns the whiteboard around to show everyone that he had indeed written "Barack Obama"[17:16]
• The successful match reinforces the idea of empowering others with belief and suggestion
Oz thanks Brett and then thanks the audience, stating his name and ending his performance[18:16]

Host outro, recommendation, and production credits

Elise's reaction and viewing recommendation

Elise says Oz left everyone speechless at TED 2025[17:38]
She recommends checking out the video of the talk at TED.com if possible[17:43]
She notes that listeners curious about TED's curation can learn more at TED.com slash curation guidelines[17:50]

Credits and production details

Elise states that TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective[17:54]
She notes that the talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team[17:56]
She lists producers and editors: Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong[18:04]
Elise mentions that the episode was mixed by Lucy Little and that there was additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo[18:10]
She closes by saying she will be back tomorrow with a fresh idea and thanks listeners for listening[18:16]

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Remembering names is less about having a good memory and more about actually paying attention; by deliberately listening, repeating, and replying with someone's name, you can reliably encode it and strengthen social connections.

Reflection Questions:

  • • When was the last time you forgot someone's name moments after meeting them, and what were you thinking about instead of listening?
  • • How could you intentionally practice the "listen, repeat, reply" method in your next three professional or social interactions?
  • • What simple cue (like a note on your phone or a mental reminder phrase) could you use this week to prompt yourself to truly listen for names?
2

Complex-seeming feats often rely on breaking big possibilities into smaller categories and using cues to narrow them down, rather than on mysterious talent.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your work or life do problems feel like they have "limitless possibilities" that you could start categorizing?
  • • How might creating a few clear categories for a current challenge help you make faster, more confident decisions?
  • • What is one complex task you face regularly that you could simplify by defining three to five key buckets or types?
3

An unshakable belief that something will work can become self-fulfilling, especially in high-risk, high-visibility situations where others sense your confidence.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In which area of your life do you currently approach challenges with hesitation rather than firm belief?
  • • How would you prepare differently for an upcoming presentation, negotiation, or performance if you assumed it would go well?
  • • What small experiment could you run this week where you deliberately adopt a more confident mindset and observe the impact on your results?
4

Carefully observing people's nonverbal cues and reactions can give you powerful insights into what they're thinking, enabling better communication and rapport.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What nonverbal signals (posture, facial expressions, eye movements) do you tend to notice most, and which do you usually overlook?
  • • How could you slow down in conversations this week to pay closer attention to subtle shifts in others' body language or tone?
  • • In a relationship that matters to you, what might you learn if you spent one interaction focusing more on observation than on talking?
5

Entertaining or impressive skills can often be translated into practical everyday tools if you look for the underlying principles rather than the spectacle.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What impressive ability (in yourself or others) have you written off as "just a trick" instead of asking what principles make it work?
  • • How could you look at a form of entertainment you enjoy-like magic, comedy, or sports-and extract one practical technique you can use in your life?
  • • What is one flashy or complex process in your field that you could deconstruct into a simple, teachable method for others?

Episode Summary - Notes by Kendall

The art of reading minds | Oz Pearlman
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