Emmy nominations were made today, and Showtime didn’t fare as well as I’d hoped, although several shows did very well, along with a few suprises. Below, find the list of nominations, organized by show and then the awards they could receive.
This hilarious episode of Penn and Teller tackles the energy issue at hand in America in classic Penn and Teller style: boobs. Amidst full nudity (that’s right!) they discuss nuclear power, and provide some pretty swaying arguments. They also test-drive a hybrid and set up two cutie lesbians.
With gas prices sky-rocketing, people across the nation have been discussing hybrid cars along with wind and solar energy as ways to combat our coal and oil dependencies. But with nuclear power, there is a huge solution to the issue (at least, the coal issue). The boys interview a few “experts” on both sides of the debate, although they have obviously already come to the conclusion that nuclear power is the way to go.
What I didn’t get was the hybrid issue. Sure, hybrids have worse pickup due to carrying around two engines. And sure, a super-tiny fuel efficient car will get good gas mileage (although not quite as good as a hybrid). But how is nuclear power going to fix any of this? They never discuss that issue other than to bash a hybrid car. And while I understand that hybrids are still in their infancy and need a ton of work, they use less gas. Without offering up a better solution men, what was the point?
All in all, a great episode. Catch it in the repeats if you missed it the first time around!
Showtime, Penn and Teller, nukes, lesbians, hybrids, nuclear power, oil dependency, coal dependency
This week’s episode of Bullshit had me rolling on the floor I was laughing so hard at the ignorance of the American people. Penn and Teller tackled the extreme patriotism that people associate with the Mount Rushmore monument, and then systematically break down how that patriotism is blindly freewheeling and is actually anti-patriotism itself. Oh, and goes against what the very founding fathers fought for.
Back at work, back to posting, and innundating you all with a big catch-up post! It’ll be easier than trying to post coherently about all that’s happened in the past week or so, and it’ll give you all a chance to meet me on the same page so we can all move forward together to the new episodes airing constantly!
A few weeks ago, Penn and Teller focused their show on detoxing, honing in on colonics, detoxifying fasts, and talking to a few scientists about the colon, parasites, and the lines between fact and fiction. Honestly, I’ve waited this long to write about it because I wasn’t sure I was up for an episode full of booty-holes and shit. And there were PLENTY of both.
They started by paying a guy named Chris $500 to go get a colonic from a woman who is a trained professional. Interspersing shots of him talking to her and the process of his first-ever colonic, they discussed the truth of such procedures. At the end of the day, they pronounced it what I had hoped they would: bullshit.
In reality, your colon doesn’t have little areas that can hide built-up toxins. There is actually no proof that toxins stay in the body like colonic “experts” and detoxifying fast-pushers will say they do. While it’s a good thing (nay, great thing) to eat right and visit a doctor (holistic or otherwise) on a regular basis to make sure you aren’t sick, there’s nothing a fast can give your body or cleanse you of that eating a super-healthy diet and exercising can’t do equally.
As for sticking a tube up your butt and watching last night’s dinner come screaming out … I think I’ll save that for the movie stars.
This past Thursday, Penn and Teller took on evil American conservative beliefs that immigrants (especially illegals) are ruining the country. In a show that hit close to home, the broke through the belief that building a wall across our southern border will do more than cause a few minutes annoyance to those crossing the border, as well as spoke to people on both sides of the argument.
They spent some time with the Minutemen, a volunteer organization dedicated to patroling the border and tipping off Border Police of suspicious activity. This group is also building a privately-funded wall across parts of the border where the government-funded wall isn’t going to be.
Penn and Teller also spent some time exploring the realities of illegal immigration: how people actually get into the country (usually with student/work visas with a time-limit that gets ignored), if illegal immigrants are ACTUALLY taking American jobs (short answer … NO), and America’s history of racism when it comes to immigration.
This last point hit home most for me, as my family all immigrated less than 100 years ago from Poland and Italy, two of a very short list of nationalities that have been targeted for racism and immigration exclusion. Maybe that somehow burrowed into me deep, causing the staunch “live and let live” mentality I have in regards to immigration.
All in all a fantastic show!
That’s right, boobies. Ta-tas. Knockers. Bazoombas. Call them what you want, there’s no denying America’s obsession with the things. And Penn and Teller tackle exactly this subject in a way only they can … lots of naked breasts all over the screen.
But once they get past the gratuitous shots of titties, they get down to some pretty serious business, suprisingly. From discussions of La Leche Leauge to breast cancer, from porn stars to “top freedom” movements, this episode actually comes to some pretty decent conclusions.
Like, they tackle the states that have made it illegal for women to breastfeed in public, championing La Leche League and their efforts to gain acceptance for breastfeeding mothers across the country. And they get into some serious debate over the “breast cancer awareness” push that does not have one unified, nation-wide source and may end up not doing as much good as we’d like to think.
And then there’s “top freedom”.
All in all, I was suprised at the content of the episode. Despite the classic Penn obsession with the boobies, the two actually had a lot of good to say on the subject. If you haven’t already, watch it.
Showtime, Penn and Teller, breasts, La Leche League, Top Freedom movement, breast cancer, pink ribbon
the plague that has been criss-crossing the nation has settled into my body, which would explain the lack of posting these past few days. although i’m a tad bit better, i have nothing of merit to report. so i’ll just say this instead …
don’t forget to watch new episodes of “Penn and Teller” and “This American Life” tonite, beginning at 10e/9c.
Last night Penn and Teller took on a topic that most people feel incredibly strongly about. Walmart. The name alone brings tons of baggage to a conversation, with people feeling shamed for even darkening the doors of such a mega-shopping store. Walmart is blamed for the ruin of the Mom & Pop store all across small-town America, and statistics are used time and again to prove that it also brings with its lower prices higher crime rates and poverty levels.
B.S. takes a different approach. Without completely defending the store and its practices, the two men take on some of upper-middle class America’s protests against the store. They interview people who fought to bring the store to their areas, and talk to one former welfare mom who credits Walmart’s job for getting her off government money. They go into towns where most of the stores are boarded up and closed down, with unemployment rates that would make anyone shiver, and where a Walmart would bring needed jobs to a community if it weren’t for lawmakers’ protests to the superstore.
At the end of the program I found myself swaying. Walmart is the store I know I can get yarn for my charity knitting and crocheting projects that will be inexpensive and still warm. It’s a great place to get pet supplies if you get the grocery store varieties of food. Cleaning supply prices are always lower. And while I’ll always have issue with the way some stores treat their employees, I also have seen too many people earn enough money to support their families at these stores to write them off completely. And both Penn and Teller would agree.
That’s right folks, your favorite BS detectors Penn and Teller are back for another round! Beginning Thursday, March 22 they will tackle tons of new theories and beliefs, as well (hopefully) as a few organizations. Who can forget their episode on the Boy Scouts?!
So be sure to head to Showtime on March 22 at 10pm EST(9pm Cst) and check it all out!
Sex and sexuality. Drug use and abuse. Affairs, scandal, family life. With Showtime quickly establishing itself as the network with the best new shows on television, it was only a matter of time before blog commentary began. with regular show updates, actor bios and more, "watching showtime" brings a healthy dose of attitude and humor into the mix, and will quickly become your one-stop web source for all things Showtime!
Watching Showtime Author(s)
» Robyn-Charles
