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Sunday Funday


On 08/02/2015 at 12:26 PM by Super Step

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Watched a couple good things on Netflix recently. 

An Honest Liar documents James Randi's accomplishments in busting rackets like the congregations of Peter Popoff and other psychic/superpower hoaxes, while also delving into Randi's own skeleton closet (which I personally don't think is as bad as the people he busted) and exploring an interesting ethical question: Is it ok to tell a lie to expose a liar? And to what extent? It also brings to light something I've known for a long time: people's desire to believe something often trumps any evidence they're presented with.

And Bojack Horseman may not always be the best comedy writing I've ever seen (sometimes it's brilliant, sometimes it has way too much expository dialogue explaining the joke or some obvious irony), but I continue to be impressed with the depth it's able to give its characters and their dark, human situations. Particularly an episode about how outspoken women might be affected by the Bill Cosby scandal. 

That was all yesterday.

Currently watching SuperMensch on a friend's recommendation. There's actually a connection to An Honest Liar, since Supermensch Shep Gordon managed Alice Cooper, and the guy who guillotines Cooper's head in old footage is none other than James Randi!

And now there's a connection between all three because there's a Bill Cosby clip in Supermensch too. Ha!


 

Comments

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/03/2015 at 09:02 PM

is it okay to tell a lie to expose a liar: cable news says yes!

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/03/2015 at 10:27 PM

In Randi's case, it seemed to mostly be network television, especially Johnny Carson. 

I'm intrigued by your comment though. I know that cable news lies, but when has someone told a lie to expose this?

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/04/2015 at 09:54 AM

I mean, I guess my example would be the most obvious, when Fox News or MSNBC kind of stretches the truth about the candidates they don't like.  I mean, obviously the candidates are lying bastards, but they're stretching the truth themselves sometimes.  I really can't trust anything i see on those channels, CNN either.  

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/05/2015 at 12:03 AM

But there's no exposing there is what I'm saying. It's two people or organizations either going along with or in on some lie. 

Randi was ultimately revealing the truth, but he was doing it by showing how he could deceive people into thinking a lie WAS the truth. For example, he gave parapsychologists a list of conditions to really test some psychics he'd hired and later revealed how they'd gotten around those conditions. I don't necessarily think cable news is similar because its agenda isn't necessarily revealing the truth. At least not in my opinion.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/05/2015 at 12:41 AM

I agree that their agenda isn't necessarily to reveal the truth, but it's often what they perceive to be the truth.  

I think when you're in that line of work, you start believing the consensus around you, regardless of whether it's really true or not.  

goaztecs

08/11/2015 at 11:56 AM

I dig that you're taking advantage of what Netflix has to offer. I usually have episodes of Archer playing, and I haven't found anything I want to binge watch. I might have to since True Detective is done fo the year.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/11/2015 at 12:14 PM

I'm almost done with friends. Which in hindsight I do think is a bit overrated ... 

goaztecs

08/11/2015 at 12:52 PM

It is but there were some really funny episodes. I still like the game show episode for Monica and Rachel's apartment, and the one where Ross wanted to kiss his cousin

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/11/2015 at 07:58 PM

Those were the earlier seasons. I think I'm feeling the overratedness because I'm on S9E9. 

goaztecs

08/12/2015 at 10:32 AM

I didn't care much for the later episodes especially around the Chandler and Monica getting married season. It wasn't as fun as the previous episodes. I think during that point I would watch only because I wanted to see where the storyline was headed.  

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/12/2015 at 04:40 PM

There was a joke at the end of one episode that made me crack up, but yeah, it became more about adult relationships and handling them maturely. You could tell it was going downhill when Joey began feeling real human emotions.

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