The guys arrange to put three feng-shui consultants in the hot seat, and visit a feng-shui hairstylist. Also on tap: bottled water, and whether it tastes better and is safer than what comes out of the faucet.
aired: Thu, Aug 12, 2010
Vaccination is considered modern medicine's greatest weapon against disease. But thanks to pseudoscience, fear, and the public's gullibility, the debate over vaccination safety rages on. Should parents trust their children's health to loudmouth celebrities rather than doctors and scientists?
aired: Thu, Aug 5, 2010
Research has proven that self-esteem-building does not work. However, misguided parents, coaches and social workers are using this flawed technique to create a generation of narcissistic losers who believe that they are "special."
aired: Thu, Jul 29, 2010
According to Penn and Teller, America's seniors are stripped of their dignity thanks to ongoing stereotypes about old people. They investigate the widespread beliefs that old people can't drive, don't have sex, and smell bad.
aired: Thu, Jul 22, 2010
Is America's criminal justice system weighed down with bad science, ineffective methods, incompetence and corruption? Penn & Teller set out to reveal that the only thing scarier than crime is America's war on crime.
aired: Thu, Jul 15, 2010
Is the government hiding alien spaceships? Follow a team of UFO hunters on an overnight expedition in search of mysterious aircraft flying above a secret military facility known as Area 51. Buckle in...it's going to be a bumpy ride.
aired: Thu, Jul 8, 2010
Everyone wants to get rich quick, but are multi-level marketing schemes really the answer? Penn & Teller reveal the truth about direct-sales companies that market everything from sausages to sex toys.
aired: Thu, Jul 1, 2010
Every generation worries about teen sex, but Penn and Teller believe today's parents are more hysterical than ever. The duo will look at the drastic measures adults are taking to combat the perceived dangers of teenage promiscuity, "sexting," and gay-straight alliances.
aired: Thu, Jun 24, 2010
Thanks to centuries of Eastern mystique, the martial arts may appear spiritual and special. But isn't karate just a bunch of guys in pajamas breaking boards with their feet? Can overweight housewives truly learn to defend themselves? And what is "chi" anyway?
aired: Thu, Jun 17, 2010
Hold on to your cheeseburger! Public Health agencies, food activists and special interest groups have launched an all-out war against fast food restaurants. Should the government really be spending our tax dollars to regulate what, where, and how we eat?
aired: Thu, Jun 10, 2010
Cheerleading is as American as apple pie, but it is also responsible for 65% of all catastrophic female sport injuries. It is one of the most dangerous high school activities due to competitive coaches, fanatic parents, and a multi-million dollar industry concerned with its bottom line.
aired: Thu, Aug 20, 2009
Stress used to be a normal part of life but lately, it’s a “condition” and curing it has become a major moneymaking industry. Watch as they hunt down various remedies ranging from aromatherapy to needless nutritional supplements to mystical spa treatments.
aired: Thu, Aug 13, 2009
Penn and Teller take on the lawn industry and visit a neighborhood where growing a certain type of grass is mandatory. They even meet a guy whose brown lawn landed him in jail!
aired: Thu, Aug 6, 2009
According to Penn and Teller, our nation’s tax system is complex and unfair. See what happens when they hit the halls of Congress in search of a legislator willing to talk about taxes.
aired: Thu, Jul 30, 2009
Penn and Teller examine the organic food industry to determine if it is, in fact, more nutritious, and better for the environment.
aired: Thu, Jul 23, 2009
Polygraphs are used in thousands of investigations and job screenings. Can a machine really detect whether someone is lying? Penn and Teller will meet people whose lives were ruined by the faulty tests.
aired: Thu, Jul 16, 2009
The world will end on December 21, 2012 – that’s according to a growing legion of doomsayers who follow the primitive Mayan calendar. The duo follows a pair of investigators to ancient Mexico to explore the mysterious “Mayan Prophecy”.
aired: Thu, Jul 9, 2009
Politicians and other alarmists claim that playing video games leads to teen violence. Penn and Teller attempt to debunk that theory by handing over a real semi-automatic weapon to a nine-year-old to see if playing video games will turn him into a human killing machine.
aired: Thu, Jul 2, 2009
Millions of people believe their destinies are determined by the positions of the sun, moon, and planets. Penn and Teller follow two astrologers as they dole out advice – for a price.
aired: Thu, Jun 25, 2009
In the seventh season opener, Penn and Teller question the notion that Americans are in need of bigger and better orgasms by meeting with the inventor of a $12,000 remote-control orgasm machine, taking a $300 lesson from a sex coach, and observing a demonstration on how to unleash one’s “inner erotic rock star.”
aired: Thu, Aug 21, 2008
Ah, nostalgia! Imagine what happens when Penn & Teller follow three groups of people who live for the good old 1950s, the 1980s, and the Renaissance period!
aired: Thu, Aug 14, 2008
In Penn & Teller's opinion, world peace is nothing but a utopian ideal - and a dangerous one at that. They believe world peace is simply contrary to human nature, no matter what activist Cindy Sheehan says.
aired: Thu, Aug 7, 2008
Child abduction, Amber Alert, not to mention dirty water, toxic toys, it's a wonder that anyone makes it out of childhood alive. Penn & Teller feel the world has never been a safer place, but they argue the parks are empty; kids don't ride their bikes to school; and more young people than ever are on anti-anxiety medication.
aired: Thu, Jul 31, 2008
Corporations, schools, and even sports teams across the country are mandating sensitivity courses so that nobody will ever be offended again. And who, according to Penn & Teller, is behind all of this? Lawyers.
aired: Thu, Jul 24, 2008
According to Penn & Teller, most of the Green products being touted do little to help the earth despite their high prices. The duo will also dedicate a very special tribute to Al Gore - the Smartest Man in the History of the World.
aired: Thu, Jul 17, 2008
Penn & Teller examine what a "decent night's sleep" means and how much of it humans really need.
aired: Thu, Jul 10, 2008
"Magical," "mystical," "extraterrestrial," "evolved beyond humans" ?are all attributes given to dolphins by people who believe they were put on earth for a higher purpose. Penn & Teller will feature a leading scientist who studies dolphins that will dismantle all of the mystery behind them.
aired: Thu, Jul 3, 2008
As the new century unfolds, the duo takes a hard look at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and asks: is it worth it to keep this agency going?
aired: Thu, Jun 26, 2008
Penn & Teller set out to uncover the truth about acupuncture; the Chinese practice of cupping; and the Japanese "art" of reiki.
aired: Thu, Jun 19, 2008
Penn & Teller take on radical feminists who claim porn leads to violence, and rabid right-wingers who claim it leads to addiction. The duo will reveal the naked truth behind the latest battleground for regulating internet pornography and free speech.
aired: Thu, May 24, 2007
Despite the popularity of court-ordered anger management therapy, Penn and Teller find that the validity of such programs is less than certain, while a fascinating experiment with hot sauce exposes what's wrong with venting.
aired: Thu, May 17, 2007
The subject of pollution and the cloud of misinformation surrounding it inspire Penn and Teller to tackle the subjects of nuclear power, hybrid cars, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and lesbians on a blind date.
aired: Thu, May 10, 2007
In the shadow of one of America's most treasured monuments, Penn and Teller find citizens who hate its very existence, expose some ugly details about the site, and examine the pros and cons of patriotism.
aired: Thu, May 3, 2007
Penn and Teller expose the widely abused nonsense that is handicap parking and illuminate the bureaucratic nightmare of the Americans with Disabilities Act by speaking to disabled Americans who think the ADA is pure BS.
aired: Thu, Apr 26, 2007
The blizzard of bulls--t surrounding immigration melts when Penn and Teller spend some time with the Minutemen, a militia group dedicated to preventing illegal border crossings, while illegal immigrants demonstrate their fence-jumping techniques.
aired: Thu, Apr 19, 2007
Penn and Teller battle the forces of evil when they witness three modern-day exorcists performing their demonic casting-out duties and then pay a visit to the Black Pope, the leader of the Church of Satan.
aired: Thu, Apr 12, 2007
An interview with a parasitologist who spills the truth about the parasites that live inside us and a visit to a life-size walkthrough colon round out a skeptical inquiry into the allegedly cleansing process of detoxifying.
aired: Thu, Apr 5, 2007
The magicians get a firm grasp on America's fascination with the female form by visiting with a young mom who inadvertently tested corporate tolerance for public breast feeding and a breast cancer survivor who is not a fan of the pink ribbon campaign.
aired: Thu, Mar 29, 2007
Penn and Teller look at the up side of the business that America loves to hate, including the little-discussed economic benefits of Third World sweat shops and the union smear campaign against the country's largest employer.
aired: Thu, Mar 22, 2007
The first (and probably last) Fat Guy Olympics is the cornerstone of this episode that focuses on the uncomfortably cozy relationship between the medical establishment and the weight-loss industry.
aired: Mon, Jun 5, 2006
Penn and Teller debunk the abstinence movement with a look at the sexual shame that results from discouraging masturbation and healthy sexuality in kids, as well as government programs that feed our children false information.
aired: Mon, May 29, 2006
The magicians take a look at numbers and statistics, and how both are frequently fudged by the media, politicians and corporations to manipulate the public into following their agendas.
aired: Mon, May 22, 2006
Is it really true? Are Americans ruder today than they were 120 years ago? Penn & Teller will find out that our contemporary ideas about manners date back to the Victorian period, a time when there wasn't indoor plumbing and people used to urinate in the street.
aired: Mon, May 15, 2006
Slavery, the slaughter of Native Americans (and the confiscation of their tribal land) and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II are three tragedies from this nation's past. Today many African Americans think the Federal Government (meaning Mr. And Mrs. Tax Payer) owe them reparations because their ancestors were once slaves.
aired: Mon, May 8, 2006
Penn & Teller expose the ridiculousness surrounding people and the lengths they go to spoil their pets.
aired: Mon, May 1, 2006
It has been four years since the worst terrorist attack on American soil and little has been built to commemorate the fallen heroes of that fateful day. There's been lots of media hype and politicians talking of what will be placed on this holy site but we haven't gotten very far.
aired: Mon, Apr 24, 2006
Penn & Teller blow the lid off the methods and beliefs of the outrageous fringe croup of marginalized scientists who call themselves cryptozoologists.
aired: Mon, Apr 17, 2006
Penn & Teller uncover the absurdity surrounding the government's support of the archaic and primitive practice of the Death Penalty.
aired: Mon, Apr 10, 2006
In the only place in America where prostitution is legal (a few counties in Nevada), the practice is regulated, pimps don't exist, hookers pay taxes, and HIV is non-existent. Penn and Teller explore the absurdity of the world's oldest profession being illegal.
aired: Mon, Apr 3, 2006
The mischievous magicians return for a fourth season of exposing the hypocrisy of society with this episode that focuses on the Boy Scouts of America and its policy of intolerance toward homosexuals and atheists.