Gillespie on Penn & Teller's Bullshit! Tonight (and Over the Weekend)

If the FCC's looming crackdown on "coarsened" language and fantasy violence on cable and satellite TV isn't enough to drive you to the high-rent district of the small-screen, I'm not sure my appearance on Penn & Teller's Bullshit! program tonight will turn the trick either. (Though that series alone is easily worth the $10 or whatever an upgrade to Showtime is worth.)

In any case, I'll be on tonight's episode of Bullshit!, which is all about immigration (hint: I'm on the open borders side of the equation). The fun begins at 10.30P.M. (ET/PT) and the half-hour episode will be rerun on Saturday (11.30PM); Sunday (8.30PM); and Monday (12.00AM).

Over the years, Penn Jillette talked to Reason about "Love and Memory and Humanity" (2004) and "Voodoo and Violence" (1994).

Comments

[Chucklehead]

Let the leather jacket jokes begin!

[Guy Montag]

Ummm, Nickster doode, the ad says Thursday night at 10 PM and you posted this on Friday morning.

Are you traveling in time too? I thought I ran into you before meeting you ath the Dragonfly, but I stopped time traveling in 2035, so it may have been a while.

[Pro Libertate]

That's the big time, buddy. If there's any follow up conversation, ask Penn if he ever posts at Hit & Run 🙂

I'd totally vote for the Jillette-Teller ticket, by the way.

[jaybird]

Let the leather jacket jokes begin!

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Nick Gillespie = The Glenn Danzig of punditry.

[Pro Libertate]

. . .I've mentioned this idea before, but just imagine Teller at the VP debates!

[MP]

Ummm, Nickster doode, the ad says Thursday night at 10 PM and you posted this on Friday morning.

It's the magic of reruns.

[David Ross]

I'd like to see a debate between P&T vs. Peggy Noonan. According to Dame Noonan, our culture is insensitive and scary; children and the poor hardest hit.

[Pro Libertate]

I've watched Penn & Teller: Bullshit only on DVD. Come to think of it, I should go watch some of the other seasons (I've only seen the first two, so far).

David Ross,

Penn and/or Teller would kill in any debate. If nothing else, they could resort to magic tricks or juggling to get them out of a tricky question.

[JW]

I'd totally vote for the Jillette-Teller ticket, by the way.

Now that's a State of the Union I'd watch.

"We need a volunteer from the audience his next one. Nancy Pelosi! You'd be perfect for this. Teller will help you up....Isn't she great folks? Now, Nancy, can I call you Nancy? All you need to do is to stick your head in here..."

[Pro Libertate]

JW,

And their foreign policy powers would be unprecedented. In a similar thread, I mentioned what I thought they'd do in regards to the War on Terror:

I still think a Penn & Teller administration could trick al Qaeda into abject surrender with the phrase (after the set up, which would involve placing a giant 3 of clubs on the face of the Moon), "Is this your card"?

[ed]

Yeah, I see a new cabinet position opening up here:
Penn Jillette, Secretary of Magic

Today Secretary Jillette held his first official press conference and made a war disappear.
He then pulled Nancy Pelosi out of Hillary Clinton's ass.
The press roared.

[Pro Libertate]

President Jillette would've never fallen for the WMD claims, because he's a skeptic and would've required more proof.

And can you imagine his address to the nation about 9/11 conspiracy theories? It would be the first time ever that a president said "Bullshit!" while broadcasting from the Oval Office.

There's simply no downside to a Jillette-Teller ticket, especially considering the minor fact that they are both, ahem, libertarians.

[Guy Montag]

It's the magic of reruns.

They still have those? I thought OnDemand replaced them ages ago.

[Dan T.]

I admit that I've never seen "Bullshit" but the title and description of the show indicates that Penn and Teller are probably picking the best arguments for one side of a controversial issue and then debunking the worst arguments for the other.

[JW]

I admit that I've never seen "Bullshit" but the title and description of the show indicates that Penn and Teller are probably picking the best arguments for one side of a controversial issue and then debunking the worst arguments for the other.

Dan, don't be modest. They're using yours as the "other," aren't they?

[MP]

He then pulled Nancy Pelosi out of Hillary Clinton's ass.

Wow. With a snuke in the front? That woman has a lot of storage capacity.

[JW]

And can you imagine his address to the nation about 9/11 conspiracy theories? It would be the first time ever that a president said "Bullshit!" while broadcasting from the Oval Office.

And that he would turn the White House into "The Slammer-East" is just icing on the cake.

[DanT]

I'm gay lol

[G. Simmons]

Dan T. --

Do you have any other insightful comments about things you've never seen? I feel like you're holding back.

[VM]

"Do you have any other insightful comments about things you've never seen?"

I'd love to hear his screed on the socioeconomic consequences of a drunk man eating his own head while trapped upside down in a port-a-potty after a Motorhead reunion tour stop just outside of Superior, Wisconsin.

(betcha he's never seen that)

[Opinion Maker]

I admit that I've never seen "Happy Days," but the title and description of the show indicates that Fonzie and his pals are probably showing only one particular slant on the 1950s and ignoring the fact that people didn't use blowdryers back then.

[Pro Libertate]

And that he would turn the White House into "The Slammer-East" is just icing on the cake.

Oh, that would so rule. And he could bring in Goudeau and revive the radio show in place of the presidential radio address.

To Dan T.'s point, I actually think some of their episodes have been sloppy, even when I agree with their conclusions. It's a fine line between entertainment and reasoned argument, and it's easy to muck things up. They are not trying to show both sides, though, and expecting anything "fair and balanced" is pointless. They also have to be careful about defamation and other matters, which can sometimes dilute the point they want to make.

Still, they have produced some very strong episodes, and I've loved the series so far (I'm going to catch up to season four--my library now carries the series--yippee!). There's so little in the way of skepticism out there; I'm glad that we have this one tall and loud voice.

[Guy Montag]

My favorite Bullshit! episode was on The Wal*Mart. Second favorite was on prostitution.

[Lichtenberg]

why can't i get season 3 on blockbuster?

[highnumber]

Pile on Dan T!!

Mr T (or whoever),
Seriously, cut it out. Someone's spoofing you, or you are a spoof. Either way, it contributes nothing. In fact, it detracts from the H&R experience.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm not sure which one is my favorite--there are so many--but I loved the one where they substituted tap water for high-end bottled water. Superb.

highnumber/Urkobold,

What do you see as the greatest contribution of a Jillette Administration?

[Jonathan Hohensee]

I'm glad there is so much love for Penn here. The guy has a lot of flaws to him and I've noticed that it is a habit for people here to shit on people who play on the home team.

Oh, that would so rule. And he could bring in Goudeau and revive the radio show in place of the presidential radio address.
Monkey tuesday fireside chats! He could have people call in with their personal monkey horror stories and somehow relate it to tort reform.

[Jonathan Hohensee]

I'm not sure which one is my favorite--there are so many--but I loved the one where they substituted tap water for high-end bottled water. Superb.

I loved almost every episode equally (except for the cryptozoology and ghost hunters ones, mostly because they're kind of bland), but I have a special place in my heart for the one where they mercilessly ripping apart fung shie. The circumsicion episode was another great one and one of the few times that someone convinced to care about a certain cause.

[Kaligula]

Help mke out, here.

Based on 60 billion for a 700 mile wall, the government is going to spend roughly 1 million on building a section of wall that Penn & Teller built for 600 bucks using illegals. For the sake of the taxpayers in a complete waste of money, at least have the common sense to hire illegals to build the fucker.

[Kevin Breen]

Didn't they also talk to Reason for the drug war episode?

[Warty]

The circumsicion episode was another great one

I agree, and it really pissed me off at my parents. The fact so many people don't think to question the usefulness of amputating part of an infant is endlessly mystifying to me.

[mediageek]

Dan T. takes a stance
Is it real? Could it be fake?
Whatever. He's funny.

(lookin')

[Lichtenberg]

Warty, come on! Do you really miss it? I could point out the certain health benefits, but what's the point? It's no more a big deal than clipping fingernails.

[Pro Libertate]

Jonathan Hohensee,

And be assured that our military under the Jillette Administration would include at least one squad of monkey shock troops.

I wonder if any current or former Reasonoids would have a role in Penn's cabinet? I think Secretary of State has already been promised to Randi; otherwise, it's wide open 🙂

[mediageek]

"Didn't they also talk to Reason for the drug war episode?"

Yes, Jacob Sullum was in that episode.

I'm completely unconcerned with Bullshit being a "biased" television. I've used a couple of episodes as a great way to start a conversation on a given topic.

[Doctor Duck]

More on the snuke here

[highnumber]

Pro Lib,

To answer your question:
Everything.

Duh!

He wouldn't even have to quit the magic act, because he would do so little as Prez that he would still be able to work 6 nights a week.

[Pro Libertate]

The one concession would be to do the shows at the Kennedy Center, though, I agree, he won't need more than a few hours a week to do the presidency gig. And it will be against the law for them to do the catch-the-bullet-in-the-mouth trick. Oh, well.

Any doubt that Norman Borlaug would be his Secretary of Agriculture?

[highnumber]

No doubt!

You are right about the bullet catch.
Unintended consequence. Boo.

[Pro Libertate]

highnumber,

Do not despair--they will come up with a new trick, I'm sure. They already have a good one to lead with--the trick where they burn the flag and the Bill of Rights comes out unscathed.

Brilliant!

Do you think The Aristocrats would hurt the campaign?

[grylliade]

Nick,

Good luck on Penn&Teller'sBullshit. Maybe you can address some of the important questions in the immigration debate, like WhyBrownPeopleSuck and MexicoWantsToReconquerTheSouthwesternUSBoogaBoogaBooga. ILookForwardToSeeingYouOnTV.

[Dan T.]

Anyway, good to see you clowns rely on washed-up vaudeville acts to tell you which side of the issues are bullshit.

[anti-Dan]

Welcome back from lunch Dan.

Clearly, the bullshit side of the issue is the one you stand on.

[Pro Libertateweltmeisterschaft]

Beholden Das Arschloch! Vit such vun can vitness irrelefanzies uv ze highest order! Ve vill haff order!

Penn & Teller somewhat postdate Vaudeville and are quite successful. So that's a silly statement. Und I don't recall ever saying zhat I needed their opinions to formulate mein own. I daresay I had a few of those before I vas aware uv Penn und Teller's existence. How annoying you can be, Urkobold.

[Rhywun]

"Washed up"? As in, hosting a hit comedy/talk show on Showtime for four years and running? And (one of them) hosting a semi-hit game show on NBC during prime-time?

I loved the one where they got strangers to separate their garbage into 9 categories... and the one where they showed what a total douche this vegan dude was.

[MikeP]

Based on 60 billion for a 700 mile wall...

Is it really that expensive?

A few quick calculations show that you could hire three shifts of people earning $60,000 plus $35,000 civil-service overhead per year standing 85 yards apart to cover the same distance using the interest on $60,000,000,000.

Of course you could hire illegal immigrants to do the job for much less. And you could hire minutemen for even less than that.

[Dan T.]

Washed-up as in they used to have a cool act before they became a couple of know-it-all blowhards.

[highnumber]

Alert Alert Alert

"Washed-up" has been redefined.

Old definition: No longer successful or needed; finished.

New definition: Anything that once did, but no longer pleases Dan T., regardless of current success.

[VM]

"New definition: Anything that once did, but no longer pleases Dan T., regardless of current success."

*image of Dan T sprinkling "Ted McGinley Dust" on the TV show*

Sehr interessant, Hr ProGLib. Sehr interessant.

Two peanuts vere valking down die Strasse und von vas... assaulted. ha! peanut!

Der Europameisterschaftspokal

[Dan T.]

Whether or not they're successful or needed is subjective. In my opinion they're neither, hence they are washed-up.

[VM]

Were they ever successful or needed? Or are they, for you, like George Gaynes in Tootsie?

GG: I'm ... a has been
DH: Have you ever been really famous?
GG: errr, no.
DH: Then how could you be a has been?

(and O/T: which is your favorite criterion for Jumping the Shark?)

[Pro Libertate]

Hallo! Jemand zu hause!

They've always been know-it-all blowhards. And they couldn't have much more cool cachet.

"Subjective"? Cold hard cash says there may be an objective measure available.

[Dan T.]

"Subjective"? Cold hard cash says there may be an objective measure available.

But it's totally a matter of opinion as to whether the ability to earn lucre is a measure of "success". Especially when your soul is a bleak and frigid pit of dispair, as Penn and Teller's appear to be.

[Jonathan Hohensee]

To me, Jumping the Shark comes at diffrent levels; their is the intial "Jump" where the show starts to run out of energy and the writers get tired of thinking up new ideas, and then a second level when, after the burn out, the show makes desprate attempts to win back an audience. (ie messing with continuity, ending sexual tension, gimmicks) I'm pretty lax with saying when shows Jump the Shark...a lot of people (espeically the pricks at TWOP) say a show Jumps the Shark the instant any show has a bad episode.

I agree, and it really pissed me off at my parents. The fact so many people don't think to question the usefulness of amputating part of an infant is endlessly mystifying to me.

I tried that "re-circumsise" think they suggesting for about a week before I gave up.

[Pro Libertate]

Especially when your soul is a bleak and frigid pit of despair, as Penn and Teller's appear to be.

What's absolutely hilarious about that remark is that Penn & Teller would not only agree with you, but they might adopt your quote as a motto. They sell a t-shirt right now that says, "Evil, as it turns out, has two names".

But tell me, would you vote Jillette-Teller?

[Jonathan Hohensee]

Pops, Dan T is just like us.

[Chucklehead]

But it's totally a matter of opinion as to whether the ability to earn lucre is a measure of "success".

What color is the sky on your planet, Dan?

[VM]

is da wer? is da jemand? wer is daheim?

Hr Hohensee - I like it! And agreed with the "instant any show has a bad episode" thought!

Especially when your soul is a bleak and frigid pit of dispair

and don't even think about escaping. Only the prince and I know the entrance.

ProGLib - yes, but Jamie from Mythbusters has the cthulhu 'stash. Can he somehow be entered in the evil contest?

[Pro Libertate]

VM,

Ich verweigere die Aussage!

Ah, you just named the Secretaries of Defense and Energy in the Jillette Administration--respectively, Messrs. Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage. Kari will also receive an appointment.

[highnumber]

I've got Kari's appointment - right here!

Excuse me, VM, can I borrow your keys?

Thanks.

[VM]

Ich enthalte mir der Stimme

Very good, ProGLib! Tory and Grant could do something as well...

[VM]

d'oh - *hands over the keys (to Mr. Underhill's place)

[Jonathan Hohensee]

Penn is going to lock in his presidental win by mailing post cards to everyone in America telling people to vote for him

[Pro Libertate]

VM,

Er geht mir auf die Nerven.

Truly, all of the Mythbusters have a place in Penn's government--even Buster.

I have no comment on Kari, however. I'm married.

[mediageek]

"He wouldn't even have to quit the magic act, because he would do so little as Prez that he would still be able to work 6 nights a week."

You know, they could always just move the nation's capital to Vegas.

The uproar caused by that would be the most entertaining thing since...well...ever.

[Pro Libertate]

Viva Las Vegas!

[VM]

Deine Gewalt ist nur ein stummer Schrei nach Liebe...

"I have no comment on Kari, however. I'm married."

YEAAAAAAA!

Media - agreed!

[Asharak]

This is probably a stupid question, but what are Penn and Teller's views on immigration?

I haven't had a chance to see every episode of Bullshit!, but I've liked what I've seen so far. My only complaint was with the PETA episode. They could have focused more on the medical benefits of animal testing instead of using Ted Nugent and Dennis Prager as voices of reason.

I'll try to catch the new episode tonight.

[???]

Hello! Someone at home! is there who? is there someone? who is at home? I refuse the statement! I contain of the voice It goes to me on the nerves. Your force is only mute cries after love?

[Pro Libertate]

VM,

Deine Springerstiefel sehnen sich nach Z?rtlichkeit

Truly, the What Should Penn Do as President Hijack Thread should've been this week's Friday Fun Link.

[Asharak]

But it's totally a matter of opinion as to whether the ability to earn lucre is a measure of "success". Especially when your soul is a bleak and frigid pit of dispair, as Penn and Teller's appear to be.

That's a pretty funny statement coming from a so-called liberal who's an apologist for the War on Drugs. I suppose you've chosen to overlook the racist, classist roots of the drug war, but hey, we've gotta protect "the children", right?

Well, it's no wonder you don't like them.

[???]

Your Springer boots long themselves for tenderness

[VM]

Du hast nie gelernt, Dich zu artikulieren...

Hey - we've got P&T and die ?rzte - what else do we need for a Friday???

[Jim Walsh]

I was wondering when P&T were going to get to this subject. Here's to a massive cowpie burrito right in Tom Tancredo's kazoo...

[VM]

Highnumber -

hier is the video to the song by the pop punk German band, die ?rzte (The Doctors).

It's from an anti skinhead hit from 1993 called "Cry for love" - "your combat boots long for tenderness". (Springerstiefel)

Your violence is a silent cry for love
your combat boots long for tenderness
you never learned how to articulate
and your parents never had time for you
ASSHOLE!

[Miggs]

The "Dan T." posting in this thread appears to be a spoof. The real Dan usually has his screen name linked to that wretched fucking blog of his.

[highnumber]

Mister, you're a better man than I.

[video unavailable]

[Pro Libertate]

Highnumber,

Yes, it's good to have the Google translator, else I would be der lostenheimer.

What's great about the immigration show is that P&T can use it to launch their campaign. It's topical!

[VM]

fantastic!

[highnumber]

Funny thing is, sometimes when you run something through the translate tool, it makes no sense (see above), but then you run it through a couple more languages and then back to English, you actually can get something comprehensible.

Example from the collection of phrases above:

Hello! Someone in the country! has also, which? is someone? who is in the country? Refusal the explanation! I contain voice, which goes to me to the nerves. Shouts only mute one is your Kraft after love?

Now, I get it!

[Thrall]

Penn And Teller: Bullshit! is how I found libertarianism. I had agreed with almost everything they said, so I became a libertarian. And I was a diehard Bush type Conservative before that.

I think every human has some sort of a subconscious want for complete liberty. Everyone in their life will find out, at least one occasion where government wants to stop them from doing something. Which is what was awoken in me when I watched their show.

I've seen every episode, and the immigration one was the best one of the season yet (almost tied with the breasts episode :P)

It was awesome seeing a reason person on the show, since Penn has said on his past radio show how much he loves reason.

[VM]

Cool, Thrall!

You'd probably like their Vegas live act, too - apparently they're very entertaining and fun!

High#: awesome again.

[Pro Libertate]

Thrall,

Our own highnumber pointed Hit & Run out to Penn last year, who made a point of specifically referring to the blog on his radio show on multiple occasions. I was joking with highnumber and VM in a different thread that Penn was secretly "one of us". Grotius insists it isn't him, as did I 🙂

VM,

Have you see their show live? Oh, I am so eifersuechtig. I should've seen them when I was in Vegas in 1999.

[JW]

Hey Pro--Were you there for Comdex? Only time I made it to Vegas was for that in '99. What a huge friggin' collection of geeks!

Funny thing is that I had the exact same experience. Planned on seeing their show, but um, gambling and...stuff. Not good for the cash flow.

[VM]

ProGLib - leider, nein.

Yes - you should have seen them back then. Beware! That transgression shall be the summons to URKOBOLD!

oh, Urkobold! some punishment to dish out here! that one, there *points to ProGLib, then ducks*

[Urkobold?]

Urkobold missed them the two times he went to Vegas too. Urkobold has many regrets.

[Pro Libertate]

JW,

I made der Schlampigkeitsfehler--I was there in 1997. Wow, I didn't think it was that long ago. Anyway, I was presenting something at the American Chemical Society meeting, which was a gigantic conference. Other than making my presentation--on copyright and the Internet--I checked out the casinos a bit, then went and saw the natural wonders (canyons and rocks and stuff, VM, not what you're thinking). I didn't gamble, except for losing $1.25 in a slot machine.

Anyway, no excuse for not seeing them. If and when I go back, I will definitely make a point of seeing the show.

Ah, the Urkobold is back. I am pleased.

[mediageek]

The one time I went to Vegas-

No gambling.
Not much drinking.

Still had a good time.

[highnumber]

Who What did you do, mediageek?

0:)

[Pro Libertate]

Pssst. highnumber. Shhh. He was there to make a hit. For the Corelones.

[mediageek]

"What did you do, mediageek?"

The SHOT Show. Wherein MG got to handle all sorts of naughty ordnance-throwers.

And the Stratosphere. Hellz yes. Ride it at night.

And got dragged to a strip club. The girl who gave me a lap dance, I think she really did like me.

[VM]

He was also making sure that the mattresses had their tags. Don't make him pull rank on you.

[Stevo Darkly, just returned fr]

And can you imagine his address to the nation about 9/11 conspiracy theories? It would be the first time ever that a president said "Bullshit!" while broadcasting from the Oval Office.

I like Jillette, but that's rather tame compared to some of the accomplishments of sooner-than-you think Ted Nugent administation:

- First presidential candidate to adress the nation shirtless and in front of a wind machine.

- Only president to begin inaugural address with, "I believe I believe I believe I believe there ain't nobody who came here to be mellow tonight now, did they?"

- Relocated elk, herd of bison to White House lawn.

- Required all White House guests to "kill and grill" their own breakfasts.

- Historic speech before General Assembly of United Nations made UN translators cry in frustration.

- Personally hunted down and killed Osama bin Laden, using a compound crossbow.

- First* president to use the expression "whang-dang sweet poontang" in a State of the Union address.*

- Using guitar string as bow, shot flaming arrow into Ted Kennedy.
--------------------------------

* But hardly the last! Cf: "Lourdes Leon-Cheney administration."

[mediageek]

Why Stevo isn't writing satire for pay is utterly beyond me.

Brilliant!

[jf]

Dunno if anyone posted this yet, but the show is available on Google Video starting here.

[jf]

Shit, YouTube, Google Video, it's pretty much all the same thing.

[jf]

WHOA! Johnny Cash impersonator! Fucking Awesome!

I can't stop using exclamation points!

[Neu Mejican]

"- Relocated elk, herd of bison to White House lawn."

That would make them the Great White House Buffalo?

http://play.rhapsody.com/tednugent/toothfangclaw/thegreatwhitebuffalo?didAutoplayBounce=true

[Neu Mejican]

P & T's Bullshit.

May be better than Stossel, but

Give me a break.

They need to stick to magic and comedy.

[Pro Libertate]

Come, Stevo, I don't know what alternative universe you stumbled into, but one can't compare Nugent--a one-note act that is huntin' and killin'. . .make that a two-note act--with the entertainment and libertarian extravaganza that is Penn & Teller.

In the Jillette Administration, Penn will violate his libertarian principles one time to send a ship to the Moon, load it up with stuff from the Apollo missions, and dump it in Bart Sibrel's yard with a note saying, "Courtesy of Buzz Aldrin".

By the time he leaves office, the U.S. Army will consist entirely of an elite cadre of trained monkeys.

Rather than fight wars, Penn will challenge foreign leaders to duels. He will go to the duels unarmed and catch the bullet fired at him in his teeth. America's supremacy will be acknowledged at last.

Penn's Oval Office and State of the Union addresses will always include Vegas show girls and opening acts.

[jf]

Neu Mejican,

Your haiki would have
been perfect had you placed the
"but" on the last line

[jf]

Christ, I typed "haiki"
Instead of typing "haiku"
I should go to bed

[Apostate Jew]

Total geil.

"Rebell" hier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VugE7su2hmc

"Manner sind Schweine" heir.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DJ0Inxfmyk

Vivat Farin, Bela und Rod!

[Jonathan Hohensee]

I'm surpised no one brought up the fact that Penn totally called Gillespie on his "wearing black" shit

[highnumber]

?Muchisimos gracias por the link!

[Neu Mejican]

wow, an accidental haiku

[VM]

Apostate!

woo hoo!

Stevo. Gold!