Couple seek penance from casinos for Penn & Teller stunt

The Las Vegas Review-Journal ^ | Saturday, February 08, 2003 | DAVE BERNS

[and the horse you rode in on]

Rita Cummins, herself an ex-nun

That pretty much sums up their credentials in the field of Hypocracy.

[and the horse you rode in on]

Bring back the Mob to Vegas.
This kind'a crap will vanish...fast!

Yeah, replace it with cheap hookers.

This was at a Private Party It was not a part of a stage show open to the public. When they start doing this kinda stuff in their public act, then you may have a reason to complain.

So9

[perfect stranger]

I know some athiests. They don't do stupid stunts like that, and they wouldn't condone behavior like that.
Penn's not just an athiest, he's actively anti-religious, and showing no respect for other's views.
It's funny- I read one column of his where in the same paragraph, he uses the Lord's name in vain, but also states that he prefers to call his friend Chris, as opposed to his given name of Christian. I will waste no more time or money on P and T.

[Mustang]

Pardon me...but where in the above article is PRIVATE PARTY stated?

btw, I'm not, as you said, "complaining"...just noting its decadence and nitwittery.

If you have no problem with it, OK.. fine. There's no brackets around our 1st Amendment.

Say and support silly ideas. It's your right.

Mustang sends.

[and the horse you rode in on]

Pardon me...but where in the above article is PRIVATE PARTY stated?

the routine at the close of a private, late-night roast of comedian-magician Amazing Johnathan.

Say and support silly ideas. It's your right.

I don't support it. It was a stupid thing to do. Even if I have a right to.

[BenLurkin]

"Know what I'm offended by? People who are so serious in their lives that they can't laugh."

HaHaHaHaHAHA

[weegee]

The other articles have stated that it was at a celebrity roast for the "Amazing Johnathan" which was attended by other magicians and the friends/associates.

It wasn't a general "Vegas" show but I don't know that attendence to the roast was a closed event to the public (don't know what the restrictions on registering for the Magic "Fest" were, professionals only, etc.).

That said, there were people at the event who were outraged (AJ referred to them as "gospel magicians").

On usenet (in the Penn and Teller fan group and the Magic newsgroups) there were a few people who posted that they were there and offended but there were quite a number who thought that this stunt was "hillarious" and they wished they had been there to see it.

On the Pennandteller.com message board, there is continued discussion of Penn's airport frisking episode but this controversy has never had a headlined post. Some of his fans would support this stunt, but others may no longer be fans if they heard about it.

I believe in holding them accountable for their actions.

As I posted on another thread (and such an incident happened almost at the same time as this one), whenever a fraternity dresses as savages or in blackface it is considered horrible because of what it says about those people even though they are only doing it as a joke. Those activities happen in private too.

[weegee]

Depending on the nature of laws in Las Vegas, the simulated(?)sex act could be a violation of obscenity laws. Apart from that, no it does not sound to be "illegal" what they did onstage but the same First Ammendment that gives them the right to do this give us the right to criticize them and build up a boycott of their act and those who would support them.

For the record, here was the Amazing Johnathan's comment on the matter:

Amazing Johnathan said he was aware that a number of "gospel magicians" walked out and raised cane.

"This was performance art," said Johnathan, who moves to a new, open-ended run at the Flamingo on Saturday. "I know that Penn is a practicing atheist, and I agree with him that Christianity can be dangerous. Look at the Trade Center. That was done in the name of religion."

Penn & Teller declined comment

Roast Attendees Take Umbrage With Stunt By Penn & Teller

[MarkL]

When someone starts talking about rights, it's usually not long before lawyers start getting involved. Hopefully, that won't be the case here.

Mark

[MarkL]

David Blaine is the one who impresses me. I have no idea how he does his stuff.

Me too, but I did see on one of those Fox magic expose`s how he did the one where something magically appears on his arm... On the other hand, the trick he did with the basketball was a complete mystery to me!

Mark

[BenLurkin]

The "amazing Jonathan" said "Christianity can be dangerous. Look at the Trade Center. That was done in the name of religion."

The only thing 'amazing' about this "Amazing Jonathan" person is his sheer ignorance and his utter stupidity.

[mosby]

The "amazing Jonathan" said "Christianity can be dangerous. Look at the Trade Center. That was done in the name of religion."

Yep, truly one of the most inane comments quoted on a FR thread in many months. Try "Hammers can be dangerous tools. Look at the guy who cut his hand off with a chainsaw. That was a tool." The thought process is at the level of a 3 year old.

[weegee]

Those who hate Christians will use any justification they can for their hatred.

[Long Cut]

""One of our basic American rights is freedom of religion," reads the petition. "That enjoins on all of us the obligation to respect one another's faith, regardless of whether or not we agree with it."

I love reading stuff like this...it points up just how many people out there can read the Constitution, which is pretty plain-spoken, and invent something totally different.

These mutants, who did not even see the show they're so cranked about, actually believe that we, as Americans, are "enjoined with the obligation to respect another's faith, regardless of whether or not we agree with it".

I must have missed that line in the Constitution. Thanks, EX-nuns, but I'll DIS-respect whichever religion I wish to, verbally if I so choose. I am IN NO WAY "enjoined" to respect ANYTHING, religious or otherwise.

What absolute fools. Those raising this stink DESERVE disrespect.