Penn & Teller: Bullshit!

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an Emmy-nominated American documentary television series that has been on the air since 2003 on the premium cable channel Showtime. It is hosted by professional magicians-comedians Penn & Teller. Many episodes aim to debunk what the hosts see as pseudoscientific ideas, supernatural beliefs, popular fads and misconceptions, and often from a libertarian point of view, the political philosophy espoused by both Penn and Teller. The show criticizes proponents of what they perceive as nonsense and dishonesty-bullshit-often citing ulterior political or financial motives. The stated aim of the show is to apply critical thinking to misconceptions, and as is indicated by the show's title, the program adheres to Penn & Teller's characteristically blunt, aggressive presentation. In the first season, Penn explains to viewers that he and Teller are not generally so given to the use of profanity, but did so to avoid risk of lawsuit for "telling it like it is."Supernatural subjects of episodes include alien abduction, alternative medicine, and ESP; other episodes cover social issues such as the War on Drugs, animal rights, gun control, and environmentalism. Penn & Teller approach the topics in the manner of Harry Houdini and James Randi (who has appeared more than once on the show), who are known for debunking claims of supernatural powers. MORE