TV Review: Penn and Teller's Bullsh*t!

During the last few years of his life the famous magician, Harry Houdini, dedicated his life to debunking the mysticism and the supernatural. Penn and Teller, the famous Vegas magicians, are now following in his path with a libertarian bent. Penn and Teller's Bullsh*t! is a program that tackles such topics like Walmart, the drug war, obesity, prostitution, the death penalty, etc. It's billed as a documentary series with an entertaining take on the issues. Think South Park with a bit more substance. Sure Penn often retorts against prerecorded interviews and always gets the last word, but if you want a truly scholarly approach, you're probably not watching a show called "Bullsh*t!"

A few caveats before you watch the program or rent the season on my recommendation. Penn and Teller's biggest problem was that their opposition to certain groups or people could be construed as slander. So rather than calling a program a scam or calling a person a con man, they resort to the tried and true "MFer," "a**hole," and of course, "bullsh*t." Apparently calling someone a scam artist is actionable, whereas calling someone a "MFer" is just provocative TV. Another questionable aspect of the program is the near-constant parade of naked women on the show for seemingly no reason. The show airs on Showtime and one gets the feeling that Penn and Teller take full advantage of the ratings system their pay-channel. Still not enough to scare you away? My only other problem with the show is the bashing of religions, the religious and the upholding of issues such as gay marriage. Penn and Teller are confirmed atheists and don't see much use for the church. I disagree with their view but it's one I'm used to dealing with in libertarian circles. Ayn Rand was also an atheist so it's hard to attack Penn and Teller on that considering what ideological camp they reside in.

"Bullsh*t" is not for the faint of heart and probably won't provide knowledgeable libertarians with much more information. However, if you're libertarian-curious or just want to be entertained and are not easily offended, Bullsh*t is a raucous good time.

Bullsh*t airs roughly whenever they feel like it on SHO. Click the link for upcoming episodes.