Penn And Teller: Breaking The Law For Entertainment?

In the first episode of the TV show 'Penn & Teller: Bullshit!', the hosts explain their use of profanity, stating that they can be sued for calling people liars and quacks, but not assholes. However, in their episode on second-hand smoke, Penn and Teller were accused of breaking the law by trying to debunk the myth that second-hand smoke is bad for people's health. A District Court Judge in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, threw out an EPA study showing that second-hand smoke is harmful, and Penn and Teller used this as evidence that second-hand smoke is not dangerous. They were criticised for using a legal rather than a scientific argument, and for failing to interview scientists who could disprove the earlier study.

The duo's use of profanity

Penn and Teller's use of profanity in their show *Bullshit!* is a deliberate tactic. In the first episode, Penn explains that the series will contain more obscenity and profanity than expected for a series dealing with scientific and critical inquiry. He justifies this as a legal tactic, arguing that while calling people "liars" and "quacks" could lead to lawsuits, the use of profanity is "safe". Penn also notes that the word "bullshit" is particularly important to the show's title, as it has more impact than the initially planned title "Humbug!".

Penn and Teller's use of profanity is part of their characteristically blunt and aggressive presentation style. The show's format involves debating political topics and debunking pseudoscientific ideas, paranormal beliefs, popular fads, and misconceptions. Their use of profanity is a way to express their anger and frustration towards what they perceive as nonsense and dishonesty.

While some viewers find the profanity in the show entertaining and refreshing, others are offended by it. One reviewer wishes that the show had toned down the language so that they could show it to their high school students. Another reviewer criticizes Penn and Teller for their sensationalism, arguing that they resort to the same tactics as their targets.

It is worth noting that in the "Profanity" episode of *Bullshit!*, neither Penn nor Teller use any profanity. Instead, they change the name of the show to "Humbug!" for that episode.

The show's format

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary comedy television series that aired from 2003 to 2010 on the premium cable channel Showtime. The show was hosted by professional magicians and skeptics Penn & Teller and its format consisted of debating political topics, usually from a naturalist libertarian capitalist point of view, or aiming to debunk pseudoscientific ideas, paranormal beliefs, popular fads, and misconceptions.

Each episode of the show would see Penn and Teller debunk a chosen misconception, such as cryptozoology, or "expose the truths" of an organisation, like PETA. Sometimes their objective was not to completely dismiss the topic at hand but to decry certain aspects of it that they believed to be pernicious, misleading, unnecessary, or overemphasised. For example, in an episode about college, they argued that while college is a great place to learn and drink beer, the concept of diversity is "bullshit" when used as an excuse to restrict free speech.

Proponents of the topic would make their case in interviews, but would often end up appearing fallacious or self-contradicting. For example, in an episode about safety hysteria, a manufacturer of "radiation guards" for mobile phones admitted that there was no proven link between mobile phone radiation and brain cancer but told viewers that "you can't be too safe". When he stated that his background was in advertising, not medical science, it was implied that he knew his product was useless but exploited people's fears to turn a profit.

Penn and Teller would also conduct informal experiments to debunk certain topics. For example, in the episode "Bottled Water", diners in an upscale restaurant were presented with a variety of apparently fancy bottled water brands. After the diners praised and picked a favourite, it was revealed that each bottle had been filled by the same garden hose behind the restaurant.

Penn and Teller would often close episodes with an impassioned ethical plea against whatever they were debunking, summarising how the particular belief was harmful and should be resisted. They would distinguish between believers, explaining that they would like to believe these things are true, and those they saw as charlatans out for money or to advance a political agenda, at whom their anger was directed.

The show's topics

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary comedy television series that aired from 2003 to 2010 on the premium cable channel Showtime. The show was hosted by professional magicians and skeptics Penn & Teller, who are known for their libertarian political views. The series explored various topics, often from a naturalist libertarian capitalist perspective, and sought to debunk pseudoscientific ideas, paranormal beliefs, popular fads, and misconceptions.

The show's format typically involved Penn and Teller debating political topics or debunking misconceptions, with a focus on criticising proponents of what they perceived as nonsense and dishonesty. They often cited ulterior political or financial motives and employed blunt, aggressive presentation styles. While the show included interviews with proponents and opponents of the discussed topics, it has been criticised for being one-sided and not always adhering to journalistic standards.

Some of the topics covered by the show include:

• Talking to the Dead: Penn and Teller reveal how popular psychics use an age-old trick called "cold reading" to claim they are in contact with the dead.
• Alternative Medicine: The episode explores chiropractic medicine, reflexology, magnet therapy, and includes a visit to an alternative medicine fair.
• End of the World: This episode criticises viewpoints of people predicting the apocalypse, with a focus on the Left Behind series and extreme survivalist methods.
• Second-Hand Smoke: Penn and Teller critique concerns about second-hand smoke and attempts to ban it, arguing that there is no proven link to cancer.
• Feng Shui and Bottled Water: The episode seeks to disprove Feng Shui as a science and challenges claims about the quality of bottled water.
• Creationism and Intelligent Design: The show examines the constitutionality and scientific validity of these concepts and defends the theory of evolution.
• Self-Help Programs: Penn and Teller attack various self-help programs, with a particular focus on firewalking.
• Extrasensory Perception: This episode challenges the idea that people can possess and teach extrasensory perception.
• Weight Loss Products: The show investigates various weight loss diets and plans while questioning the concerns around genetically engineered food.

These are just a few examples of the wide range of topics covered by Penn & Teller: Bullshit! The show's bold approach to controversial subjects and its combination of humour and scepticism made it a unique and thought-provoking series.

The show's experiments

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary comedy television series that aired from 2003 to 2010. The show was hosted by professional magicians and skeptics Penn & Teller and involved them debating political topics, usually from a naturalist libertarian capitalist point of view, or aiming to debunk pseudoscientific ideas, paranormal beliefs, popular fads, and misconceptions.

The show featured Penn and Teller conducting informal experiments to debunk certain topics. Here are some examples of these experiments:

• In the episode "Bottled Water", diners in an upscale restaurant were presented with a variety of apparently fancy bottled water brands. After the diners praised and picked a favorite, it was revealed that each bottle was filled by the same garden hose behind the restaurant.
• In the "Conspiracy Theories" episode, Teller fires a rifle at a melon wrapped in one-inch fiberglass tape to demonstrate that when a human head is shot, it is likely to be forced in the direction opposite to the bullet's trajectory. This was done to dispel a theory related to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
• In the "Environmental Hysteria" episode, people at an environmental rally signed a petition to ban water, disguised under the name "Dihydrogen Monoxide", without thinking critically about the proposal.
• In the "Second Hand Smoke / Baby Bullshit" episode, Penn and Teller critique concerns about second-hand smoke and attempts to ban it. They also question the usefulness of baby education products.
• In the "Feng Shui / Bottled Water" episode, Penn and Teller challenge claims about the quality of bottled water and seek to disprove Feng Shui as a science.

The show's reception

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! was a controversial show that sparked a lot of discussion and debate. It was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning two, and was Showtime's longest-running series at the time. The show was also nominated for five Writers Guild of America Awards and a Directors Guild of America Award.

The show received a range of reviews, with some viewers praising its originality, entertainment value, and ability to make people think and question their beliefs. One reviewer commented that the show was "intellectually honest" and "challenged the grey matter". Another viewer said that "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".

However, others criticised the show for being biased, presenting one-sided arguments, and using sensationalism and editing techniques to ridicule their subjects. One reviewer called the show "terrible journalism", while another said that "Penn and Teller go about [debunking] in an appalling way". Some viewers also disagreed with the libertarian political views expressed by the hosts.

Despite the mixed reviews, the show achieved worldwide success and was aired in several countries outside of the United States, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and various countries in Europe and South America.

The show's impact extended beyond its viewers, as Penn Jillette revealed that the duo had considered making an episode about Scientology but decided against it to avoid potential legal action by the Church of Scientology. This inspired Matt Stone and Trey Parker, friends of Penn and Teller, to create their own episode of South Park lampooning the organisation.

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