Penn Radio
Encyclopedia
Penn Radio was an hour-long talk CBS radio show which ran from January 3, 2006 to March 2, 2007, hosted by Penn Jillette
and Michael Goudeau
and produced by "Happy" Jack Landreth and Patrick DiFazio. It was broadcast on the Free FM
brand radio stations (usually) live, with theme music by Mike Jones
.
and atheist
perspectives from the "nut point of view" to encourage listeners to call and email with their stories and opinions about the topic. Early shows tended to be without structure, with Jillette and Goudeau talking about whatever came to mind, taking the occasional caller and reading the occasional email. Later shows had tended to formalize around a current topic and a call-in talk show format.
Jillette and Goudeau would usually broadcast from Jillette's Vegas area home ("The Slammer"). The broadcast was done from Jillette's personal recording studio, Vintage Nudes Studio
.
Celebrity guests, usually friends of Penn, often featured on the show. Guests included Criss Angel
, James Randi
(often with Paul Provenza
), Mac King
, Gilbert Gottfried
, Trey Parker
, Joe Rogan
, Dennis Miller
, Lisa Lampanelli
, and Lawrence O'Donnell (nicknamed L.O.D. by Jillette).
Penn Radio was well-known for its special feature "Monkey Tuesday", which was discontinued in January 2007 (soon superseded by "Pull of the Weasel Friday").
Penn often requested people send him a "gmail
" at PennRadio@gmail.com, or to call the studio. The phone number for the studio was +1-866-313-FREE, but as of June 2006 it changed to +1-866-570-PENN due to problems often experienced on the show with phone calls being directed from FreeFM's New York City
-based call center. Penn tried to get a toll free number with 666
but was unable.
s and other primate
s, yet because monkey is a "funnier" word, all were referred to as monkeys.
Monkey Tuesday originated when Penn told a story of a party held at his house where he had invited Tarzan, a performing chimpanzee and Arturo, a dwarf
, forgetting that chimpanzees fight for dominance with people of small stature. Goudeau had expressed surprise at Penn's naivety. "I thought you were circus," he criticized, informing Penn regarding the dangers of having both a dwarf and a chimp at the same party. After phoning Arturo to uninvite him but not having the heart to follow through, Penn worked out a compromise: Tarzan and Arturo could both be at the party as long as they were in separate rooms. As an added measure of security, Penn and a posse of trusted party attendees armed themselves with knives.
However, Tarzan and Arturo met poolside and predictably, Tarzan charged Arturo. Rather than jump into the swimming pool as planned as chimps hate water
(Chimps, lacking buoyant body fat, sink like rocks in water), Arturo "hauled ass" into Penn's house. Tarzan pursued Arturo but got distracted by the other guests. The guests shuttled the chimp into various rooms to allow Arturo to move around, and later found Arturo a tall bar stool to stand on. Tarzan, confused, decided not to challenge.
On April 18, 2006, the first show where the phrase Monkey Tuesday was used, Penn read an email from a fan describing a childhood trip through a wildlife park where the fan and his brothers fed monkeys Certs
through a car window. When the Certs ran out, the monkeys reached into the car and grabbed his brother. His mother sped up in an attempt to shake off the monkeys while at the same time his grandmother rolled up the back window, trapping the monkeys' hands. The window was lowered with the car still traveling at high speed, causing the monkeys to fall off the car and spit out mouthfuls of Certs as they hit the ground.
The tradition continued on May 9 when Penn read several letters and listeners called in with amusing monkey stories. There were enough monkey-related stories from listeners that one show a week could be devoted to them. Since both of the original stories were told on a Tuesday, Penn quipped they had inadvertently invented "Monkey Tuesday". The name and day stuck.
Layperson Penn: Penn Radio had occasional days called "Ask Layperson Penn" where Jillette and Goudeau provided advice and answers on any topic to callers, although the hosts constantly reiterated their complete lack of qualification and title. This feature was partially a jab at radio hosts such as Laura Schlessinger
(who offers psychological advice as "Dr. Laura" though her doctorate
is actually in physiology
, not psychology
) who give advice on topics outside their range of expertise. However callers were instructed by the call screener to address Jillette as Doctor Penn, and were invariably corrected by Jillette. In one show Patrick can be heard yelling into the studio "it's Doctor Penn!"
At times, when Penn and Goudeau needed a pre-recorded show to cover a vacation day, they would record an extended "Ask Layperson Penn" off air for later broadcast.
Libel Wednesday: On Wednesday, November 8, 2006 Penn asked listeners to call in and tell their "swear-to-god true stories" about their experiences hanging out with former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld
. After stressing to his listeners that their stories must be true, Penn and Goudeau proceeded to tell wildly fictional accounts of times they had spent with "Rummy" and listeners understood the cue to do the same. On the January 10, 2007 episode (also a Wednesday), Penn asked that anybody with advance knowledge of the 2007 State of the Union Address
President Bush was to give that night to call in and let them know what it will contain, again stressing that the information must be true. Listeners called in and gave their own fabricated accounts of what would be in Bush's speech. The term "Libel Wednesday" was coined in an email by frequent emailer Christian (the Skeptical Atheist) and was an occasional feature on the show.
Pull of the Weasel Friday: The February 2, 2007 show featured a new Friday segment called "Pull of the Weasel". Listeners called or emailed Penn and Goudeau with stories where they successfully or unsuccessfully fought the "pull of the weasel
". Penn describes the pull of the weasel as "You know something is wrong, but somewhere in your gut a little weasel is telling you to do it." The term came from the January 29, 2007 episode where Penn commented that his wife sometimes succumbs to the "pull of the weasel" and claims high value items in the lost and found that are not technically hers. On the January 29 show, Goudeau mistakenly referred to it as the "call of the weasel" and this seems to have become an alternative term/title, especially among the show's Goudeau-sympathizing faction.
, debuted on the April 25, 2006 show. It quickly became the most requested piece of music in Jones' repertoire. Despite having published seven albums, he was asked three or four times a night by Penn Radio listeners at the Penn & Teller show to play the Monkey Tuesday theme.
The theme was played at the top of a Monkey Tuesday show. Also, whenever either Penn Jillette or a caller said "Monkey Tuesday" the board operator (Patrick) would play the theme. Penn sometimes would say "the Tuesday of Monkeys" to not invoke the music. The music was, however, not to be played for Michael Goudeau, although while he was away fill-in co-hosts such as Mac King
were allowed to trigger the music.
Penn Jillette
Penn Fraser Jillette is an American magician, comedian, illusionist, juggler, bassist and a best-selling author known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller in the team Penn & Teller, and advocacy of atheism, libertarian philosophy, free-market economics, and scientific skepticism.-Early...
and Michael Goudeau
Michael Goudeau
Michael Carey Goudeau is a juggler and an ex-circus clown who graduated from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College...
and produced by "Happy" Jack Landreth and Patrick DiFazio. It was broadcast on the Free FM
Free FM
Free FM was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven FM CBS Radio stations in the United States, and was created because of Howard Stern's departure to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air,...
brand radio stations (usually) live, with theme music by Mike Jones
Mike Jones (jazz musician)
Mike Jones, born August 11, 1962, has appeared onstage with Penn and Teller for the last seven years, and continues to play with them during their nightly show in Las Vegas....
.
Format
The show dealt with topics in the news regarding science, skepticism, religion, entertainment and politics. Jillette promoted his libertarianLibertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
and atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
perspectives from the "nut point of view" to encourage listeners to call and email with their stories and opinions about the topic. Early shows tended to be without structure, with Jillette and Goudeau talking about whatever came to mind, taking the occasional caller and reading the occasional email. Later shows had tended to formalize around a current topic and a call-in talk show format.
Jillette and Goudeau would usually broadcast from Jillette's Vegas area home ("The Slammer"). The broadcast was done from Jillette's personal recording studio, Vintage Nudes Studio
Vintage Nudes Studio
Vintage Nudes Studio is Penn Jillette's private recording studio designed by Outside The Lines Studio and built by Crisci Custom Builders between October 2003 and June 2004 as part of his Las Vegas home, "The Slammer." The studio is named for playing cards that Penn collected, and the cards are...
.
Celebrity guests, usually friends of Penn, often featured on the show. Guests included Criss Angel
Criss Angel
Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...
, James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
(often with Paul Provenza
Paul Provenza
Paul Provenza is an actor, comedian and filmmaker, a self-professed skeptic currently based in Los Angeles.-Early years:...
), Mac King
Mac King
Mac King is a comedy magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show," at the Harrah's Las Vegas in the Clint Holmes Theater....
, Gilbert Gottfried
Gilbert Gottfried
Gilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and...
, Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
, Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan
Joseph James "Joe" Rogan is an American comedian, video blogger, actor, writer, podcaster, and martial artist. He is best known for his work on NewsRadio, his work as color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and his hosting work on Fear Factor.-Acting:In 1994, Rogan co-starred on...
, Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, Lisa Lampanelli
Lisa Lampanelli
Lisa Lampanelli is an American stand-up comedian and insult comic. She is noted for her racy and raunchy style of comedy, which frequently includes taboo subjects such as race and homosexuality....
, and Lawrence O'Donnell (nicknamed L.O.D. by Jillette).
Penn Radio was well-known for its special feature "Monkey Tuesday", which was discontinued in January 2007 (soon superseded by "Pull of the Weasel Friday").
Penn often requested people send him a "gmail
Gmail
Gmail is a free, advertising-supported email service provided by Google. Users may access Gmail as secure webmail, as well via POP3 or IMAP protocols. Gmail was launched as an invitation-only beta release on April 1, 2004 and it became available to the general public on February 7, 2007, though...
" at PennRadio@gmail.com, or to call the studio. The phone number for the studio was +1-866-313-FREE, but as of June 2006 it changed to +1-866-570-PENN due to problems often experienced on the show with phone calls being directed from FreeFM's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based call center. Penn tried to get a toll free number with 666
Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast is a term in the Book of Revelation, of the New Testament, that is associated with the first Beast of Revelation chapter 13, the Beast of the sea. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of the Bible, the number of the Beast is...
but was unable.
Regular Features
Monkey Tuesday: Hosts Penn Jillette and Michael Goudeau read emails and took calls from listeners with stories about chimpanzees, orangutanOrangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s and other primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s, yet because monkey is a "funnier" word, all were referred to as monkeys.
Monkey Tuesday originated when Penn told a story of a party held at his house where he had invited Tarzan, a performing chimpanzee and Arturo, a dwarf
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
, forgetting that chimpanzees fight for dominance with people of small stature. Goudeau had expressed surprise at Penn's naivety. "I thought you were circus," he criticized, informing Penn regarding the dangers of having both a dwarf and a chimp at the same party. After phoning Arturo to uninvite him but not having the heart to follow through, Penn worked out a compromise: Tarzan and Arturo could both be at the party as long as they were in separate rooms. As an added measure of security, Penn and a posse of trusted party attendees armed themselves with knives.
However, Tarzan and Arturo met poolside and predictably, Tarzan charged Arturo. Rather than jump into the swimming pool as planned as chimps hate water
Aquatic ape hypothesis
The aquatic ape hypothesis is an alternative explanation of some characteristics of human evolution which hypothesizes that the common ancestors of modern humans spent a period of time adapting to life in a partially aquatic environment. The hypothesis is based on differences between humans and...
(Chimps, lacking buoyant body fat, sink like rocks in water), Arturo "hauled ass" into Penn's house. Tarzan pursued Arturo but got distracted by the other guests. The guests shuttled the chimp into various rooms to allow Arturo to move around, and later found Arturo a tall bar stool to stand on. Tarzan, confused, decided not to challenge.
On April 18, 2006, the first show where the phrase Monkey Tuesday was used, Penn read an email from a fan describing a childhood trip through a wildlife park where the fan and his brothers fed monkeys Certs
Certs
Certs is a breath mint manufactured by Cadbury Adams, formerly the American Chicle Company.Long one of America’s most popular mints, Certs was the first breath mint to be nationally marketed in the United States, and has been a fixture at American drug stores and convenience stores since its debut...
through a car window. When the Certs ran out, the monkeys reached into the car and grabbed his brother. His mother sped up in an attempt to shake off the monkeys while at the same time his grandmother rolled up the back window, trapping the monkeys' hands. The window was lowered with the car still traveling at high speed, causing the monkeys to fall off the car and spit out mouthfuls of Certs as they hit the ground.
The tradition continued on May 9 when Penn read several letters and listeners called in with amusing monkey stories. There were enough monkey-related stories from listeners that one show a week could be devoted to them. Since both of the original stories were told on a Tuesday, Penn quipped they had inadvertently invented "Monkey Tuesday". The name and day stuck.
Layperson Penn: Penn Radio had occasional days called "Ask Layperson Penn" where Jillette and Goudeau provided advice and answers on any topic to callers, although the hosts constantly reiterated their complete lack of qualification and title. This feature was partially a jab at radio hosts such as Laura Schlessinger
Laura Schlessinger
Laura Catherine Schlessinger is an American talk radio host, socially conservative commentator and author. Her radio program consists mainly of her responses to callers' requests for personal advice and has occasionally featured her short monologues on social and political topics...
(who offers psychological advice as "Dr. Laura" though her doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
is actually in physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, not psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
) who give advice on topics outside their range of expertise. However callers were instructed by the call screener to address Jillette as Doctor Penn, and were invariably corrected by Jillette. In one show Patrick can be heard yelling into the studio "it's Doctor Penn!"
At times, when Penn and Goudeau needed a pre-recorded show to cover a vacation day, they would record an extended "Ask Layperson Penn" off air for later broadcast.
Libel Wednesday: On Wednesday, November 8, 2006 Penn asked listeners to call in and tell their "swear-to-god true stories" about their experiences hanging out with former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
. After stressing to his listeners that their stories must be true, Penn and Goudeau proceeded to tell wildly fictional accounts of times they had spent with "Rummy" and listeners understood the cue to do the same. On the January 10, 2007 episode (also a Wednesday), Penn asked that anybody with advance knowledge of the 2007 State of the Union Address
2007 State of the Union Address
The 2007 State of the Union address was a speech given by United States President George W. Bush on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 9:13 P.M. EST. The speech was given in front of a joint session of Congress, presided over by Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Vice President...
President Bush was to give that night to call in and let them know what it will contain, again stressing that the information must be true. Listeners called in and gave their own fabricated accounts of what would be in Bush's speech. The term "Libel Wednesday" was coined in an email by frequent emailer Christian (the Skeptical Atheist) and was an occasional feature on the show.
Pull of the Weasel Friday: The February 2, 2007 show featured a new Friday segment called "Pull of the Weasel". Listeners called or emailed Penn and Goudeau with stories where they successfully or unsuccessfully fought the "pull of the weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
". Penn describes the pull of the weasel as "You know something is wrong, but somewhere in your gut a little weasel is telling you to do it." The term came from the January 29, 2007 episode where Penn commented that his wife sometimes succumbs to the "pull of the weasel" and claims high value items in the lost and found that are not technically hers. On the January 29 show, Goudeau mistakenly referred to it as the "call of the weasel" and this seems to have become an alternative term/title, especially among the show's Goudeau-sympathizing faction.
Repeats
Penn and Goudeau turned down offers by CBS to run repeats to cover their vacation days. Typically Penn tried to do a remote broadcast if he was away from Las Vegas on business. Alternatively, Penn and Goudeau prerecorded interviews with comics headlining in Vegas and did extended "Lay Person Penns" for later broadcast.Contests
- John Lennon Seance Contest: Penn preferred if listeners did not watch the pay-per-view John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
séanceSéanceA séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word "séance" comes from the French word for "seat," "session" or "sitting," from the Old French "seoir," "to sit." In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma"...
which aired April 2006. However he recognized this event would probably attract many viewers who simply wanted to jeer at the broadcast. To prevent this money from going to unscrupulous séance promoters, Penn had a contest wherein one listener would watch the show for the rest of the Penn Radio audience and then give a report. To be considered as a candidate, one had to be in Las Vegas when the TV show was airing, had to be a fan of The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, had to have a knowledge of skepticismSkepticismSkepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...
and parapsychologyParapsychologyThe term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
, and, most importantly, had to have a shapely buttocks that qualified as a "honky tonkHonky tonkA honky-tonk is a type of bar that provides musical entertainment to its patrons...
badonkadonk". Many candidates with extensive knowledge of the Fab Four and parapsychology were, by their own admission, flat-assed and thereby disqualified themselves. Eventually Penn picked listener Garrett from San Diego to watch the John Lennon séance and recount the program on the April 25, 2006 radio show. Garrett's bid avoided any mention of his posterior but played up his ability to make light of the seance in song. For his efforts, Garrett was given a tour of Jillette's home, tickets to both the Penn and Teller and Lance BurtonLance BurtonLance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth and President Ronald Reagan...
Vegas shows, $20 in gambling money, and Krispy KremeKrispy KremeKrispy Kreme is the name of an international chain of doughnut stores that was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The parent company of Krispy Kreme is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc...
doughnuts. - Penn's 24 Marathon: Penn offered to let a listener join him and his friends at The Slammer for a marathon viewing of the fifth season of the TV show 2424 (TV series)24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
. Listeners had to write in and explain why they should be allowed into Penn's home and watch the show with him and his friends. Out of fear the guest would ruin the show's many suspenseful moments, candidates had to swear they had not actually watched any part of season five during its broadcast run. Unfortunately, Penn announced on the November 10, 2006 show that the contest was canceled when "the party fell apart" and a new financially lucrative network TV project (later revealed to be hosting the game show IdentityIdentity (game show)Identity is a reality/game show, hosted by Penn Jillette and produced by Reveille where contestants could win money by matching 12 strangers one-by-one to phrases about their identities.-Format:A contestant is introduced to twelve strangers...
) required Penn's attention. Two candidates in the running were an FBI agent and a Canadian who submitted his bid in verse accompanied by piano ("Penn Jillette won't you let me / watch 24 with you / Mike Goudeau don't you know / how much I love that show").
Memorable Penn Radio moments
- Penn recounting the story of inviting a Chimpanzee and a dwarf to the same party, and the creation of Monkey Tuesday.
- Penn being called away from the May 22, 2006 show because his wife was going into labor with their second child (Zolten Penn), and continuing the rest of the show from his cell phone while in traffic.
- Penn claiming Mother TeresaMother TeresaMother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
had a sexual kink for death and suffering. KIFR radio personality John London, whose show followed Penn Radio, offered to pay a listener to murder Penn. He was fired by CBS Radio CEO Joel Hollander after making on-air prank calls to Penn Jillette and Hollander. This, and other legal complications, were never discussed on Penn Radio. Fans have commented on the similarities between this chain of events and the storyline to Penn and Teller's 1989 movie, Penn & Teller Get KilledPenn & Teller Get KilledPenn & Teller Get Killed is a 1989 dark comedy film directed by Arthur Penn starring magicians Penn & Teller. The duo play themselves, and the plot involves them in a satirical account of what the audience would perhaps imagine the pair doing in their daily lives...
. - During LentLentIn the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
, Penn requested his listeners go to McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
restaurants on Friday morning and purchase all the Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, thus forcing CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
families with screaming children to eat beef. Penn hoped that the children would realize that eating meat would not send them to hell. More than a few involved with the show got sick after eating those fish filets. - Comedians from The AristocratsThe Aristocrats (film)The Aristocrats is a 2005 documentary film about the famous dirty joke of the same name. It was conceived and produced by comedians Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, edited by Emery Emery, and released to theaters by TH!NKFilm...
who have been guests on Penn Radio: Lewis BlackLewis BlackLewis Niles Black is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor. He is known for his comedy style, which often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena...
, David BrennerDavid BrennerDavid Brenner is an American standup comedian, actor, author, and filmmaker.-Career:Born and raised in poor areas of Philadelphia, Brenner found comedy a major source of relief from the daily trials and tribulations he faced in his youth. His neighborhood has been one of the top-ranked crime...
, Drew CareyDrew CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, Carrot TopCarrot TopScott Thompson , better known by his stage name Carrot Top, is an American comedian known for his bright red hair, prop comedy, and self-deprecating humor.-Early years:...
, Phyllis DillerPhyllis DillerPhyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
, Judy GoldJudy GoldJudy Gold is an American stand-up comic and actor. She won two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work as a writer and producer on The Rosie O'Donnell Show...
, Gilbert GottfriedGilbert GottfriedGilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and...
, Lisa LampanelliLisa LampanelliLisa Lampanelli is an American stand-up comedian and insult comic. She is noted for her racy and raunchy style of comedy, which frequently includes taboo subjects such as race and homosexuality....
, Wendy LiebmanWendy LiebmanWendy Liebman is an American stand-up comedian known for her distinctive style which includes quick, clever follow-ups after her jokes. She starts the joke leading it to one direction then changes it. As in "This Thanksgiving I made a 28 pound turkey .....
, Howie MandelHowie MandelHoward Michael "Howie" Mandel is a Canadian stand-up comedian, television host, and actor. He is well known as host of the NBC game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime and Canadian-English counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on...
(set a record for use of the c word), Merrill MarkoeMerrill MarkoeMerrill Markoe is an author, an Emmy Award-winning television writer and a sometime standup comedienne.-Career:Markoe attended the University of California, Berkeley, receiving a B.A. in Art in 1970 and an M.A. in 1972...
, Jackie MartlingJackie MartlingJohn Coger "Jackie" Martling, Jr. is an American comedian, comedy writer and radio personality. He is best known for being a writer on The Howard Stern Show from 1983 to 2001.-Early life and career:...
, Trey ParkerTrey ParkerTrey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
, The Passing ZoneThe Passing ZoneThe Passing Zone is an American comedy-juggling duo. Jon Wee, of Minnesota, and Owen Morse, of California, met at a juggling convention in Northern California in 1986 and decided two years later to team up...
, Kevin Pollack, Paul ProvenzaPaul ProvenzaPaul Provenza is an actor, comedian and filmmaker, a self-professed skeptic currently based in Los Angeles.-Early years:...
, Bob SagetBob SagetRobert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
, Bobby SlaytonBobby SlaytonBobby Slayton is an American stand-up comedian known as "The Pit Bull of Comedy" and Yid Vicious. Slayton, a native of Scarsdale, New York, is probably best known for a supporting role in the 2001 film Bandits, and as a frequent guest on The Adam Carolla Show.He played Joey Bishop in the 1998...
, Doug StanhopeDoug StanhopeDouglas Gene "Doug" Stanhope is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and author known for his abrasive comedy routines.-Life and career:Stanhope quit high school after his freshman year...
, and Fred WillardFred WillardFred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
. - Penn interviewing his hero Norman BorlaugNorman BorlaugNorman Ernest Borlaug was an American agronomist, humanitarian, and Nobel laureate who has been called "the father of the Green Revolution". Borlaug was one of only six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal...
on August 9, 2006. - A September 11 anniversary episode conducted in a somber fashion without Michael Goudeau.
- The October 18, 2006 show featured the first time Penn ever purposely hung up on a caller. Penn asked caller Mike (not to be confused with regular caller President Mike) to demonstrate his Spanish fluency. After a very hesitant start, Mike began speaking in Spanish only to have Penn dump his call after a few words. The hang up was meant only as a joke on Penn's part and not intended to be rude to Mike. On January 16, 2007, Penn hung up on Bill, who was attempting to abide by the topic of "mandatory false dichotomies" by stating that "Monkeys are just not funny, man." During a later show Bill called in to complain about a radio show that dumped his call. Penn and Goudeau incorrectly claimed on air that Bill was the first person Penn had ever hung up on.
- On the December 19, 2006 show while Goudeau was on a ski vacation, Penn revealed on air the password to their Gmail account (dawkins) and followed this with "Goudeau uses that password for everything." Later in the day, Penn found out that fans of the shows had logged on and started getting e-mail addresses from the account. Before much damage was done, one teenage fan stepped up, changed the password, and then got in touch with Penn, thus saving the day. The teen suggested, with no sarcasm, that the new password should not be borlaugNorman BorlaugNorman Ernest Borlaug was an American agronomist, humanitarian, and Nobel laureate who has been called "the father of the Green Revolution". Borlaug was one of only six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal...
. - On the January 3, 2007 show (the show's one-year anniversary) Penn, as promised, told his "Blow-Dryer Story". This involved Penn burning his penisPenisThe penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
(Penn uses the euphemismEuphemismA euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
Little Houdini throughout) on a blow dryer element during an attempt to win back an ex-girlfriend. The show featured a live audience which included Mike JonesMike Jones (jazz musician)Mike Jones, born August 11, 1962, has appeared onstage with Penn and Teller for the last seven years, and continues to play with them during their nightly show in Las Vegas....
. Penn first mentioned the "Blow-Dryer Story" on the January 27, 2006 broadcast. - On the January 4, 2007 show Goudeau treated a deep cut to Penn's left thumb (caused the evening before while Penn was juggling broken bottles on-stage at the Rio), trying twice to cover the v-shaped injury with a Krazy Glue pen. This happened live on air with callers phoning in advice.
- Penn-brand Viagra: on the February 1, 2007 show, a listener alerted Penn to a strange photo of him gracing the cover of a Chinese herbal "Viagra". The Chinese box copy claims the box contains fast acting pills that will increase a man's stamina, increase the volume of his semen, and win him respect among other men. The box depicts an illustration of a man that looks disquietingly like Penn Jillette (complete with his signature one painted fingernail) choking a woman during intercourse. The product does not identify Penn by name but seems to label him as the "impetuous man". One can purchase a bottle here for 1000 yen. It was later revealed the art work was of Penn. The artwork accompanied an interview with Penn in an American magazine. It is unknown how the art made its way to Asia.
- Two full episodes on February 5 and February 23, 2007 devoted to a debate between comedian Joe RoganJoe RoganJoseph James "Joe" Rogan is an American comedian, video blogger, actor, writer, podcaster, and martial artist. He is best known for his work on NewsRadio, his work as color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and his hosting work on Fear Factor.-Acting:In 1994, Rogan co-starred on...
and Phil Plait of BadAstronomy.com about moon landing conspiracies. - Penn Jillette announced on March 2, 2007 that the show would be his last on Free FM. He said multiple times that he will be back elsewhere.
Penn utterances
- For a time Penn would wish Lance BurtonLance BurtonLance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth and President Ronald Reagan...
a good morning and Goudeau would wish TellerTeller (magician)Teller is an American magician, illusionist, comedian, writer, and the frequently silent half of the comedy magic duo Penn & Teller, along with Penn Jillette. He legally changed his name from "Raymond Joseph Teller" to just "Teller"...
a good morning. Both Burton and Teller, late risers, claimed one day they would set their alarm clocks and listen to the radio show. - Penn usually answered "How are you?" with "Never better, boss." Callers were not encouraged to echo this line back at him.
- When referring to his Showtime show Bullshit!Bullshit!Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary television series that aired from 2003 to 2010 on the premium cable channel Showtime. In Canada, the series aired on The Movie Network and Movie Central.- Overview :...
, Penn got around the censors by saying "Bulls (hand clap) hit". He started doing this (without the hand clap) on the February 13, 2006 show. Previous to the February 13 show, Penn would refer to the show as "Bull shot". The January 30, 2006 show a caller suggested "Bull's Stuff", which Penn used before "Bulls hit". Penn got the idea of parsing the show as "bulls hit" when he noticed iCalICaliCal is a personal calendar application made by Apple Inc. that runs on the Mac OS X operating system. iCal was the first calendar application for Mac OS X to offer support for multiple calendars and the ability to publish/subscribe calendars to WebDAV server....
(a Mac calendar program) hyphenated "bullshit" as "bulls-hit". The hand clap between "bulls" and "hit" was first added during the tail end of the April 3, 2006 show. Penn did frequently tip his magician's top hatTop hatA top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
to Criss AngelCriss AngelChristopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...
for calling his A&E show Mindfreak, knowing everyone understands the show name to mean "mind fuck". - Penn said "Mother HubbardMother HubbardMother Hubbard can have different, probably related, meanings:*Old Mother Hubbard is a nursery rhyme.*Mother Hubbard is a dress from the South Seas.*A Mother Hubbard was another name for a camelback steam locomotive....
" as a substitute for motherfuckerMotherfuckerMotherfucker is a vulgarism which, in its most literal sense, refers to one who participates in sexual intercourse with a mother, either someone else's mother, or his own.- Variants :...
. He usually used it to stress something was happening to a great degree. "The engine was running like a Mother Hubbard." - Penn made frequent references to his Newfoundland heritage (his mother and father were from Newfoundland). He used the term "maggoty" a lot to imply an excess of something. He picked this phrase up while vacationing in Newfoundland. A pair of Newfoundland TV show hosts described Penn & Teller as being "maggoty with magic tricks". Previous to the March 28, 2006 show, he would use the term lousy to imply an excess.
- Whenever Penn mentioned Howard Stern, he would burp and ask, "What's in the news, Robin?", a homage to The Howard Stern Show.
- Part of the May 9, 2006 radio show was cut after a caller began to tell a story of visiting a zoo and seeing an orangutan masturbating while watching a good looking female schoolteacher. The young man remarked to his father "You know, they're so much like us!!", a line which Penn and Goudeau would quote in later shows as "Pops, they're so much like us!" Penn subsequently described this story as "probably the best story in the history of mankind" and promised a rebroadcast.
- Penn used Lisa LampanelliLisa LampanelliLisa Lampanelli is an American stand-up comedian and insult comic. She is noted for her racy and raunchy style of comedy, which frequently includes taboo subjects such as race and homosexuality....
terms SlurpeeSlurpeeA Slurpee is a flavored frozen drink sold by 7-Eleven. In 1967, 7-Eleven licensed the product from the ICEE Company, and began selling it as the Slurpee.-Slurpee history:Machines to make frozen beverages were invented by Omar Knedlik in the late 1950s...
Indian to refer to IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns from South Asia and Casino Indian to refer to American IndiansNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. - Sometimes Penn referred to something, usually a sexual kink, as being a "woman puking on a monkey" case. The phrase was coined during the September 19, 2006 Monkey Tuesday show, regarding an attractive blond woman who accidentally vomited on a baby monkey. During the September 22, 2006 show, listener Steve submitted to Penn and Goudeau a Photoshop creation of a woman throwing up on a primate. Penn's exclamation "Jesus Christ puking on a monkey!" also takes the September 19 show as the phrase's origin.
- When Penn did not care about something or an issue, he would say "I don't give a good goddamn." He noted that he abides by CBS's obscenityObscenityAn obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
policy but did not necessarily follow CBS's blasphemyBlasphemyBlasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
policy. - When Penn thought someone was holding out on him or trying to dupe him in some way, he called the person "you rat bastard" in a slow, methodical manner.
- When Penn wanted to stress a very large number he sometimes said "Sagan billions", implying the figure is into the "billions and billions". The reference was to Carl SaganCarl SaganCarl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
who had a unique way of saying "billions". Johnny Carson popularized the idea Sagan would say "billions and billions" frequently, although there is no record of Sagan ever using the exact "billions and billions" phrase. - Monkey C: On the January 10, 2007 episode, Penn asked for listeners who had worked on the Bush speech about his new plan for Iraq to call or email in and reveal the speech's contents. One listener claimed she had proofread the speech and part of Bush's plan was to send three monkey troops to Iraq. One group called "Monkey C" was the most elite. Its motto was "Monkey C, monkey do!" Penn found this play on words very funny and made several follow-on references to it.
Show closers
At the end of each show, Penn often recited some recurring phrases. These included:- "It frightens me the awful truth of how sweet life can be." This is a line from the Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
song "Up to Me", a previously unreleased outtake from the 1974 album Blood on the TracksBlood on the TracksBlood on the Tracks is Bob Dylan's 15th studio album, released by Columbia Records in January 1975. The album marked Dylan's return to Columbia after a two-album stint with Asylum Records....
which can be found on his 1985 album BiographBiograph (album)Biograph is a 53-track compilation spanning the career of Bob Dylan, from his 1962 debut album to the 1981 LP Shot of Love. Released in 1985 by Columbia Records, on both a 5-LP and a 3-CD Box set, it was one of the earliest and most successful examples of the CD Box set...
. - "We'll be back tomorrow if the creek don't rise."
- "I'd chime in with a 'Haven't you people ever heard of closing the god damn door?!'" presumably from Panic! At The DiscoPanic! at the DiscoPanic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
's "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" for several shows.
Media and music references
- Penn made frequent references to Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, often using the phrase "Elvis didn't do no drugs!" Penn believed Elvis did not know a lot but he knew how to eat. - Bad grammar in song lyrics enraged Penn. "Live and Let DieLive and Let Die (song)"Live and Let Die" is the main theme song of the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die and was performed by Paul McCartney & Wings for the movie soundtrack and appears on the soundtrack album. The song was one of Wings' most successful singles, and the most successful Bond theme to that point...
" and the theme from "ShaftShaft (1971 film)Shaft is a 1971 American blaxploitation film directed by Gordon Parks, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. An action film with elements of film noir, Shaft tells the story of a black private detective, John Shaft, who travels through Harlem and to the Italian mob neighborhoods in order to find the...
" were examples Penn used a lot, through "Frosty the SnowmanFrosty the Snowman"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
" once provoked a memorable discussion between Penn and Goudeau: "There must have been some magic / In that old silk hat they found". Also Penn seems disturbed by the lyrics to the Wayne Newton standard "Danke SchoenDanke Schoen"Danke Schoen" is a 1962 song first recorded by Bert Kaempfert; however, it gained its fame in 1963 when American singer Wayne Newton recorded his version of it. The music was composed by Bert Kaempfert, with the lyrics written by Kurt Schwaback and Milt Gabler....
". "I recall / Central ParkCentral ParkCentral Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
in fall / how you tore your dress / what a mess / I confess / that's not all" sounds to Penn like a celebration of date rapeDate rape"Date rape", often referred to as acquaintance rape, is an assault or attempted assault usually committed by a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent....
, mostly due to his mis-remembering part of the line into "how I tore your dress." - Oft-mentioned Penn and Goudeau heroes: Trey ParkerTrey ParkerTrey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
and Matt StoneMatt StoneMatthew Richard "Matt" Stone is an American screenwriter, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of South Park along with creative partner and best friend, Trey Parker....
(the creators of South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
), Richard DawkinsRichard DawkinsClinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
, and Norman BorlaugNorman BorlaugNorman Ernest Borlaug was an American agronomist, humanitarian, and Nobel laureate who has been called "the father of the Green Revolution". Borlaug was one of only six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal...
. - Penn made frequent references to his favorite novel Moby-DickMoby-DickMoby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
. - Penn had a pretend feud with the guys from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Bullshit!Bullshit!Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary television series that aired from 2003 to 2010 on the premium cable channel Showtime. In Canada, the series aired on The Movie Network and Movie Central.- Overview :...
and the Queer Eye show were both nominated in the same categories for various TV award shows. Queer Eye typically won over Bullshit!Bullshit!Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary television series that aired from 2003 to 2010 on the premium cable channel Showtime. In Canada, the series aired on The Movie Network and Movie Central.- Overview :...
. - Penn thought Ron JeremyRon JeremyRonald Jeremy Hyatt , usually called Ron Jeremy, is an American pornographic actor. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", he was ranked by AVN at number one in their "The 50 Top Porn Stars of All Time" list...
is living the American dream: He's an unattractive man getting paid to have sex. - Penn frequently expressed his like for Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Lou ReedLou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
. Penn thought it was very cool Dylan kept his OscarAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
statue on his amp and had said, "I won't let anyone bring alcohol into my house unless they're as cool as Lou Reed." - Penn does not like the work of Michael MooreMichael MooreMichael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
, but loves the fact that his films are shown and not censored. - If anyone mentioned the Ringling Brothers circus, Penn reflexively corrected them by saying "Ringling Brothers Barnum and BaileyRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey CircusRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
The Greatest Show On Earth!" During his time at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown CollegeRingling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown CollegeRingling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College trained around 1,400 clowns in the "Ringling style" from 1968 to 1997.-History:...
, he was taught never to shorten the name of the circus or even refer to it by a pronoun. You were, at all times, to refer to the circus by its full and complete name. - Odd phrases caused Penn to interrupt and note the odd phrase would make an excellent band name or album title. "Asian EarwaxEarwaxEarwax, also known by the medical term cerumen, is a yellowish waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and other mammals. It protects the skin of the human ear canal, assists in cleaning and lubrication, and also provides some protection from bacteria, fungi, insects and water...
? That's an excellent name for a band." - Penn made a lot of fun about Goudeau's poor knowledge of popular musicPopular musicPopular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
and jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. Goudeau compared any piece of jazz music to Vince GuaraldiVince GuaraldiVincent Anthony "Vince" Guaraldi was an Italian American jazz musician and pianist noted for his innovative compositions and arrangements and for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip...
. Penn explained his irritation stems from him growing up in a very musical household while Goudeau's family did not even own a radio until he was older. He referred to a fast-tempo section of Mike Jones's Pull of the Weasel theme as "jumpy". - Regarding the notion all publicity is ultimately good publicity, Penn would jokingly ascribe that quote to Lee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey Oswald was, according to four government investigations,These were investigations by: the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Warren Commission , the House Select Committee on Assassinations , and the Dallas Police Department. the sniper who assassinated John F...
. - Goudeau sometimes referred to circular reasoningCircular reasoningCircular reasoning, or in other words, paradoxical thinking, is a type of formal logical fallacy in which the proposition to be proved is assumed implicitly or explicitly in one of the premises. For example:"Only an untrustworthy person would run for office...
as a "robot killer", in reference to a couple of episodes of Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
where Kirk talks a robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
or computer into self-destructing by positing it a self-contradicting proposition. Goudeau claims that this idea was originally Dean CameronDean CameronDean Cameron is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his role as Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp in the 1987 Mark Harmon comedy Summer School....
's.
Penn and Penn Radio philosophy
- Penn liked to refer to his view point as "the nut point of view".
- Penn stated interest in starting a "bacon and a kiss" airline. He theorized that you can avoid invasive airport security by requiring eating bacon and kissing someone of the same gender on the genitals, and therefore screening out religious fundamentalists. Apart from those restrictions, you can carry anything you feel like onto the plane without any other security checks. Penn has also added that another way to weed out fundamentalist Muslims was to have them pray to another deity, or to draw a picture and label it Mohammad.
- Penn and Goudeau believed their listeners were a) the most intellectual audience in morning radio, and b) kind enough to hang up after they've stated their piece. In fact, many times callers would say "goodbye" and hang up before Penn was finished talking to them.
- During the "Ask Layperson Penn" shows, callers usually addressed Penn as "Doctor Penn", (at the behest of the call screener) to which Penn responded "it's actually layperson Penn".
- Penn often made the point that you can break the rules of an organization you do not belong to. Non-freemasonFreemasonryFreemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
members are not allowed to wear the Mason ring according the Masonic rules, but these rules do not apply to non-Masons so they can wear the ring anyway.
Penn Radio politics
- Penn did not generally view hypocrisyHypocrisyHypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie....
as a problem. If a person was saying one thing and doing another, Penn believed he would at least agree with either what the person was saying or with what the person was doing. - Penn referred to the DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and RepublicansRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
as the CripsCripsThe Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
and the BloodsBloodsThe Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
. - Penn had a theory that all laws should have a one-year expiration date and have to be re-passed every year. This will ensure politicians only re-pass the really important laws.
Personal Penn references
- Penn claimed that any role that required him to do more than getting shot in the face was a stretch for his acting talents. Many of his earlier acting jobs in TV seemed to be as an extra who gets shot in the head.
- A New York Times article by Alex Williams accused Penn's child Moxie CrimeFighter of having the worst celebrity baby name. Penn believed names like David and Alex were for losers. A seemingly high proportion of Penn Radio show callers and e-mail writers were named Dave or David.
- Penn made the occasional reference to Magic and Mystery TourMagic and Mystery TourPenn & Teller's Magic and Mystery Tour is a 2003 television documentary miniseries starring Penn & Teller. The program was created by the CBC in association with Channel 4 Film....
, a Canadian CBC documentary he and Teller made on magic in China, India, and Egypt. Penn usually did not have very pleasant things to say about his travels in China, et al., or the Canadian crew he worked with. - Penn would note frequently he is not an educated man. He "got out of high school on a plea bargain".
- When the subject of luck came up, Penn would sometimes refer to a famous quote that frequently gets mis-attributed to him: "Luck is probability taken personally". The quote is properly attributed to Chip Denman (manager of the Statistics Laboratory at the University of Maryland).
On religion
- Penn frequently referenced the Scientology "devil", XenuXenuXenu ,also spelled Xemu, was, according to the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs...
, usually as a substitute for the word god (e.g., "hail Xenu"). - Penn liked to argue that most religious advocacy groups, like the Catholic League for Decency, amounted to one loud guy working out of his house. Penn argued a religion like Catholicism already has an official spokesperson - the Pope.
- Penn did not usually have a personal problem with religious people. Many come up to him after his show and he felt they have congenial conversations. He did mention, however, he was struck once by a drunk Christian woman. The woman told Penn her pastor said there are no such thing as atheists, to which Penn responded, "That's two things your pastor is wrong about." The woman proceeded to slap Penn.
- Penn dubbed Ash WednesdayAsh WednesdayAsh Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
as Chiquita BananaChiquitaChiquita can refer to:*Chiquita Brands International, a large produce company*Rio Chiquita, a river in Táchira, Venezuela*Chiquita , a song by Sam H. Stept*Chiquita , a book about the life of Cuban dwarf dancer and singer Espiridiona Cenda...
Wednesday. He encouraged listeners to wear a banana sticker on their forehead instead of a palm ash cross.
On magic and juggling
- Penn and Goudeau usually claimed the only thing they really knew and understood is juggling.
- Penn noted that good magicians and jugglers get to where they are because they literally practice the basic moves of their craft 12 hours a day, every day, in their bedroom.
Recurring goofs
- The show's phone operators were instructed that when Penn says "Thanks for calling", that was their cue to hang up on the caller. More often than not, Penn had a followup question for the caller only to find out the caller has been dumped. After the phone lines were placed in his home (no longer redirected from the New York call center), Penn acquired the ability to hang up the phones himself and often still used the code phrase while he did it. The use of this code phrase was mentioned twice by Penn on the June 12, 2006 show, a couple of times by Goudeau on the July 11, 2006 Monkey Tuesday and a few more times on the August 21, 2006 show, "Does Anybody Watch Award Shows? (featuring Kathy GriffinKathy GriffinKathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
's brother (Twice)". - When a caller or guest was telling a really funny story, Penn urged the story teller, in a phone sex voice, "tell it slow". This sometimes backfired as they ran out of time before the story actually was finished.
- When a caller mentioned a URL, Penn sometimes shouted at the listener if he or she used "www". Penn noted, forcefully, that everyone knows that it's the World Wide WebWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
, despite not all websites starting with www. - Sometimes Penn got the sex of the caller incorrect based on the name. When this happened Penn apologized and noted that for much of his life, people have always assumed "Penn" was short for "Penny" and addressed him believing he was female.
- Penn was bothered by his callers misusing the subjunctive. If a caller said "If I was x, I would...", Penn would remind the caller that he/she was using the subjunctive and must use were ("If I were a rich man...") instead of was.
- Up until the February 1, 2007 show, Penn always had to read the show's phone number (1-866-570-PENN) from his computer screen. He's never been able to commit it to memory. The February 1, 2007 show marked the first time Penn was able to recite the phone number from memory. However, Penn was unable to remember the numerical expansion of "PENN".
- Up until the phone lines were connected directly to Penn's house there would be a significant delay between the time Penn said the callers name and when the caller would respond, this would sometimes result in the caller being dropped just after they said hello. There was also many times when the caller would be dropped completely and Penn would have to pick another caller from the list.
Music
The Monkey Tuesday theme, composed by Penn & Teller's band leader Mike JonesMike Jones (jazz musician)
Mike Jones, born August 11, 1962, has appeared onstage with Penn and Teller for the last seven years, and continues to play with them during their nightly show in Las Vegas....
, debuted on the April 25, 2006 show. It quickly became the most requested piece of music in Jones' repertoire. Despite having published seven albums, he was asked three or four times a night by Penn Radio listeners at the Penn & Teller show to play the Monkey Tuesday theme.
The theme was played at the top of a Monkey Tuesday show. Also, whenever either Penn Jillette or a caller said "Monkey Tuesday" the board operator (Patrick) would play the theme. Penn sometimes would say "the Tuesday of Monkeys" to not invoke the music. The music was, however, not to be played for Michael Goudeau, although while he was away fill-in co-hosts such as Mac King
Mac King
Mac King is a comedy magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show," at the Harrah's Las Vegas in the Clint Holmes Theater....
were allowed to trigger the music.
Frequent callers/e-mailers
- President Mike: President Mike, a frequent caller, planned to one day run for president. He asked Penn to help him by mailing a postcard to every American stating his platform. Although a refreshing plan in a milieu of TV attack ads, Penn calculated the costs of mailing 300 million postcards would prove prohibitive.
- Vlad the Impala: Vlad was a regular emailer to the show; Penn frequently read his commentaries on the day's topic. Vlad was (as of 2007) a 40-something male who lived in StaffordshireStaffordshireStaffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and worked for CadburyCadbury SchweppesCadbury is a confectionery company owned by Kraft Foods and is the industry's second-largest globally after Mars, Incorporated. Headquartered in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom, the company operates in more than 50 countries worldwide....
. Vlad was credited with suggesting the format for "Layperson Penn" (on the July 14, 2006 episode "Cancer Therapy Turndown Friday").
- Bob the Skeptical Christian: Bob was a regular emailer. He was a Christian although he was highly skeptical of many of the claims made by his Christian family and friends. There was also a frequent emailer who called himself Christian the Skeptical Atheist.
- Renee: Renee was Renée FrenchRenée FrenchRenée French is an American comics writer and illustrator and, under the pen name Rainy Dohaney, a children's book author.Her work includes The Soap Lady , The Ticking , and Micrographica , "Edison Steelhead's Lost Portfolio - Exploratory...
, a comic book author who lived in Australia. She was a personal friend of Penn. She frequently bombarded Penn with multiple emails regarding the topic of the day.
- Natasha: There were three Natashas who regularly called in and emailed. Penn and Goudeau numbered them Natasha 1.0, Natasha 2.0, Natasha 3.0. Natasha 1.0 was known to be a skeptic and attended Randi's yearly The Amazing Meeting in Las VegasLas Vegas Springs PreserveLas Vegas Springs Preserve consists of dedicated to nature walks and displays and is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. The Preserve is located approximately three miles west of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada...
. Penn had said that Natasha 1.0 was his favorite.
- Big Frankie: Big Frankie, as Penn dubbed him, was a young man in Portland, Oregon who had weighed over 500 pounds (226.8 kg) (with a 64 inch waist) and was taking a year off from work to exercise 8 hours a day. Big Frankie listened to Penn Radio between two 4-hour work outs and called in, giving updates on his weight loss progress. As of April 28 2007, he reported via the Penn & Teller message board he was down to 290 pounds (131.5 kg) and a 38" waist.