Forum > Gaming Discussion > Penn & Teller Bullshit! - Video Games Episode
Penn & Teller Bullshit! - Video Games Episode
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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:01:17
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I've been parading this episode around all the video game forums I frequent, but hey, as a huge fan of a once-controversial game 'Doom', this is a pretty topical issue for them to be covering.

PART 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBtxB_PnCTo
PART 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN7uE-CoFW0
PART 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERyc5NH5VZQ

They make fun of Jack Thompson a bit, and their closing speech, along with their footage of that nine-year-old trying to operate a real gun really hit it home. I've been a fan of Penn & Teller Bullshit! since the first season, and that's probably the best closing of an episode that they've done, imo.

It also made me really want to play Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway again.

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Listen to Iced Earth and play Doom

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:16:35
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Amazing stuff, Coop. Thanks for the link.
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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:22:22
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I've watched one episode of theirs (the one on recycling) and it didn't help my opinion of them when they used a study from over 20 years ago as the basis of the entire show.

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:29:10
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I'm watching part 1 right now. Thanks for the link man Happy

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:31:24
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Like Penn  Jillette says at the beginning of one of their episodes, "We're biased as fuck... but we're honest".

Even when they're misleading, or just completely wrong, they're man enough to address it in later episodes. In season 1, they concluded that there was no link between second-hand smoke and cancer, which Penn later discussed at The Amaz!ng Meeting 3, where he said they were "very likely" wrong. I forget if it was either the 'Eat This!' or 'Exercise vs. Genetics' episode, but they called obese people out on being lazy, which angered some viewers, and so they went on to create the 'Obesity' episode in seaon 5, where they better examined how some people are genetically inclined to be various sizes. Penn says that what he plans to do when the show's over, is to make the last episode "The Bullshit of Bullshit".

What I think is important is that it makes the general public more aware of topics they otherwise probably wouldn't have considered prior to watching the show. Regardless of how "right" they are, it encourages people to further research these things after watching the show, and hopefully they become properly informed in the long run.

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Listen to Iced Earth and play Doom

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:32:33
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Crap, J Thompson is on talking about sociopathic kids. 

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:43:46
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Onto part 3 now. 

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:52:57
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I like the husband and wife team. 

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:55:12
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Great watch, is this a US or canadian show?

I'm wondering how they can get away with the name calling and such, as over here I dont think that would be allowed. 

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:29:35

gamingeek said:

Great watch, is this a US or canadian show?

I'm wondering how they can get away with the name calling and such, as over here I dont think that would be allowed.

It's on a cable network in America called Showtime, which is primarily a movie channel but they have some original content as well such as shows like this.  Because Showtime is a premium cable network (i.e. you have to pay extra to get it) they aren't restricted by censors.  

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Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:28:42
I've never seen this show before, but I like their attitude. The husband/wife team clearly knew what they were talking about, and that kid made me feel really bad (even though I don't play shooters).
Very well done.
(I am k_smoove)
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Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:41:03
Yodariquo said:
I've watched one episode of theirs (the one on recycling) and it didn't help my opinion of them when they used a study from over 20 years ago as the basis of the entire show.

 As Coopersville said it's not the sort of thing you go into looking for factual information and in-depth analysis. It is however a very entertaining and humorous show. It's a shame it's only ever on at 3am, if at all. Sad

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Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:21:44

gamingeek said:

I'm wondering how they can get away with the name calling and such, as over here I dont think that would be allowed.

Legally, it's safer to call people names, and mock their careers, than it is to directly call them frauds, quacks, and scam artists, unless you like getting sued for libel, anyway. I wonder if broadcasters in other countries would let them get away with this, knowing the angle they're taking.

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Listen to Iced Earth and play Doom

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Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:36:43

Coopersville said:

gamingeek said:

I'm wondering how they can get away with the name calling and such, as over here I dont think that would be allowed.

Legally, it's safer to call people names, and mock their careers, than it is to directly call them frauds, quacks, and scam artists, unless you like getting sued for libel, anyway. I wonder if broadcasters in other countries would let them get away with this, knowing the angle they're taking.

I get reruns of the series over here, on a cable channed called FX. Then again, laws in my country are looser than GG's asshole.

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Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:17:45

SteelAttack said:

Coopersville said:

gamingeek said:

I'm wondering how they can get away with the name calling and such, as over here I dont think that would be allowed.

Legally, it's safer to call people names, and mock their careers, than it is to directly call them frauds, quacks, and scam artists, unless you like getting sued for libel, anyway. I wonder if broadcasters in other countries would let them get away with this, knowing the angle they're taking.

I get reruns of the series over here, on a cable channed called FX. Then again, laws in my country are looser than GG's asshole.

 Which is ironic given his constipation, and Mexico's police when it comes to drugs? 

Edited: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:18:09

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Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:46:02
CBS are lame. Sad

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Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:24:18
I should watch this one and another which I have added to bookmarks/favourites. I don't know what happened to it on TV, it used to be on (and it was free to watch!).


By Miu Watanabe.

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