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"Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" (2003)

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62 out of 71 people found the following comment useful :-
Best. TV Show. Ever., 3 aprile 2004
Author: warlokc da Charlottesville VA

Wow. This should be mandatory viewing for the entire human race. Con men of all stripes hate this show, and with good reason. If enough people see it, they'll be out of business. To re-cap the first season: Bottled water is the same as tap water. Your penis can't be enlarged. "Intelligent Design" isn't. ESP -an old con debunked 10,000 times over. When will people learn. As for "talking to the dead" -these people deserve prison.

And already in the 2nd season we've seen that PETA is a terrorist organization.

Of course, I already knew a lot of this stuff, but Penn and Teller do a fine job of presenting the truth with humor.

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54 out of 63 people found the following comment useful :-
Skepticism = Critical Thinking, 8 febbraio 2005
Author: Buzz Vinard da Albuquerque, NM

I've been a skeptical atheist for a while, now. It is great to have a show that, at the very least, confirms that I am not alone out here.

Penn and Teller are also skeptical atheists, so no one should be expecting an expose of religion to turn into an episode on the religious conversion of the duo. I don't understand many of the reviews here, suggesting that "thoughtful debate" should be the order of the day on this show. The show is called "Bullshit!" for a reason. You can count on any topic presented here as being something to be taken apart, limb by bloody limb.

The methodology they use is appropriate to their subjects. I personally hate PeTA and other extremist groups like them. The show about PeTA focused on the hypocrisy in their actions, since what they essentially offer is an extremist opinion, not science. PeTA euthanizes animals? PeTA gave financial support to convicted arsonist Rodney Cronado? PeTA vice-president Mary Beth Sweetland uses animal-based insulin, despite PeTAs firm stance that animals are "not ours to use—for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other reason"? Holy cow!

The show about AA took a hard look at the success rate of the program, as well as focusing on the religious-based nature of the program itself, calling into question whether or not it is right for courts to order folks into it.

The debate on evolution vs. creationism being taught in public school was fascinating. The point being made, lost on many, was that creationism, "intelligent design", or any other theory that involves a divine creator is religious in nature, and therefore has no place being taught in public schools. What was seen as the outrage was that the prevailing majority religious viewpoint was being pushed to the front as a fact that all, regardless of religion, were going to be taught. This is as offensive as bizarre attempts to round off the value of pi by legislative coup.

Holistic/alternative medicine is a huge business in my home state. I know a lady who has used these remedies to help her back. I've known her for ten years, and she's been a strict adherent to these methods for at least that long. Her back has hurt for ten years, and it still does, today. There is no science at all on the side of the vast majority of these remedies. Some were even shown on this show to be aggravating to the conditions they were supposed to treat. Basic anatomy classes will show that there are no chakra points on the body, or any reflexology nerve pathways in the foot.

The main thing the guys want to get across is to use some common sense. Think critically about these kinds of things. Look at them from all angles. If a group of people offer an extremest and absolute point of view, but make exceptions for themselves, ASK WHY! If science is being trampled by religion, ASK WHY! If someone wanted your money to sell you a car, you'd have it checked out first, right? Do the same with anything holistic and/or psychic. Dig. Find some real answers. ASK WHY! And if someone wants to take your freedoms away, say NO!

When it comes to matters of opinion, Penn and Teller are not shy about their own. But they don't condescend the audience, telling what opinions they SHOULD have, just asking them to question the opinions and beliefs they DO have. Opinions and beliefs that can stand up to critical thinking deserve to be held on to. Those that can't are bullshit. That's the whole point of the show.

I do hope that the show returns soon. It's still at the top of my Tivo list, though an episode has not aired in months.

And if either of you guys read your own reviews, check it out: The two men who founded "Exodus International", a Christian "gay conversion" group ended up leaving the organization and their wives for each other. Please do a show about this!

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40 out of 46 people found the following comment useful :-
Best Approached With an Open Mind, 30 luglio 2003
Author: menardi (motivepower@post.com) da New York City, New York

Showtime's recent series 'Bullshit!' garners widely-varying responses from viewers-- it has fanatically devoted fans as well as those downright offended by it. Abandoning Penn & Teller's usual material, dispelling myths surrounding magicians and magic, 'Bullshit!' is based on the duo's more serious beliefs. With episodes critiquing beliefs many people hold dear to their hearts, such as religion and environmentalism, 'Bullshit!' is an excellent show if you're looking for more than just the same old sensationalist garbage on television. Using a satisfying blend of humor and journalism, 'Bullshit!' is entertaining and informative. ****

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38 out of 43 people found the following comment useful :-
Hilarious and Informative, 16 gennaio 2004
Author: MilB12 da Dallas

When I say this is hilarious and informative, I mean it informs you of how stupid some people are. Penn and Teller do such a good job with this show, and do an even better job of de-bunking con-artists. Everything from Feng Shue to Magnet Medicine and these people who communicate with the dead (such as John Edward) are de-bunked. I just watched an episode where Penn and Teller got people to try out a "Mucas Mask". This was a supposed be a beauty treatment/facial massage in which people actually let somebody put snails all over their faces. You then see these people who have faces covered with nasty slime giving testimonials on how much better their wrinkles looked and how relaxed their face felt. This was something P&T set up just to show that these testimonials for other cons are not reliable. People can be so stupid, and Penn and Teller do a hilarious job of pointing out how gullible some people are. I reccomend this show to anybody.

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25 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Bravo!, 19 marzo 2003
Author: Snoopy1 da Watertown, MA

Hilarious stuff.

"Bulls***", on Showtime, investigates things from the pop culture (like feng shui, bottled water) and reveals that they are, indeed, BS. There is also a bit of a candid camera element to them, making sure that the people look as stupid as possible.

e.g. They filled up fancy looking bottles with hose water and gave them what sounds like fancy names (like Aqua de Culo, which means "butt water" in Italian)...and people at a restaurant raved about how clean and tasty the waters were, as opposed to tap water.

Penn's cynical commentary is also hilarious. Him and Teller do a great job with this show.

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21 out of 26 people found the following comment useful :-
Finally!, 5 febbraio 2003
Author: delicreep da SF Bay Area

How can this be? Not only does America finally get a skeptic-oriented cable show, but one hosted by Penn and Teller! The joy was almost too much for me, especially since the first episode was about communing with the dead, a scam enjoying a huge surge in popularity.

The opening dialogue by Penn was sometimes a bit shaky, but I suspect he'll adapt to the format soon enough. The series will hopefully continue to do what the first episode did: show the methods by which mystics and pseudoscientific opportunists take advantage of people in need.

Finally, I was impressed that the show managed to walk the line between skepticism and cynicism, never falling into the simple close-minded denial of the latter. There certainly is anger and sarcasm from the narrators/hosts, but nothing too terrible.

This is a funny show that is entirely relevant. I now have something to counter the pain of Dennis Miller's show being canceled. Watch a few of the episodes and decide for yourself.

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19 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
It may not be objective, but at least it'll make you think., 9 novembre 2004
Author: SlimeyPete da Canterbury, England

This is one of the most interesting shows I've ever seen. OK, so the portrayal of some of the issues is a bit biased, and it does descend into ad-hominem with worrying frequency, but it gets two very important things right: it's thought-provoking, and it's funny. So, although many of the arguments given seem watertight enough to me, if it's a fair and rigorous exploration of the issues that you're after, you're going to be disappointed; however, if you want to be introduced to new, intellectually-stimulating topics in an entertaining way then it's just what you're looking for. Oh, and they do have a talent for picking the funniest nutters imaginable when they're choosing their interview-fodder.

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14 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Iconoclasim at its finest: "Bullshit" is a must-see, fiercely mounted attack against shysters and media sacred cows, 17 agosto 2005
Author: howTVshouldbe da star range: 1 - 4, expanded to 5 for classics

*Reader Discretion Advised* Network: Showtime; Genre: Reality/Documentary; Content Rating: TV-MA (pervasive profanity, nudity and occasionally explicit sexual content); Available: DVD; Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Seasons Reviewed: 2+ seasons

Everybody knows of Harry Houdini as the world famous magician and escape artist, but not so many know that Houdini made a life's work of debunking the myths and mystic around scam artists and shysters of his day. Now, magicians, atheists and skeptics Penn Jillette and his partner Teller follow in the footsteps of their idol, in a Showtime series taking on modern day scam artists, hucksters and debunking the hell out of those myths that have perpetuated to the point of conventional wisdom.

As Penn describes in the opening episode the word "bullshit" (and all the other expletives freely used in this meaty only-on-Showtime series) is something of a non-litigious catch-all for "shysters" and "liars". That, and "nobody knew what 'humbug' meant". Each week Penn & Teller set their laser sites on an aspect of American culture that is believed as a matter of faith or has been perpetuated by the press and pop culture by those attempting to capitalize on the trusting and sometimes emotionally unstable public.

Some of it is easily laughed off as only believed by nuts ("End of the World" is hilarious), the more controversial episodes are things most people have come to accept such as second-hand smoke, recycling, bottled water and romantic love. Some of it might seem like harmless fun until P&T get into the grit of it. That when talking to the dead the mediator can implant false memories of the loved one into the fragile bereaved. ESP may sound cool, until psychics starts leading police into a marsh and wasting precious time while kidnap victims remain in danger. And hypnosis may seem worth a shot until cancer patients try it instead of seeking actual time-sensitive medical procedures. Even (maybe especially) if you know this stuff already, watching our duo tie everything together is a beautiful thing.

Penn & Teller stake out their position, then line up every scientist and researcher they can get on camera from every repeatable institution they can find to back them up. Giving ample airtime for the opposing side just lets them talk long enough to put the rope around their own head. Then for the next 30 minutes they proceed to rip their subject to shreds, and with that amount of time focused on a single subject they can fully exploring every aspect of that subject making sure to tick of each and every reason someone might make an argument for it. This includes detailing the usually unbelievable fallacious origins, discrediting the perpetrators (they savage John Edward and John Gray) and explaining why people have come to believe and vehemently defend it. They go toe-to-toe with environmental lunatics and PETA. One of their best, "Creationism" is a white-hot wad of anger lobbed against teaching "intelligent design" in school that would make Roger Ebert proud.

At first, Penn's abrasive style may be off-putting. Jillette is unrelentingly verbose and Teller, of course, remains everybody's favorite mute. Penn & Teller have a lot of fun with this, reveal personal stories about themselves and do not hesitating to bring in the hot naked women for the vaguest reason. The show is packaged with their wicked, self-referential sense of humor and framed precisely with Gary Stockdale's terrific musical score. Plus, I like a good smash-cut ending and this show has some doozies.

With the content freedom given by Showtime, "Bullshit" is able to give us an open-eyed, uncensored look at some things needed to really hit their point home. They don't shy away from slaughterhouse torture of animals. We see explicit porn and specifically The Puppetry of the Penis (which I could have gone my entire life not seeing). We see a dead body. We see the actual Botox injections bleeding and bubbling up the skin. And we hear George Carlin's 7 Dirty Words.

In a TV climate that perpetually seeks to humiliate the public, Penn and Teller take an uncommonly warm approach to the people who by into and are victimized by these scams. The best part of the episodes is often while wrapping up Jillette gives us an empathetic explanation for why someone would, say, believe they where anally probed by aliens. Occasionally the show appears to take a "Candid Camera" approach (like a poor women who wears a suit of magnets and a disgusting bit involving snail mucus face masks - that's right), but then throws out the safety net and turns the tables. "Bullshit's" free-wheeling libertarian ethos never blames the consumers.

Occasionally, the show slips off the rails when it, having already made its point brilliantly, puts the camera in the face of a grieving father or mother in an attempt to rattle our emotions to their cause. That is cheap, manipulative, hackneyed Michael Moore stuff and Penn & Teller are usually above it. "Bullshit" is put together with a massive amount of material laid out in interviews, and footage that is as unedited and indisputable as you can get in this day in age. They have a keen ability to anticipate what the audience will be thinking and how to answer it.

Do they go over the edge sometimes? No doubt. "Bullshit" is a mounted attack, cleanly crafted against shysters and sacred cows. It is a persuasive iconoclastic essay in a time of political correctness that deserves to be seen and spark water cooler debate. A must-see documentary TV series. Eye-opening, through-provoking and damn addictive too.

* * * * / 4

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15 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
This is a must see, 12 luglio 2004
Author: Marika Thomas da Montreal

Real people like us are used every single day, people we love, even ourselves. I have to admit that I even fell for some con men with a lot of visibility, some self-help pseudo guru and some pseudo alternate medicine.

From the Mozart effect to reflexology, alien abductees and fire walkers, the bullshit gets exposed the way only Penn & Teller can do it. The truth is distorted every where, from second hand smoke reports to the real effects of Mozart Music on babies (what effect?).

The real self-help is to not get conned, and it starts with the Penn & Teller Bullshit show. It can't be viewed in Canada but I got the DVD of the first season from their website.

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6 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Profane, Fantastic (spoilers?), 28 settembre 2004
Author: ariconsul da Seattle, Washington

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Although Penn swears like a sailor (rationale: calling people a**h*l*s is not libelous, but calling them liars is), the show is a fantastic introduction into skeptical thinking. You'll see several things debunked, but main thing you'll get out of it is that, boy, people (yes, including you) are suckers! I wonder if anyone has done the opposite of what P&T wanted and decided to become psychics/reflexologists/alien abductionees so they could dig into the willing pile of cash from their gullible brethren?

Favorite moments (spoilers!):

* Attempted psychic reading of the guy who showed absolutely no facial response (poor psychic looked frustrated!)

* Man with the buried bus bomb shelter (kooky, but very neat!)

* The snail mucus mask (snails appear to like lips)! Also the woman walking around with the magnet mits. In fact that whole mall episode was gut busting.

* The water bar in the bottled water episode. Care for a $6.00 bottle of water from a New York hose, anyone?

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