I'm not familiar with much of their work to be honest, but I see they have a tv series called Bullsh**! (Season I & II).
I was just wondering if this has any magical value?
And do you think it's worth getting?

-e-

There's some magic throughout the various episodes of the program, but that shouldn't be the reason to get it. It started out as an exposure program where they exposed faith healers, palm readers, psychics etc. As they ran out of subjects, they just picked a random hot topic and made an episode of bullsh**.

Most of the episides are very funny, and highly recommended. You have to know a bit about American TV to appreciate all the fun things they do and say. American TV is not as liberal as here in Europe. There are a lot of things you can't say or do on TV, and since bullsh** is a cable show, they get to violate all those rules. As europaens, we're not intimidated by naked people or swearwords, but that's not usually something you see or hear on American TV. So - keep that in mind, and the show is hillarious.

By the way - the magic Café operates the same way. I tried to write the title of the program, but that's not possible - apparently it's an illegal word. Guess I better go re-read the rules so I don't accidentially offend anyone.

Yep, like Broothal said, it's not really a magic show, but a show where they take sides with an issue. Topics they've gone after include alien abduction, chiropractic, christianity, recycling, and PETA (the animal rights organisation).

While they will throw in the ocassional "magic" moment or do a bit of juggling, the true entertainment of the show comes from the wacky sense of humor and the comments they make (or rather, Penn makes) throught the show.

If you don't like Penn and Teller's style, you probably won't like the show too much.

If you do like them, you'll probably enjoy the show. I like it a lot.

Kevin

Does anyone know if they have done an episode exposing polygraphs?

No they have not you can see a complete list of the shows they have done on http://www.showtime.com.

It's a great show it debunks some realy big myths.

I love P&T, and I love the series.

However, their methods can fall short on the series. They take on great stuff, but sometimes their bias gets in the way, and the argument falls flat. It's very entertaining, but from a logical/debate standpoint, sometimes they violate their own rules and use evidence for Y to show why X is false.

But if you're not looking for the most cohesive debate prep, and want some thought provoking material couched in entertainment, go for it. It's worth the watch.

To REALLY address the question the B.S. program is 100% NOT a magic show and NOT a representation of what P&T do on stage. P&T host the show and they do the occasional small trick during the intro segments but as the others have said it really is NOT a mgaic show. If you want a magic show do not get this.

HOWEVER, if you wanta really funny and entertaining show that you will sometimes agree with and sometimes not then YES go for it. I love P&T and have been a fan for well over 20 years, they are fun to watch. They are both strong aethiests and are very big into science. Therefore some of the subjects they tackle will rub many people the wrong way. For example they question religeon and faith, this will offend people....GOOD!

And Brrothal, I know you are not from the U.S. and you have a notion of what is "shocking" to those here, but trust me when I tell you that virtaully EVERYONE who owns a TV has cable. While it is true that the four major boradcast networks have policies they follow not showing nudity or airing swear words. virtually everyone has access to more riske' shows if they choose. The value of the BS show is not in any shock but rather the actual content.

If you want a taste of what some of the shows are like you should download Winamp. It has a function called SHOUTcast TV. It plays shows from simpsons, futurama, chapelle show, ect. If you search for the word "Bull" it should come up. There are some of the shows airing on there.

Thanks for the heads up, if I understand this correctly there is no magic content on the series, but are the episodes "linked" like Lost, Prisonbreak etc..?

-e-

The episodes are not linked. It's like "Mythbusters" on Discovery channel, only more crazy.

Exactly. They make episodes on issues that they, and others believe is, as they put it "Bullsh!t". They explain why they call it "bullsh!t" and why they call the people that are the "bullsh!tters" in that context. On a legal point of view it is better for them to call them "a**h*oles" rather than "liers".

Episodes have been on the topics of prooving all of the following is bullsh!t.
Talking to the Dead
Alien Abduction
Alternative Medicine
End of the World
Second Hand Smoke/Baby bullsh!t
Sex, Sex, Sex,
Feng Shui/Bottled Water
Creationism
Self-help
ESP
Ouiji Boards/Near Death Experiences
Diets
Enviromental Hysteria

PETA
Safty Hysteria
War on Drugs in America
True love
Recycling
The Bible: Fact or Fiction?
Yoga/Tantric Sex
Foutain of Youth
Profanity
Death Inc.
Exercise vs Genetics
Hypnosis
12-Stepping

Circumcision
Family values
Conspiracy Theory
Life Coaching
Holier Than Thou/Religous Icons
College
Big Brother
Gun Control
Ghost Busters
Endangered Species
Signs from Heaven

They preform a few small tricks to get a point accross. James Randi was in an episode on the End of the World.

What is most interesting to me about the show is how they all but avoid the obvious topics. Yes, they have touched on Aliens and psychics but that stuff is incredibly EASY to debunk and there are TONS of other info about that stuff. Rather it is when they delve into an issue liek recycling when things get interesting. How could recycling be B.S. or a bad thing one might say. Well they examine it from a logical point of view and show a side that most people would not think of.

Sure, it is one sided just like anything of this type id, however they do try to have "experts" on whowing both sides of any topic, sometimes they are effective, often they are not. The shows are only 30 minutes each and therefore not long enopugh to go into depth on any of these topics... but they do get you thinking and they are fun to watch.

I just received Bullsh!t Season 1 + 2, I'v watched 5 episodes by now, and I have to agree it's funny but not hilarious. BTW just one question: It's probably a dumb one, but why don't Teller speak?

-e-

It's something he decided to do with his character long ago. Penn is the "talking half" in all of their shows.

There's an interview out there where Teller talks up a storm (I can't recall what show it was part of) and from my understanding, he's quite willing to talk with people after a show. The silence is just part of his stage character.

Kevin

Hi

I think these shows are really great.
Penn & Teller have other magic videos I believe.

Penn & Teller's Magic and Mystery Tour DVD
Penn & Teller Go Public VHS

I think these have more magic.

Actually I remember Teller narrating a magic series.
Grand Illusions - The Story of Magic.

It's a pretty good show too

Phil

Teller talks in plenty of publicly released things if you REALLy want to see that for some reason. In fact on one of the epsiodes of the previously mentioned Magic and Mystery Tour he talks for several minutes right to the camera as he explains a particular situation they ran into.

That DVD is very good BTW, lots of magic. They are sort of like travel documentaries focusing on street magic from around the world. They visit China and egypt, both are very good, and they also visit India which focuses a lot on a sort of gore based magic and I did not find that as much fun to watch.

Still, if you enjoy travel shows at all, or P&T then these are a must.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll look into the Magic and Mystery Tour DVD, since it's more magic on that than the Bullsh!t series.

-e-

Eirik:

Just to be clear on what the Penn and Teller Magic and Mystery tour is:

Yes, there is a lot of magic but it is NOT a performance DVD and it certainly is not a teaching DVD. In fact Penn and Teller do very little magic at all in it and what they do do is very simple.

Rather it is a travel show (it was a short series of specials which aired in Canada) in which P&T travel to places known for street magic. They visit China, Egypt and India.

What follows is a very interesting mic of travelogue and documentray on simpel street magic found around the world. They visit some very odd places and it is fun to watch their take on it. It is not however a show that features Penn and Teller doing magic.

I reccomend it as a fun and very interesting DVD for anyone who enjoys P&T or simply off beat magic. Even non magicians, probably the target audeince, will enjoy it for the travel aspects and how off beat it is. If you are looking for outright performaces of magic I know that a Penn and Teller DVD of their recent underwater magic special is soon to be released. However that special was FAR from the best work they have done. While it had a few highlights it was medicore overall.