When I was young, I grew up adoring the magician duo of Penn and Teller. Admittedly, I had a celebrity crush on Teller. Full disclosure, I still have a celebrity crush on Teller.
In 2003, Penn and Teller Bullshit hit Showtime. The show spends 30 minutes delving into a controversial topic where the magicians make their stand clear. Though they delve into both sides, when something agitates them enough to speak up, Penn will make it loudly known how fervently he opposes. Most of the time, I agree with the show. They logically argue their cause and provide experts and evidence to drive their point home.
Even at times, when I disagree with the position of the show, I appreciate the way in which they present it. Never do they attempt to portray it as neutral or without bias. They also don’t use deceptive tactics like “documentary” filmmaker Michael Moore who sells his integrity to gain supporters and wealth.
Penn and Teller rather tackle topics that are otherwise often presented by the media or other outlets with a level of deceit, and they then work to factually show how inaccurate the depiction is. For example, many believe PETA to be an organization that merely supports treating animals properly. When its disclosed that they instead support radical arsonists and compare the plight of abused animals with those of the holocaust victims, supporters may think twice before contributing.
One of the greatest aspects of the show is even when I disagree with the stand, their argument is sound enough for me to understand their side. For example, in one show entitled Stranger Danger they showed a mother who allowed her young son to take the subway. They cited facts pertaining to how rare child abductions and child murders in the United States are. I don’t dispute the facts, however emotionally I have an over-protective nature that can’t be swayed with numbers. It’s it logical? No. Still, I am grateful that my nephew is walked to the bus stop each morning rather than to walk by himself.
Another show that I disagreed with yet enjoyed immensely was the one on Conspiracy Theories. This is one episode I really wish could have been expanded to an hour or even a 2 hour production. One of my interests and hobbies happens to be conspiracy theories. I’ve studied the JFK Assassination and the works of Jim Marrs who must be thee most knowledgeable conspiracy buff concerning the murder of the president and was coincidentally on this particular episode. Where Penn and Teller focused most of their JFK allotted timeframe was proving that the “magic bullet” theory wasn’t magic at all and could be done by a lone gunman. I would have loved to see them delve into the evidence that places many figureheads in Dallas the day of the shooting, the photograph that appeared doctored of Lee Harvey Oswald, and the subsequent death of RFK and the arrest of Sirhan Sirhan. I would have loved for them to go into their thoughts on subjects like COINTELPRO or MKULTRA.
The only issue I held with the production was that other than Jim Marrs a lot of time was spent with the uneducated. Instead, I would have loved if they chose to have Alex Jones or Richard Belzer interviewed. Not only are the two more comfortable in front of a camera but they are much more well-versed in the world of conspiracy theories than those on the episode.
That said, there were still significant moments within the show that I agreed with. At one point, Penn and Teller took exception with the statement, “no one can convince me” uttered by a conspiracy theorist who was giving a speech at a bar. They went on to say that people should need convincing with evidence when forming an opinion or trying to uncover the truth. That’s absolutely accurate. One must obtain information and validate that information with a credible source before forming an opinion or their opinion matters not. I honestly believe that Penn and Teller do this in every show which is why I hold their opinion in high regard. That isn’t to say that there isn’t contradictory evidence that should be examined and if deemed credible to be considered while forming an alternative opinion.
Penn and Teller even go as far to say that skepticism of the government is a positive thing, which again I wholeheartedly agree with. Skepticism is good. Blindly agreeing with anyone whether it’s a conspiracy theorist or Penn and Teller is dangerous which is why I love the show. They don’t ask for you to agree with them. They put on a show with the convictions that they hold and they use the evidence that helped them come to that decision. That is a quality to be admired and praised both when I hold the same belief and when my differs.
Off the conspiracy soapbox, the show has tackled other topics as well. Everything from topics like Alien Abductions, Ghosts, Gun Control, The Bible, Wal-Mart hatred, Big Brother, the War on Drugs and Fast Food have been deemed bullshit by the best. For 8 great seasons, they have put out one of the most intelligent and amusing television shows ever produced.
Back in February, when I was lucky enough to visit my husband’s family in Georgia, my awesome brother-n-law Joey had a copy of Penn and Teller Get Killed which was one of my all-time favorite films growing up. It was the first place I learned about crooked con-artists who prey on sick patients with promises of curing disease. The movie itself is comedy gold, and I was so grateful to Joey for reminding me that Penn and Teller have always been great.
Overall Rating: 10/10 An Awesome Show with Awesome People
