Penn & Teller: Bull! Episode Rating Graph

In the Season 8 finale, vaccination is considered modern medicine's greatest weapon against disease but thanks to pseudo-science and public gullibility, the debate over vaccination safety rages on.

There's no proof that AA or any other 12-Step program is any more effective than going cold turkey, doing things in moderation or getting medical help. And there's a debate raging whether alcoholism is even a disease! The quasi-religious 12-step groups have America brainwashed into believing that a higher power will take care of everything. Whatever happened to personal responsibility?!

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".

Politicians and other alarmists claim that playing violent video games leads to teen violence. Penn & 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.

In the sixth season premiere, Penn and Teller look at the "War on Porn",a crusade by various special interest groups to restrict free speech and regulate the Internet.

America is waging a massive war on its home soil, a war it is losing. Our country spends $20 billion a year in drug enforcement, but the illegal drug industry is thriving. Should we even be waging this war, when alcohol is legal and pushed every night on network TV? By criminalizing drugs, we just turn non-violent citizens into criminals. And medicinal uses of marijuana are being blocked by crusading moralists yelling "family values."

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?

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is against all forms of medical testing involving animals - regardless of the potential benefits to human beings. PETA supports banning the ownership of pets and advocates releasing them into the wild. It's enough to make a vegetarian eat meat!

Everyone wants to get rich quick, but are multilevel marketing schemes really the answer? Penn & Teller reveal the truth about direct-sales companies that market everything from sausages to sex toys.

Penn and Teller take on the secretive inner world of The Vatican, the holy city of Catholicism and home of the Pope. Due to outcries from the public, this episode was not included on the DVD release of Season 7.

We take on the most sacred of sacred cows: The Bible! We'll reveal the many discrepancies and contradictions in THE GOOD BOOK. Why all the confusion? Shouldn't anything that is "divinely inspired" be crystal clear? Did Noah build an ark big enough to hold all those animals? Did Moses part the Red Sea? Did Jesus even exist? Tune in to find out!

Millions of people believe their destinies are determined by the positions of the sun, moon, and planets. Penn & Teller follow two astrologers as they dole out advice - for a price.

To most of the world, highly revered figures such as Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi and the Dalai Lama are larger-than-life symbols of love, peace and charity. But how much of our perception of "sainthood" is built on hype and not facts? This episode reveals the dark side of the so-called enlightened ones and delves into why we're so susceptible to buying into their bullshit.

A whole show on words and the power we give them, focusing on the latest actions of the FCC and other anti-profanity groups. The First Amendment is under attack. Hey, what country do we live in?

There's a physiological explanation that debunks it all. We'll switch the letters around on the board and see how the "spirits" like that! Also, the "tunnel of light" and what it really is when coupled with a look at the Oklahoma centrifuge study that created NDE-like results.

Penn & Teller will try to prove that many diet products and diet claims are complete nonsense. Also, a look at the obsession with products that claim to be healthier for you such as organic foods, fat free foods, etc.

Finally, an episode that will make every man feel regret, cringe with pain, and grab their genitals. What would make the male sex react like this? Two words - snip and chuck. If this alone doesn't make you cringe then this will: when your foreskin was removed thirty percent of your sexual pleasure went with that little piece of skin. Ouch! We'll examine the historical, religious, medical and ethical arguments associated with circumcision. And we'll have a little hidden-camera fun with the topic, as well. After all we are talking about dick!

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.

We'll attend a class in "remote viewing," a form of ESP that is all the rage. We'll test the teacher and the students to reveal that the "hits" they get are so vague, it's all nonsense.

This show features three days spent at a UFO convention and a visit to an alien abduction group therapy session. It also explores the psychological explanations, and the influences of pop culture, on the typical abduction story.

Everyone knows that prostitution is practiced throughout the land. Where it is legal - in only a few Nevada counties, prostitution is vigorously regulated and monitored by the State of Nevada Health Department. The women submit to compulsory medical tests for STDs. No one is forced to work as a prostitute. Pimps don't exist. HIV has never been detected. The women earn regular paychecks and tips. Some even get vacation and sick days. And they pay taxes! It's BULLSHIT that it's illegal for two consenting adults to have sex with each other!

There's a hysteria in America. A hysteria about what's become known as "the traditional family" and the desperate urgency to "save" it. And this rallying cry is not just coming from right wing conservatives and religious groups in the Red States (although, they're doing their share of tub-thumping.) The media (advertisers) and the government also have a vested interest in perpetuating the traditional concept of family: mother, father, two kids, dog and picket fence. But this hysteria is ignoring a key fact, the "traditional family" is bullshit. The traditional family structure may be for some, but it isn't for everyone. Shouldn't we stop trying to jam square pegs into round holes? Isn't it time for "Bullshit" to redefine the definition of "family?"

Penn & Teller look into Anger Management classes and venting.

Penn & Teller put three Feng Shui home consultants to the test and feature a visit to a Feng Shui hairstylist. Also, the craze of bottled water is a national obsession but tap water is usually safer for you, and often better tasting too. Using a hidden camera, we'll take a look at the obsession.

The Virgin Mary...or a grilled cheese sandwich? Just a recent example of the public's willingness to believe ordinary statues, icons, relics pictures, stains on tortillas, and burn marks on a piece of greasy white bread are signs from Heaven. Bullshit! We'll examine the way preachers, faith healers, psychic researchers, and everyday folk continue to prey on those who pray. And we'll talk to scientists, historians, philosophers, and literary figures that will explain why humans are wired to attribute meaning to random patterns and events. We'll also show you how easy it is to find people who will find God wherever they look...even if it's in a photograph of...headcheese.

Penn & Teller look at women's breasts and society's response to them. In New York City, we meet a young mother who inadvertently tested corporate tolerance for breast-feeding in public. Further south, in Daytona Beach, Florida, we meet a woman who challenged the rights to flash her breasts in public. We also meet a breast cancer survivor who is not a supporter of those ubiquitous Pink Ribbons. And, down in the valley of porn, we find a topless porn star/mother of two who philosophizes on the benefits of the La Leche League.

The Boy Scouts of America restricts scout membership and leadership opportunities to homosexuals and straight males who DON'T believe in God. According to the BSA, atheists and gays don't make good scouts or good role models. If the Boy Scouts of America were a privately funded group, it could discriminate against and hate anyone it damn well wanted to. But the Boy Scouts of America is dependent upon Federal, State and local government handouts. So, the BSA and their intolerance… are BULLSHIT!

In episode 610, the sixth season finale, the merry myth-shatterers puncture the nostalgic but unrealistic tendency of humans to long for an idyllic past - one that, in truth, never really existed.

Penn and Teller take a skeptical view of stress and how the modern man feels the need to "cure" what should be considered a normal, everyday part of life.

Penn and Teller visit Congress to discuss the bullshit which is America's complex, unfair tax system.

College degrees will lead us to future happiness, enlightenment, fun, preparation for life, a fulfilling job, as well as national prosperity. At least, that's what we've been told and sold. That's brochure bullshit! Been to a college lately? Rather than beacons of enlightenment, colleges have become bloated 400 billion dollar a year corporations, islands isolated from the real world, treacherous minefields where free speech and individual liberty often get trampled. And not only that, but going to college offers no sure path to an enriching life…or even a blue-collar job!

In episode 603, it's time to take a closer look at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a government agency that spends scads of taxpayer money to achieve what private industry might be able to do more profitably and efficiently.

It has been over four years since the worst terrorist attack on American soil and the only reminder is a big gaping hole in the middle of New York's financial district. Disgruntled family members of the victims want to memorialize the fallen, big corporations want to get back to business, local residents remain concerned over the health risks of living and working nearby, and politicians blather on, afraid of making politically incorrect moves. Everyone it seems is angling for a piece of the multi-billion dollar federal government pie to rebuild the site. BULLSHIT! takes on the fight for Ground Zero from street level to New York's towers of power.

We'll go to a hearing in NYC, where the dangers of second-hand smoke, and legislating human behavior, is being hotly debated and stage a hidden-camera sting that shows just how rabid people are about this topic. Also, a look at smart videos, teaching babies to read, the "Baby Whisperer," and the baby product industry that preys on guilt ridden parents with money to burn.

Penn and Teller investigate the lawn care industry, talk to a man whose unkempt lawn landed him in prison and visit a neighborhood where only one strain of grass can be grown.

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."

The blizzard of bullshit 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.

In over 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has cost taxpayers billions of dollars, but it has saved next to no endangered species! Its major accomplishment? Lining the pockets of environmental lawyers who know how to manipulate it for huge fees. And it's an excuse for a governmental land grab. We'll meet activists on all sides - from passionate believers who'll do anything to enforce the ESA, to a strong-willed, good-natured lady in a wheelchair who's homeless. The ESA won't let her build on her suburban lot in a neighborhood surrounded by houses and within rock throwing distance of a WalMart Supercenter! ESA our ass! Here's the simple fact: human beings and industrialization are not the sole impetus for extinction and if you hear anything different… it's bullshit!

We understand the feelings of rage felt by crime victims and their families. But - studies show there is no deterrent effect to State executions. And, DNA evidence has exonerated 122 men formerly on death row! If we're killing inmates to satisfy a primitive emotion, if we can't be sure the criminal is guilty as charged, and we have ways to keep someone locked up and out of circulation for life and for less cost, why does our government still support the archaic, primitive, cruel and costly BULLSHIT known as the Death Penalty?

BULLSHIT takes its cameras inside the world of extreme pet lovers where we'll meet reptile enthusiasts, show-cats and their owners, and a man who claims to have revolutionized veterinary medicine. We'll visit a woman who shares her home with 25 cats and an artist who creates pet memorials that will blow you away. We'll even get all scientific and figure out why we are biologically attracted to puppies and kittens. Finally, we'll get to the bottom of the diseases our four legged, fine-feathered friends are spreading, like West Nile Virus and Monkeypox. Go ahead love your pet if you feel like it. But c'mon, let's draw the line at rubbing noses and swapping saliva... Now that's doggy BULLSHIT!

Many Americans will fight to the death to defend their right to bear arms. They say guns don't kill people - people kill people. A well-armed citizenry prevents crime. If the weak carried weapons, crime would go down. For gun control advocates, it's all heresy - guns don't belong in the hands of everyday citizens. Guns kill people. Period. Guns in homes get into the hands of people who shouldn't have them - children and criminals primarily. Fasten your seatbelts and put on your ear protectors. It's going to be a bumpy and noisy ride as we take on the facts, the stats and the truth to find out who's dishing up the bullshit on our episode about Gun Control!

In episode 606, Penn and Teller consider the popularity of the "green" movement, a largely bogus and hypocritical philosophy that links sanctimonious politics to an "ethical" lifestyle while doing little or nothing to actually create a healthier ecosystem.

Penn & Teller expose America's love/hate relationship with Wal-Mart. We look at the good and bad sides of the biggest employer in the US. We challenge the director of the documentary, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price," we reveal union efforts to smear Wal-Mart, we meet a chronically unemployed young mother in Chicago to see how her life changed when Wal-Mart came to town and we look for the silver lining behind third world sweatshops.

Every generation worries about teen sex, but 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.

In episode 604, the cultural mumbo jumbo regarding dolphins is exposed, including New Age-style beliefs about the animals' evolutionary superiority (bunk, say dolphin experts) and the nonsense about dolphin "energy" believed by many.

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.

Penn & Teller reveal truths about the Obesity epidemic. A visit to an Obesity conference exposes the uncomfortably cozy relationships between the medical establishment, the diet companies and the weight loss industry. An advocacy group for overweight people tells us about the hardships and discrimination brought about by their weight. Plus, the first-ever Penn & Teller 'Fat Guy Olympics.'

What's not to like about the Americans with Disabilities Act? After all, it is supposed to improve life for the handicapped. Penn and Teller interview businessmen and women, along with some handicap advocates, who say that the act is a huge asset to greedy lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits against whole towns, claiming that the businesses are infringing the rights of the handicapped. The end result is that fewer handicapped people end up getting hired, and hence the ADA defeats its own purpose. Penn and Teller claim the act is far too broad, and individual businesses, not the government, should be able to dictate who they will cater to.

Has our surveillance society made our lives more convenient? Has it succeeded in deterring crime and terrorism? Are the watchers just a bunch of incompetents as prone to distraction as the two bit rent-a-cop security guards at your neighborhood mall? Have the freedoms guaranteed us by the Constitution become just another load of Bullshit? In this episode, we'll watch the watchers and discover what role human nature plays in data mining and surveillance. We'll unveil the latest, and scariest, technologies and prove just how easy it is to get the goods on anyone - even you. Security? Freedom? There's bullshit on all sides!

The business of hair is a billion dollar industry. People who don't have it, want it. People who have it in the wrong spots, want to get rid of it, or move it to other areas of their anatomy. Hair unites the genders. We're all obsessed with it. From the tops of our heads to the nooks and crannies down below, we'll get into every vain detail…and every sweaty crevice. Styling, waxing, shaving, cutting, extending, replacing…even one of the greatest magic tricks of all time - Johnny Thompson's comb-over technique! And that's no bullshit!

In episode 608, our contrarian hosts argue that the world's never been safer for children, but you'd never know it in our culture of fear, toxic toys and even anti-anxiety medication for kids.

Mount Rushmore is usually seen as a symbol of American pride and ingenuity. In an episode that will have American patriots enraged, Penn and Teller interview a native tribesman who sees the monument as a symbol of American sacrilege and imperialism, while Penn and Teller themselves say it is little more than an elaborate tourist trap envisioned by a white supremacist.

Penn & Teller examine the organic food industry to determine if it is, in fact, more nutritious, and better for the environment.

Here's the truth: recycling is garbage. The recycling industry creates pollution, has to be subsidized by the government because it's cost ineffective, and is completely unnecessary. Contrary to popular belief, our landfills are not running out of space - we have enough room to last for thousands of years! So how did the bullshit of recycling get started?