This daring original series stars postmodern bad boys of magic Penn & Teller as they question many of our culture's most cherished and widely held beliefs. From the truth about palm readings and TV psychics to the reality behind Feng Shui and Ouija boards, the archly comic masters of misdirection host this eye-opening analysis of the middle-ground between perception and reality.
Showing Season 4 of 9
Season 4
2006
No overview available.
01. Boy Scouts
2006-04-03
The Boy Scouts of America restricts scout membership and leadership opportunities to homosexuals and straight males who DON'T believe in God. According to the BSA, atheists and gays don't make good scouts or good role models. If the Boy Scouts of America were a privately funded group, it could discriminate against and hate anyone it damn well wanted to. But the Boy Scouts of America is dependent upon Federal, State and local government handouts. So, the BSA and their intolerance… are BULLSHIT!
02. Prostitution
2006-04-10
Everyone knows that prostitution is practiced throughout the land. Where it is legal - in only a few Nevada counties, prostitution is vigorously regulated and monitored by the State of Nevada Health Department. The women submit to compulsory medical tests for STDs. No one is forced to work as a prostitute. Pimps don't exist. HIV has never been detected. The women earn regular paychecks and tips. Some even get vacation and sick days. And they pay taxes! It's BULLSHIT that it's illegal for two consenting adults to have sex with each other!
03. The Death Penalty
2006-04-17
We understand the feelings of rage felt by crime victims and their families. But - studies show there is no deterrent effect to State executions. And, DNA evidence has exonerated 122 men formerly on death row! If we're killing inmates to satisfy a primitive emotion, if we can't be sure the criminal is guilty as charged, and we have ways to keep someone locked up and out of circulation for life and for less cost, why does our government still support the archaic, primitive, cruel and costly BULLSHIT known as the Death Penalty?
04. Cryptozoology
2006-04-24
BULLSHIT tours Inverness, Scotland, the home of the Loch Ness Monster, with two "cryptozoologists" who try to lure the mythical giant of the deep to the surface... with a bag of fish guts. Later, we investigate the latest mysterious Bigfoot footage posted on the internet. In between, we check in with some credentialed scientists for their take on the bullshit "science" of Cryptozoology. Will our scientific experts conclusively debunk the existence of mythical creatures? Here's a hint: Crypto means "hidden" while zoology stands for the study of animals. Put them together and what do you get? BULLSHIT!
05. Ground Zero
2006-05-01
It has been over four years since the worst terrorist attack on American soil and the only reminder is a big gaping hole in the middle of New York's financial district. Disgruntled family members of the victims want to memorialize the fallen, big corporations want to get back to business, local residents remain concerned over the health risks of living and working nearby, and politicians blather on, afraid of making politically incorrect moves. Everyone it seems is angling for a piece of the multi-billion dollar federal government pie to rebuild the site. BULLSHIT! takes on the fight for Ground Zero from street level to New York's towers of power.
06. Pet Love
2006-05-08
BULLSHIT takes its cameras inside the world of extreme pet lovers where we'll meet reptile enthusiasts, show-cats and their owners, and a man who claims to have revolutionized veterinary medicine. We'll visit a woman who shares her home with 25 cats and an artist who creates pet memorials that will blow you away. We'll even get all scientific and figure out why we are biologically attracted to puppies and kittens. Finally, we'll get to the bottom of the diseases our four legged, fine-feathered friends are spreading, like West Nile Virus and Monkeypox. Go ahead love your pet if you feel like it. But c'mon, let's draw the line at rubbing noses and swapping saliva... Now that's doggy BULLSHIT!
07. Reparations
2006-05-15
Slavery, the slaughter of Native Americans (and the confiscation of their tribal land) and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II are three tragedies from this nation's past. However, are those who suffered as a result of these government policies, deserving of money - lots of money? They're called "reparations" and like the Indians and the Japanese before them, today many African Americans think the Federal Government (meaning Mr. And Mrs. Tax Payer) owes them money because their ancestors were once slaves. In this episode, BULLSHIT goes inside the reparations movements and uncovers the truths about the internment of Japanese Americans, Indian Casinos and the Federal Government's long history of correcting the historical wrongs associated with its institutional racism.
08. Manners
2006-05-22
According to a recent poll, 8 out of 10 people in the US think Americans are ruder today than any time in history. Is that even possible? Are we really ruder and less well mannered? On this episode of BULLSHIT, we'll find out that our contemporary ideas about manners date back about 120 years to the Victorian period, a time when there wasn't indoor plumbing an people used to urinate in the street, we'll meet an etiquette expert who knows which fork to use when eating salad and visit with a stripper who puts the entire issue of manners into perspective. Saying "please" and "thank you" are good social lubricants and help you avoid getting beat up... the rest of manners, are pretty much BULLSHIT.
09. Numbers
2006-05-29
They say numbers don't lie, but in the hands of the media, politicians, pollsters and salesmen, numbers can be downright subversive. BULLSHIT meets the author of Damned Lies and Statistics - he tells us how numbers are craftily manipulated based on political affiliation and agenda. The numerically ambiguous world of Vacation Time Shares leaves our undercover operative dazed and confused. We also take street cons to Las Vegas - a town built on Numbers - and reveal how readily most of us can be cheated. And we look into the bullshit behind political polls, gambling odds and state lotteries. Source: http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/prevepisodes.do?episodeid=s4/numbers
10. Abstinence
2006-06-05
BULLSHIT goes on the prowl for virgins! We meet women - and men! - who are saving themselves for marriage. We find out -what the hell for? Then, there's sex education! We find out if it is helping them screw…or screwing them up. And we get really revved up about teaching abstinence only! We meet an expert who encourages multiple sex partners before settling down. He has proof that sex reduces stress and it releases endorphins that make us feel good. The cherry on the top of our cherry is a visit to a masturbation clinic. Now we're talking sex education! We'll also meet up with the former US Surgeon General, Dr. Jocelyn Elders. She was fired for advocating masturbation as an alternative to sexual intercourse to prevent STDS, and that's BULLSHIT.
