Penn & Teller: Bullshit!: penn

kinzu_kiwi
[1]Nov 5, 2006
member since: 09/23/05
level: 5
rank: Caveman Lawyer
posts: 78
Hey, i just read a news article that said Penn Jillete was MARRIED and that the couple had just had their first child.
This confuses me, because i thought that Penn was against monogamy, as well as against long-term relationships. can someone help me here?
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lbcyber
[2]Nov 6, 2006
member since: 10/22/05
level: 10
rank: Holy Level 10!
posts: 165
Penn never said he was against monogamy or marriage, the episode regarding "Family Values" intended to expose that the traditional "nuclear" family was not-so "traditional" or common; That other forms of family exist. Penn said he's against those who claim that anything outside the nuclear family is obscene or abhorrent.

I also should mention that I read your review on the show. I don't intend this to lead to a flamewar or trolling, but I believe you were very far off-base. You missed the very point/thesis of those episodes your criticized. I can only assume one of three things: That you never watched the episodes you criticized, that you didn't pay well-enough attention, or that you simply didn't understand either Penn's arguments or the format of the show.

Penn and Teller are Libertarians. They don't explicitely promote drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana or tobacco, or having sex left and right. In fact, Penn even admitted several times that he's abstinate from alcohol or drugs. The idea behind being a Libertarian is that you believe everyone has a right to do what they choose to with their own body. You don't have to agree with them, but nearly every point I've seen on your review is either a result of misunderstanding, overexaggeration, or is something you simply made up.
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kinzu_kiwi
[3]Nov 7, 2006
member since: 09/23/05
level: 5
rank: Caveman Lawyer
posts: 78
okay, my debate was pretty heated, but i just have to say that i dislike the show strongly because it feels like they're no different than the guys who ripped on me at school because i spent my nights watching the tv or surfing the net or reading, instead of out partying and doing drugs and binge-drinking and having casual sex and all that.
as you said, being a libertarian is letting people do what they want with their lives and bodies, which i'm pretty fine with so long as they don't go interfering with other people's lives. So why do Penn and Teller feel the need to travel across the states and interfere with other peoples belief's and denounce them as bull----
i'm confused, because i've heard from some people that half of the time they are not serious: they aren't like the types of liberals who act like they are acting against the government just so they can rub mayo over their bodies and hitchhike on the highway in Nebraska! ...okay, that was definetly an exagerattion.... I mean, basically what i've heard so far is that this show isn't dissing people for being environmentally friendly, or religious, or using manners, or whatever, they're just aiming at the whack-jobs, they don't care if a family says grace over dinner, or if someone looks after their garden. and some people say that 90% of what they say is a joke - it's hardcore, un-pc humor. well, if that's the case, i still don't like it, because basically the show is kind of boring and a bit dull, at least in my opinion.
So basically i have two opinions:
if this show is completely serious, and they hate EVERYONE who is a tree-hugger or religious or monogamous or anything, then i hate it, because it's just vulgar and it's not going to get people to see things their way by swearing at them or hassling them!
if this show is not serious, and it's for laughs, then i just don't like it because it bores me and the humor is mediocre and not fresh in my own opinion.
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lbcyber
[4]Nov 10, 2006
member since: 10/22/05
level: 10
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There's no problem there. I don't want to force you or anyone to like a show when you clearly don't.

In many cases, I believe a lot of it is an act, and a lot of it is less so. Whenever Penn appears as a guest on a show, any show (The Colbert Report was his latest appearance, I believe) he does intentionally play the part of a pompous ass. Before I found out about this show, I had a pretty harsh opinion of the guy, in fact. There are many episodes, though (most notably Eat This! and The Death Penalty) that prove he's not the heartless monster he purports himself to be.

The show is harsher than, say, Morgan Spurlocks' 30 Days. I think that's what turns off most people to the show. Whereas 30 Days remains open to the viewer's conclusion, Penn closes his exposition and pulls no punches along the way, insulting the more selfish/clueless antagonists for reasons which may or may not include to avoid libel charges. But hey, he's talking to adults.
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sarmoti84

[5]Jan 3, 2007

member since: 01/03/07
level: 2
rank: Sweat Hog
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kinzu_kiwi wrote:

Hey, i just read a news article that said Penn Jillete was MARRIED and that the couple had just had their first child.

This confuses me, because i thought that Penn was against monogamy, as well as against long-term relationships. can someone help me here?

He has 2 kids. A daughter called Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette, and a son called Zolten Penn Jillette.

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LMH68
[6]Mar 23, 2007
member since: 08/23/06
level: 57
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posts: 2,442
I like this show, not because I always agree with their point of view, because I don't & some of the things they talk about doesn't relate to me in my life, and some don't seem that important to debunk.

What I like is they are not mocking people who are gullible, they accpect people are gullible - who they mock are the people who take advantage of the gullible by pushing ideas that when looked at more closely aren't all they cracked up to be.

Nothing is clear cut, but at least they are prepared to question what's generally accepted. And the point isn't whether it is serious or tongue-in-cheek - so long as they make their point.
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SkulleryMaid
[7]Apr 27, 2007
member since: 04/18/07
level: 6
rank: Small Wonder
posts: 26
"if this show is completely serious, and they hate EVERYONE who is a tree-hugger or religious or monogamous or anything, then i hate it, because it's just vulgar and it's not going to get people to see things their way by swearing at them or hassling them! "
You're still confused. Very, very confused. They don't hate "everyone who is a tree-hugger or religious or monogamous" -- they are speaking out philosophically against anyone who wants to regulate those beliefs. Do you not understand that Penn is not lobbying to outlaw monogamy? He's speaking out against people who want to outlaw or otherwise denigrate other peoples' lifestyle choices. If you're the kind of guy who thinks no one should have a right to make different choices than you, then you'll hate this show.
But that doesn't mean they hate you back.
Edited on 04/27/2007 6:06pm
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darkoverorg
[8]May 29, 2007
member since: 01/24/07
level: 6
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The message I get from them is not that they hate tree-huger (one example). But they do hate any tree-huger that tries to convince the local _public_ school (another example) to teach the children that they must hug a tree each day.

As they said on the Bible episode: if you believe on the bible because of your faith, thats ok. If you want to have the Bible as a class material on a private school, that is ok too. But if you want it to be tough on a public school, or to pass what is written on the bible as science, then it is not OK, and you are an *ssh*l*.

They also hate anyone how spreads any kind of FUD (Fear, uncertainty, doubt) on any subject, be it prostitution, guns or obesity. If you have hard scientific fact, ok. If you don't, don't pretend you do.

Even tho I don't agree 100% with them (only 98.3%), I find their show refreshing, compared with all the bs we have to endure these days.
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W4R3Z-4-L1F3

[9]Apr 3, 2008

member since: 06/08/06
level: 5
rank: Caveman Lawyer
posts: 28

darkoverorg wrote:

The message I get from them is not that they hate tree-huger (one example). But they do hate any tree-huger that tries to convince the local _public_ school (another example) to teach the children that they must hug a tree each day.

As they said on the Bible episode: if you believe on the bible because of your faith, thats ok. If you want to have the Bible as a class material on a private school, that is ok too. But if you want it to be tough on a public school, or to pass what is written on the bible as science, then it is not OK, and you are an *ssh*l*.

They also hate anyone how spreads any kind of FUD (Fear, uncertainty, doubt) on any subject, be it prostitution, guns or obesity. If you have hard scientific fact, ok. If you don't, don't pretend you do.

Even tho I don't agree 100% with them (only 98.3%), I find their show refreshing, compared with all the bs we have to endure these days.

Well said

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