Penn and Teller: Bulls***! Season Three (1 Viewer)

[Jefferson Morris]

Anyone else like this show as much as I do? I feel the Season 3 opener, on the tender subject of circumcision, was one of the best they've done.

Hopefully the hot-button topics covered on this show won't preclude some carefully moderated discussion of it. I think this is one of the few television shows that can legitimately be classified as important.

--Jefferson Morris

P.S. If I don't respond to any subsequent posts quickly, don't take it personally. My DSL is temporarily down at home, so I can only browse and post during downtimes at work.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I fidgeted a lot while viewing this episode...

 

[Chris]

Yep, but a good episode.

 

[PhilipG]

Yowzers, before seeing the show I didn't realize that it was the norm for you crazy American guys to be snipped. Ouch!

 

[Francois Caron]

Circumcision WAS the norm in Canada too, but it was phased out some twenty to thirty years ago. So if that undecided couple decides to move to Canada one day, they'd better leave their kid alone otherwise he WILL be a freak!

Even though I was "snipped" at birth, I found myself turning my head away from the screen quite often.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Yup. Even outside of the Jewish population, the intact American male is a relatively rare breed. I had an experience growing up very similar to that which was described by the husband, worrying about what people (women, more specifically) would think of my "weirdness." Turned out to be a non-issue for me, thankfully.

The girls on the show squealing with disgust at the thought of intactness is a sorry commentary, but a pretty typical reaction. I wish they had gone into more detail on the show about the absolutely ghastly female circumcision procedures practiced in other cultures. Though certainly more crippling than male circumcision, it's the same basic idea--get rid of that erogenous tissue for the purposes of "cleanliness" and chastity. Hopefully that would make girls think twice about endorsing the male version of the procedure.

But I am mad at P&T for one thing - not telling us what the couple in the show decided! I'm guessing maybe the decision hadn't been made yet by the time they had to cut the show together. Maybe the show's website will have an update.

--Jefferson Morris

P.S. Mods - apologies for not finding that earlier thread on P&S:B! I ran a search, honest. Not a very effective one, I guess.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

It's even more rare *inside* the Jewish population!

Frankly, there are no, um, "pleasure issues" with my snipped area. . .

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Yeah, the issue of who enjoys sex more are probably academic. Impossible to quantify, and individual variation would probably make more of a difference anyhow.

Still, the foreskin is erogenous tissue. I say in these stressful times we need as much erogenous tissue as we can get

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Mike Wilk]

I was thinking the same way at first but then I thought, in spite of being interviewed like that, they still were entitled to some privacy. But, Boy I was in pain all over again for that "unkindest cut of all" YIKES!

 

[Nigel McN]

Yeah, I was miffed that they didn't tell us their decision but I think it was perhaps related to the idea of making a decision about the child without the child giving permission, publicly informing the world of whether you are snipped or not.

Just a reason that popped into my head.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

I was glad they took full advantage of the freedom of cable and showed the procedure in all its bloody glory. I ended up watching the show twice - once by myself and once with my girlfriend. Neither of us are particularly squeamish, but she uttered a few "ugh" sounds whenever they showed the poor babies' bloodied members. Ugh, indeed.

Apart from this episode, I think my favorite (and indeed the reason why I started following the series) was the season one episode "Eat This!" about the uproar against genetically modified foods (i.e., the vitally important process of scientific advancement in food production).

I literally clapped in appreciation and amazement at Penn's vitriolic coda ("Unless you and yours are starving, you need to SHUT THE F**K UP!") and never missed an episode after that.

How about your wish list for future topics? Might be an easy target, but I'm dying for them to do an episode on astrology.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Whoops, I worded that badly. I meant "even outside of the Jewish population." I've edited the post.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Nigel McN]

oh and I was a little surprised to see Ron Jeremy on the show again, they did rubbish a product he was selling last season. But I guess he gets paid either way.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Which product was that?

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Jack Briggs]

Jefferson, Jeremy was pushing a, well, member-enlargement elixer.

 

[Jean D]

I thought of that one too. I believe this season may have a JFK episode. Cause in the intro, of each season they show subtle images which are clues as to whats in the season. and I believe I saw something about it.
How about Bigfoot, Lock Ness and other mythical creatures? Cryonics? Cults? Non-profit organizations? Pyramid Schemes and other get rich quick scams.

Next week's episode "Family Values"

 

[Jean D]

Just found This List of episodes, it lists the first 6 episodes of the season and yes JFK is probably in the episode called Conspiracy Theory.

Episode 2: Family Values

Explores the family structure that is reported on by the Media and politicians that a traditional family must be a Father, Mother, Two kids and a Dog.

Episode 3: Conspiracy Theories

Explores the growing belief in conspiracy theories, which stems from the lack of trust in government leaders. Also the ease of the internet to instantly spread those theories around the world.

Episode 4: Life Coaching

Are Psychologists & Psychiatrists really helping people. Are they really making people happier or over-prescribing dangerous drugs? Are new-age therapists just spouting psychobabble?

Episode 5: Holier Than Thou

The guys take on Mother Teresa, Gandhi and the Dalai Lama to reveal the truth about the so-called enlightened spiritual leaders.

Episode 6: College

A look at college education, viewed by many as a must for those looking for success. In reality a $400 billion-per-year industry driven by fear and more interested in espousing leftist dogma than in learning.

 

[Nigel McN]

polygraph testing would be my suggestion.

 

[Francois Caron]

- The true extent of music and movie piracy.
- True and ficticious improvements in security following 9/11.
- Is the Internet really as dangerous as it's often claimed?

Nigel, love the polygraph test suggestion. They could easily include individuals whose lives were ruined by faulty polygraph results.

 

[Rich Malloy]

I only got Showtime a couple weeks ago... damn, this is my favorite new show! Last night's on "Family Values" and "Hypnosis" were fantastic (is the second episode a rerun from a previous season?).

I haven't watched much else on Showtime, and generally find their original programming to be a pale imitation of HBO's, but "Bullshit" kicks ass!