BRING IN THE NOISE, BRING IN DEBUNK.Byline: David Kronke TV Critic PENN & TELLER became heroes and celebrities of modest stature for comically debunking de·bunk tr.v. de·bunked, de·bunk·ing, de·bunks To expose or ridicule the falseness, sham, or exaggerated claims of: debunk a supposed miracle drug. many of their fellow magicians' tricks, while concocting feats that seemed even more dazzling. Now, they're taking the penchant for exposing chicanery to the world at large. The title of Penn & Teller's new TV series can't be printed in a newspaper (though, oddly enough, it can scroll along on Showtime's ticker-tape display in Times Square, where it proudly beams down to family audiences seeing ``Disney's The Lion King'' nearby or visiting the wax museum wax museum n. A place where life-size wax figures, usually of famous people, are exhibited. across the street). Penn Jillette, the show's garrulous gar·ru·lous adj. 1. Given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk; tiresomely talkative. 2. Wordy and rambling: a garrulous speech. co-host (Teller is the silent one), tonight seems more than a little self-satisfied with all the naughtiness. ``You'll notice more obscenity than we usually use,'' he admits, explaining, ``It's a legal matter. If one calls people liars and quacks, one can be sued and lose a lot of one's money. But (pejorative pejorative Medtalk Bad…real bad expletive) and (another pejorative expletive), it's pretty safe.'' Tonight, the flim-flammery employed by psychics who claim to communicate with the dead is exposed, as John Edward
John Edward McGee, Jr. (born October 19, 1969), better known as John Edward, is an American author, and television personality. and his ilk are portrayed as charlatans who prey on those desperate to believe they can still speak with lost relatives. Next week, alternative medicine such as foot reflexology Reflexology Definition Reflexology is a therapeutic method of relieving pain by stimulating predefined pressure points on the feet and hands. This controlled pressure alleviates the source of the discomfort. and magnet therapy mag·net therapy n. An alternative medical therapy in which the placement of magnets or magnetic devices on the skin is thought to prevent or treat symptoms of disease, especially pain. are revealed to be - gasp! - bogus. This may seem like shooting-fish-in-a-barrel time, but there are folks who actually buy into this stuff, and at times the show can seem a little cruel in the pranks it plays on ordinary people (such as subjecting them to ``snail-mucus therapy'' ostensibly os·ten·si·ble adj. Represented or appearing as such; ostensive: His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity. designed to remove eye wrinkles). Also, the advocates for these things that they interview are clearly dim bulbs; you wonder how they were ever able to sell anyone on anything. Fans of the comedy-magic duo may be disappointed that they don't really get much screen time, and what little they do get isn't as spectacular as their usual stunts. In all, though, it's an entertaining little show that cynically exploits those who cynically exploit others. PENN & TELLER: B.S.! - Three stars What: Putative frauds are humorously exposed by the comedy-magic team. Where: Showtime. When: 11 tonight. In a nutshell: If ``60 Minutes'' were an edgy comedy, it might look like this. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: On Showtime tonight, Penn Jillette, left, and Teller call ``B.S.!'' on charlatans, exposing the tricks used by psychic mediums and, in a future episode, purveyors of alternative therapies. |
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