Penn & Teller Do They Know They're on BULLSHIT!

[ShawnRavenfire]

This is why people get their news from guys like Jon Stewart. He's a much more reliable information source than any "real" news show, because he doesn't pretend to be giving cold hard facts.

[oropherfelegund]

I love these guys, so much. 

[bradtwo]

The audio guy needs to pull the thumb out of his ass. The micrphones are clipped.

[onlyrealnumber]

@bradtwo I'd go on a limb to say that the audio guy doesn't exist. Some jackass Camera Op probably plugged in a mic, noticed it was moving the meters on their display and assumed everything was good to go. From documentaries I've worked on in the past, you'd be surprised how often unacceptable shit like this happens.

[skywize]

Am I the only one who grinned just a little bit when I saw that Teller had a microphone?

[houdin654jeff]

@skywize He does actually talk at these things (he only remains silent while performing), but he prefers to let Penn do most of the talking.

[skywize]

@houdin654jeff Lol, I'm sure he does. I've just never seen him say more than a sentence per act. He reminds me a little of Silent Bob.

[shanustheanus]

Quick question.

What does Sacha Baron Cohen do that is wrong?

Is he talking about when he interviews people as his characters?

Why is that wrong?

His character is always the butt of the joke.

It's never a real interview, where they try and find out actual stuff, it's more of an experiment to see if people will believe the characters are real. Unless Penn is referring to something else I don't know about. Can someone please reply, because that has really confused me.

[ShoeUnited]

@shanustheanus Well, usually when Cohen does his on the street style interviews he doesn't give full disclosure that this is for a project of his and that it will be edited to make people look stupid. He merely shoots in front of them, does his thing, and if they don't sign the waiver then the footage is tossed. Of course, he does his for comedy.

What they were trying to say is that they give full disclosure before the interview. People know what they're getting into when interviewed.

[uniqueproportions]

It was so funny. I tapped tellers shoulder at 1:07 and it was like he knew and was wondering what was on his shoulder

[cyanmanta]

Penn thinks Fox News is good at disguising their point of view. That's funny. But he's absolutely right. Watch his Penn Points; Penn loves NPR and the New York Times, even though he absolutely knows they have a point of view. The recent obsession in the media with "liberal bias" and "conservative bias" is bullshit; just because a journalist has a point of view doesn't mean they're not good at their job. Pundits... well, as George Carlin would say, that's another skillet of shit altogether.

[sloppyjoes7]

@cyanmanta

The problem is this: Fox is the MOST balanced of all the major news channels. This has been proven with multiple studies from different organizations.

The problem is that people think Fox is super conservative, because they're so used to the overwhelmingly (and constantly denying) liberal biased media.

[cyanmanta]

@sloppyjoes7 First of all, read my post again. Second, I invite you to actually cite those studies you claim are out there and who conducted them. Third, I've watched Fox News, and they CONSTANTLY insert slanted editorial remarks into even general news coverage. Even the most conservative friends I have, have never attempted to defend Fox as being "fair and balanced"; they know it's conservative and they're okay with that. If you had paid attention, you'd see that's my point, too.

[sloppyjoes7]

@cyanmanta

I read your post twice before I replied to it in the first place. I was partly agreeing with you, though your opinion on how biased anybody is is unclear.

Anyway, scientific studies have been done by multiple groups on media bias. Every one concludes that Fox is relatively unbiased. I don't need links, because if you bother to do searches, I know exactly what you'll find, and it will prove me right.

[conley1337]

@sloppyjoes7 Um...I think you just got called out and don't have facts to support your claim.

[sloppyjoes7]

@conley1337

All the studies support my assertion. The facts are on my side.

Just because you're too lazy to look into it doesn't prove me wrong - it proves that you're willfully ignorant.

[kazztawdal]

@sloppyjoes7 what

[hyperbeanify]

that has got to be the longest answer penn has ever gave LOL

[Freeze01]

why did Teller have a microphone?

[AcidKnockDownn]

@Freeze01 He did talk in one of these videos that I've seen. On the 'Greatest Skeptical Achievement' question he answers it all and Penn says nothing.

[Freeze01]

@AcidKnockDownn

I know, but it would fit the spiel if they hadnt given him a mic.

Guess i was trying to be funny and failing ;)

[rotnakleugim]

@Freeze01 he actually spoke.... look for it



[burakasno1]

what a shity audio :( love penn and teller but could not listen to this :S

[IoEstasCedonta]

Although I've got to wonder - Michael Moore Hates America was sort of like the "credulous show" he described - does he have any complaints about how he looked in that?

[IoEstasCedonta]

That's not completely true - they pull all those pranks on crowds, don't they? Maybe they do this with the crowds after, but they're only talking about the interviews.

[SirKickz]

@IoEstasCedonta

Well, with the crowds, it's a bit different because the people in them are anonymous, so no one is being discredited unfairly.

[Acordaro19990]

most people form their opinions about Moore is politics based. Lefties like him conservatives don't. There opinion on Moore is ethics based and it makes sense.

[Qermaq]

@Acordaro19990 So you feel liberals are unethical? I don't think any political affiliation can rightfully claim to be free of that label.

[DavySigfusson]

OH YOUR GOD that was some awful sound quality... but very true and honest is what I love about it.

[ZerroShadows]

My role models!

[KOLIN25]

moore is ok he has the information yea hes a little goofy and fat. but i give it to him

[EntinludeX]

Um...why did they give Teller a microphone??

[MidgardEagle]

The mic/sound quality is BULLSHIT.

:P

[SGde3a]

News readers with opinions would be awesome, you'd need a lot more new readers to find one you like but it would still be awesome. "The loser we reported last night found breaking into a house has been captured by police today and has been served with comunity service. Alright people thats one less! Woooooo"

[bethanybabe]

Teller has a microphone...hehe...he can speak but doesnt here.

[Omnignosis]

Awe c'mon, Sasha is a comedian. Laugh a little.

[Darkayne]

Penn and Teller are correct in how they make their show, whether you agree with them or not. While Moore's films are well put together and make people think on some things, the way he goes at it is wrong. Deceiving to get the truth makes one a liar.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne What exactly is correct about making a show about people who don't use logic and reasoning and making fun of them by not using logic and reasoning, and being just as biased as they are? Heck, most of the time they are right for the wrong reasons (type 3 error!) and sometimes they are just plain wrong (especially when it comes to science) and what I hate is that Penn is always trying to play scientist, and i'm sure young people will look up to him as I did.

[Darkayne]

@darfunkelidas The incorrect way is to lie to the person(s) they are interviewing, like Moore. The correct way is to tell them they are biased towards whatever the subject may be. They use logic and they use reasoning, but not all the available resources simply because the show is not long enough. The show is to pinpoint a certain belief and make the viewer think. I rather like the aggressive approach. Lastly, Penn doesn't play scientist, he plays skeptic. There is a difference.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne He does play scientist, he has used words like "protein folding" and I could tell he had no idea what he was talking about but I'm sure to anyone who doesn't know biochemistry it would sound "smart". And no, their reasoning being wrong has nothing to do with the length of the show. I'll give u an example, they repeatedly claim that all scientists are supposed to agree about something (which is WRONG) and since not all feng shui guys agree, its not science. Right for the wrong reasons.

[Darkayne]

@darfunkelidas Very well, I'll have to break it to you softly: I'm afraid Penn's not a scientist. I'm sorry. He and Teller host a very opinionated show called Bullshit, where they poke fun and silly superstitions and other ridiculous beliefs held by people without any supporting evidence. Also, I remember watching the feng shui episode, but do not recall your example. Whether your example is valid or not, feng shui is still bullshit.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne If you accept that something is bullshit without even considering the reasoning behind it, you are no different than a religious person. The truth is Penn and Teller, just like christians, have a fixed world view. And anyone who has a fixed world view and makes up his mind before even thinking about something is a danger to human progress. This is why science and politics don't mix. The worse part is that the few things they've been wrong about are very important.

[Darkayne]

@darfunkelidas No subject hopping. This isn't about politics or Christianity. Their "fixed world view" (non-fixed / until proven otherwise point of view) is due to skepticism. Now, for someone to make a claim that feng shui, little green aliens or even the spirit board are true, they must provide evidence to support their claim. This, in a nutshell, is what Bullshit is about. People making bogus claims that something exists, is fact/true ... but have nothing to support the claim.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence to back them up, yes. But, that only applies when you are a scientist who understands why chi is a physical impossibility. You could say, hey protons and electrons are an extraordinary claim, but we do have extraordinary evidence to back it up. Penn dismisses feng shui on the grounds that it is inconsistent. Well, look at the F1 grid and see how different the cars are (where the rules allow it), that is science and engineering...

[Darkayne]

@darfunkelidas "...But, that only applies when you are a scientist...." If a person isn't a scientist have no right to opinion? Protons and electrons are an extraordinary claim, but we have evidence to back them up. Global Warming, the evidence is gathering. Not everyone can be in a lab testing things that have already been tested to make sure they are true. We have to use skepticism, ask questions and find answers that other scientists have found if we have no means of finding them ourselves.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne Yes, the evidence is gathering, so? The evidence is gathering on evolution too. The evidence is still gathering on dinosaurs. It doesn't change the fact that the vast majority of the scientific community has reached a consensus about all of these subjects and if you are not a climatologist/biologist/paleon­tologist, the most sensible thing to do is to listen to them.

[Darkayne]

@darfunkelidas "...and if you are not a climatologist/biologist/paleon­­tologist, the most sensible thing to do is to listen to them."

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence to back them up, yes. But, that only applies when you are a scientist who understands why chi is a physical impossibility."

Careful, funkel, you tripped. Go with your last answer so we can finally agree with each other and get back on topic or move on with our lives.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne And no.. the evidence is still gathering on protons and electrons too... In fact, quantum theory is a huge mess right now.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne Quantum theory works at the nano scale but it becomes a mess when trying to get it to work at a large scale.

[darfunkelidas]

@Darkayne They also contradict themselves a lot. Sometimes, an idea is too stupid to deserve debate (like Feng Shui) which is sometimes true, sometimes the scientific community has enough of a consensus that things like evolution are universally accepted. But other times (like with global warming) consensus in the scientific community is not enough and he claims "Bullshit! there always has to be debate". Have you wondered why do they cherrypick on science? Because of politics.

[FatherTime89]

creationism was when they were at their meanest? Wah? I thought they were kinda light, if you want meanness I say PETA is their height.

[GreatSmeagola]

How dare they compare Barron Cohen and them selves and Moore....

Bullshit and all of Moores movies are to be taken seriously.

Sacha Baron Cohen knows exactly what he is doing, with NOO seriousness to it.

BTW I do love Bullshit... Just Ali G knows he is making a mockumentary.

[Thaiboxerken]

They are comparing themselves accurately. They don't ambush people. That's the comparison and it's fair for them to do so.

[GreatSmeagola]

Fair enough, I can in NO WAY say Ali G does not AMBUSH his 'victims'

I thought they were comparing quote mining...

[MoneyLoverism]

How dare you be a dumbass, Cohen interviews people when they think it's a real interview then he acts like a jackass. Take your self-righteous head out of your tight ass.

[SithRage]

Michael Moore's movies are to be taken seriously? Are YOU serious?!

[MidgardEagle]

I believe Michael Moore thinks so.

[DeadBirdCitizen]

They didn't invent the comparison...it was brought to them, and they are often forced to respond to it.

[doctorman1000]

You have to admire these guys. I love thier show

[dmosier]

Props to P&T

[ve2vfd]

GREAT information Penn! I've wanted to know this for so long.

[MasterOhSo]

I wasn't able to comment on your channel..I understand the why of it...so I wish to say here that I really like what you're doing and I've subbed...looking forward to watching the rest of your work. peace be with.

[rugbyfan808]

brainless and tasteless? did u not just refer to teller as a midget? and accused them of having sex together. it is an incredibly smart show, so maybe you just dont have to watch it

[crackattack85]

Full disclosure, I'm a fan. But smart show? I know most of all entertainment is completely vapid, but that doesn't mean that Bullshit is a program of ideological exchange augmented with empirical evidence. Its pop science/philosophy/whatever the topic maybe at best.

[earwax762000]

teller is 5'9... thats hardly a midget

[DejectedPanda]

No, Penn is just a huge guy.

[Shezmu]

As a completely clueless and curious guy on the net, would anyone know what Penn meant when he says "micheal Moore" shit?

[jbsouthpaw2009]

Did you listen to everything Penn said? Michael Moore is known for setting up an interview without being totally honest w the person he's intervewing of his motives and questions. It is certainly very entertaining in a Jerry Springer kind of way. I enjoyed his film Roger & Me but nowdays he does what he accusses Fox news of doing. His credibility is not what it used to be. But hey he is more famous now. He's an activist film maker.

[Shezmu]

I was thinking more in the way specific techniques and examples. Sorry about the ambiguity.

[night447]

Micheal Moore is notorious for taking people out of context or interviewing people without telling them what exactly what they're being interviewed for.

[Shezmu]

Oh okay. You learn something learn everyday, eh? Thank you.

[ElTIti903]

WELL SAID

[yamilink03]

Why does Teller have a mic......? Isn't he mute?

[Seiku]

No he isn't. I think it is just a part of an act.

[GabrielPFoulkes]

no he can talk, he just doesn't as a part of an act

[poorkinghaggard]

That's not true.

When they did the "Project Stargate" episode, they either lied about how the project went, or they did not look into the people they were interviewing, like Dr. Hyman who actually did lie on camera.

I forgot the other guy's name, but the show made it seem like the project was a big mistake and that he did not believe they found anything. None of which is true, because the actual reports contradict what was said on the show.

[OktoberSunset]

TELLER HAS HAD HIS LEG CHOPPED OFF!!!!

[johnedwards1968]

I have to admit that I don't find the treatment of Bullshit or Michael Moore's movies all that different. I think Penn's just coming from a different ideological viewpoint, and that's biased him.

[15HighFlyer15]

annoying mic noise.. :(

[rkullberg]

0:50 Here's a little neologism that this video inspired in me: moorement - a moment in a film, mostly documentary, when the filmmakers use cinematic tricks to manipulate an unaffiliated person's beliefs, judgments, speech, emotion or actions to support their predisposed biases, ala any Michael Moore film.

The only drawback is that is sounds a lot like "Mormon", which Penn is even more unassociated with.

[rkullberg]

"more unassociated with"?

All this "Moore" talk is making me speak in double negatives.

"less associated with."

[anderseb2007]

I wouldn't lump Cohen and Moore together, since Cohen is a comedian and Moore is more or less serious.

[eqsheiky]

I almost agree with you. I would say, Cohen is a comedian, while Moore is a joke. =)

[RPR1983]

"[Penn] would like to burn the social safety-net. This is why Penn hates Moore"

or, he thinks tabloid styled "journalism" and intentionally deceptive misrepresentation of a persons position is inherently counterproductive towards any sort of meaningful argument.

[Walabio]

Penn is very unfair to Michael Moore. Michael Moore does not mislead either. Indeed, a movie by Michael Moore and an episode of Bullshit are made pretty much the same way. I doubt that Blue Cross figured that Sicko would be a fluffpiece.

Moore is a Democrat and thus believes that a social safety-net is a good thing. Penn is a selfish Libertarian (I know that it is redundant), who would like to burn the social safety-net. This is why Penn hates Moore.

[rlquinn1980]

"Penn is a selfish Libertarian (I know that it is an oxymoron) [. . .]"

Fixed it for you.

[Walabio]

Oxymoron does not mean what you believe it means; oxymoron means self-contradictory. Since libertarians care only about themselves, selfish libertarian is redundant.

[rlquinn1980]

from American Heritage dictionary:

ox·y·mo·ron (ŏk'sē-môr'ŏn', -mōr'-)

n. pl. ox·y·mo·ra (-môr'ə, -mōr'ə) or ox·y·mo·rons

A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist.

There's a great spot in the Amazing Meeting 3 vids where Penn busts someone for falsely citing a definition such as you have. You've gotten both "libertarian" and "oxymoron" wrong so far. Take a hint.

[Walabio]

Selfish and libertarian are congruent. Therefore, it is not oxymoronic.

[roots909]

You mean tautology.

I.e. "the term 'selfish libertarian' is tautological."

[bigmike904]

Yeah, that's definitely not an oxymoron in the way you're trying to use it.

[featheredmusic]

fair enough

[earfetish]

Cohen is just getting people to admit things they wouldn't usually, because they want to appear friendly to foreigners and therefore they'll say 'oh yeah I'm racist too' or 'oh yeah I hate gays'

not really an ambush

[eksyte]

I dunno why Penn has an issue with Cohen's work. Sure, it's dishonest to mislead someone to get them to say certain shit, but it's just as dishonest for them to hide what they really think.

And it's not like he has a hardcore agenda; he's just making fun of people.

Personally, I think P&T take advantage of many of their "victims'" naivety because they use camera to bribe them to say the crazy shit they do. Not really wrong, but it's virtually the same thing Cohen does.

[dangerics]

You've missed the point. P@T tell people who they are and their opinions before they put people on tv. That's very different from Cohen.

Cohen, however, is incredibly talented and funny as hell.

[eksyte]

I get it.

I take issue with Penn's accusation of Cohen's methods being "wrong". Either way, their "victims" are getting made fun of and whatever they say is getting displayed from (contrary to what Penn claims) an unfair perspective. It's not like any of the people they talk to are allowed to give a rebuttal to the FINAL movie/show.

[Kushan]

Respect for these guys. This is the way it should be done.

[storeo]

Cohen doesnt really have a political agenda in the same way that Moore does..

[mnbvfghjuytr]

I would say Michael Moore is the same as Sacha Baron Cohen. Sacha is playing a Caracter and is trying to get an honest response from the people who is confronted with this character. Borat wouldnt work otherwise, Colbert does. Besides Sacha's program is not a political one.

[Clausfarre]

They give out dvds of prior shows? That is wonderful. And still we have the nutters showing up in great numbers as seen on the dolphin episode.

[brokensoul70]

That Dolphin Episode had to be the biggest bunch of fruitcakes, then again the UFO convention episode was pretty good to.