Description of document: Complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about the Showtime TV series, Penn & Teller Bullshit

Requested date: 27-October-2007 Released date: 16-November-2007 Posted date: 30-November-2007 Date/date range of document: 13-April-2004 – 26-May-2006 Source of document: Federal Communications Commission

445 12th Street, S.W., Room 1-A836 Washington, D.C. 20554 Phone: 202-418-0440 or 202-418-0212 Fax: 202-418-2826 or 202-418-0521 E-mail: FOIA@fcc.gov Internet: http://www.fcc.gov/foia/

Notes: This request was assigned to FCC Consumer &

Governmental Affairs Bureau ("CGB") and the Enforcement Bureau ("Enforcement') by the Commission's FOIA Office for processing.

The governmentattic.org web site (“the site”) is noncommercial and free to the public. The site and materials made available on the site, such as this file, are for reference only. The governmentattic.org web site and its principals have made every effort to make this information as complete and as accurate as possible, however, there may be mistakes and omissions, both typographical and in content. The governmentattic.org web site and its principals shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information provided on the governmentattic.org web site or in this file.

Federal Communications CommissionConsumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20554

November 16, 2007

FOIA No. 2008-052

This letter is in response to your recent Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") requestthat you filed with the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC" or "Commission")on October 27, 2007. Your request was assigned to the Consumer & GovernmentalAffairs Bureau ("CGB") and the Enforcement Bureau ("Enforcement') by theCommission's FOIA Office for processing. Your request sought complaints about theShowtime TV series, Penn & Teller Bullshit.

CGB and Enforcement have coordinated to provide a response to your request. CGBconducted a search of the database in which we maintain the records of informalcomplaints filed by, or on behalf of, consumers. Our search identified six complaintsresponsive to your request. Enforcement has informed CGB that a search of its recordsidentified five responsive complaints. The responsive documents are enclosed. Allpersonal, identifying information relating to the individuals who submitted, or are namedin, the complaints has been redacted pursuant to FOIA Exemption 6 and Commission ruleSection 0.457(f), 47 C.F.R. § 0.457(f). A release of this information would constitute aclearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy under the Privacy Act." In addition,certain FCC employee names have been redacted pursuant to FOIA Exemption 2 andCommission rule Section 0.457(b), 47 C.F.R. § 0.457(b).

Please be advised that the Commission receives many complaints and comments that donot involve violations of the Communications Act or any FCC rule or order. Thus theexistence of a complaint against a particular carrier does not necessarily indicatewrongdoing by the entity involved.

We are required by the FOIA, 5 U.S.c. § 552(a)(4)(A), and Section 0.470 of theCommission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 0.470, to charge FOIA requesters certain fees,

depending on the classification of requesters into one of three categories defined inSection 0.466 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 0.466. The categories are (1)commercial use requesters; (2) educational and noncommercial scientific institutionrequesters and requesters who are representatives of the news media; and (3) all otherrequesters. You have been classified as an "all other requester" by the FOIA office.Section 0.466(a)(3) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 0.470(a)(3), provides that allother requesters are not charged for the first 100 pages of reproduction and two hours ofsearch time. Because your request falls within the above guidelines, there are no chargesassociated with processing it.

If you consider this response to be a denial of your FOIA request, you may file anapplication for review of this decision with the Commission's Office of General Counselwithin 30 days, in accordance with Section 0.4610) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.§ 0.4610).

Nicole M. McGinnisDeputy Bureau ChiefConsumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau

Enclosures

CIMS Report FOIA: 2007-234

Control ID CIMS00000032903

Consumer's Name

Consumer's Phone Number

Email

Submission Method Web

Problem Submitted Time : 5/612006 6:00:00PM

Problem Description

At 1:50 PM an ad for Mediacom (the cable provider) aired promoting Showtime on demand. One of the movies advertised onthis spot was "Bullshit!" with Penn & Teller. They flashed the full title up on screen. This ad contained the spoken wordMediacom as well as printed. Indicating they had the final say in its play. I do not feel that this is somthing that should be airedon such a "SAFE" channel at such a time. Thank you for your help.

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I am writing today because of an offensive commercial I have seen on severaltelevision channels lately. Showtime's commercial for their currentprogramming includes a short clip for Penn and Teller's newest show which is titled"Bullshit". Is this proper for a non-movie channel? I can't imagine itbeing considered proper following the Super Bowl fiasco from a couple years agoand CBS being fined so heavily for a teen sex orgy on one of their shows.Please check into this as quickly as possible.

ControlID CIMS00000035580

Consumer's NameConsumer's Phone Number (000) 000 - 0000

EmailI

Submission Method Email

Problem Submitted Time : 4/11/2006 I :38:30AM

Hello,

Problem Description

5/12/20069:31:37 AM ---_ --- Classifed Inquiry as a Complaint.

rote on 4/11/2006 I :38:30 AM :

CIMS Report FOIA: 2007-234

A concerned citizen,

4/3/2007 Page:

Page 3 of II

Problem Submitted Time : 5/25/2005 8:07:53PM

Problem Description

wrote on 5/25/20058:07:53 PM:

FOIA: 2007-234

PROBLEM01373869

(000 ) 000 QOOO

~-

Control IDConsumer's Name

Consumer's Phone NumberEmail

Submission Method

elMS Report

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 4:45 p.m. EDTViacom's Showtime Slanders Mother Teresa

When shareholders of media conglomerate Viacom show up for their annual meeting tomorrow, they'll face the wrath ofCatholic League President Dr. William Donahue over a shocking Showtime episode that slandered the late Mother Teresa andher order of nuns in the vilest of terms.

According to Donahue, who plans a press conference in front of the hotel in New York City where the Viacom meeting is beingheld, an episode of Showtime's Penn and Teller show "Holier Than Thou" was a "Nazi-like assault on Catholicism, and on theperson the show calls "Mother F***ing Teresa." Showtime is owned by Viacom.

Stormed Donahue, "In the 12 years that I have been president of the Catholic League, I have never witnessed a more viciousattack on Catholicism than what appeared this week on the Showtime program, 'Penn and Teller.' The episode, 'Holier ThanThou,' was a frontal assault on Mother Teresa and her order of nuns, Missionaries ofCharity (as well as Gandhi and the DaliLama).

"Like most Americans, I like parodies and have no problem, per se, with irreverent humor. But when humor becomes insult, thatis a different story. And that is what happens here: comedy quickly morphs to vitriol. Indeed, as the show progresses, the levelof anger becomes palpable and the degree of distortion becomes mindboggling. This is no comedy-it is Nazi propaganda rightout of the Leni Riefenstahl school of filmmaking.

"The Mother Teresa that the world has come to love and revere is made to look like a cruel, exploitative, self-serving nun whoripped off the poor. We are told that Mother Teresa intentional1y let the poor suffer, providing neither beds nor bathroomfacilities. 'She had the f***ing coin and pissed it away on nunneries,' says Penn. As for the nuns who worked with MotherTeresa, they are referred to as 'f***ing c***s.'

"It does not bother me when they call me 'Cattholic Boy' on the show (though the term' Jew Boy' would never cross their lips),nor does it concern me when they.Jalk about 'f**ers like Bill Donohue [who] only see good in her.' But when they mock theCatholic Church's teaching on the meaning of suffering, and when they say of the poor that' They had to suffer so that MotherF***ing Teresa could be enlightened,' then they are behaving like monsters.

"We will mail a tape of select portions of this broadcast to many interested parties, including the bishops. And we will hold apress conference tomorrow outside the hotel where Viacom is holding its annual stockholders meeting. They haven't heard theend of this yet."

Donohue, who will be joined by some Catholic League staff members, said he will answer any questions following a fewremarks. He promised that copies the Catholic League news release on this subject, "Mother F***ing Teresa-Courtesy of

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Viacom," will be distributed to Viacom shareholders as they enter the hotel.

<META http-equiv=CContent-Type content="textfhtml; charset=windows-1252"><META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR>

<DIV style="FONT: lOpt arial"><FONT face=Courier size=3>Wednesday, May25, 2005 4:45 p.m. EDTViacom's Showtime Slanders Mother Teresa<FONT size=4>When shareholders of media conglomerate Viacom show up for theirannual meeting tomorrow, they'll face the wrath of Catholic League President Dr.William Donahue over a shocking Showtime episode that slandered the late MotherTeresa and her order of nuns in the vilest of terms.<FONT size=4>According to Donahue, who plans a press conference in front ofthe hotel in New York City where the Viacom meeting is being held, an episode ofShowtime's Penn and Teller show "Holier Than Thou" was a "Nazi-like assault onCatholicism, and on the person the show calls "Mother F***ing Teresa." Showtimeis owned by Viacom.

Stormed Donahue, "In the 12 years that I have been president of the CatholicLeague, I have never witnessed a mmore vicious attack on Catholicism than whatappeared this week on the Showtime program, 'Penn and Teller.' The episode,'Holier Than Thou,' was a frontal assault on Mother Teresa and her order ofnuns, Missionaries of Charity (as well as Gandhi and the Dali Lama).

"Like most Americans, I like parodies and have no problem, per se, withirreverent humor. But when humor becomes insult, that is a different story. .Andthat is what happens here: comedy quickly morphs to vitriol. Indeed, as the showprogresses, the level of anger becomes palpable and the degree of distortionbecomes mindboggling. This is no comedy-it is Nazi propaganda right out of theLeni Riefenstahl school of filmmaking.

"The Mother Teresa that the world has come to love and revere is made to looklike a cruel, exploitative, self-serving nun who ripped off the poor. We aretold that Mother Teresa intentionally let the poor suffer, providing neitherbeds nor bathroom facilities. 'She had the f***ing coin and pissed iit away onnunneries,' says Penn. As for the nuns who worked with Mother Teresa, they arereferred to as 'f***ing c***s.'

"It does not bother me when they call me 'Catholic Boy' on the show (thoughthe term' Jew Boy' would never cross their lips), nor does it concern me whenthey talk about 'f**ers like Bill Donohue [who] only see good in her.' But whenthey mock the Catholic Church's-teaching on the meaning of suffering, and whenthey say of the poor that 'They had to suffer so that Mother F***ing Teresacould be enlightened,' then they are behaving like monsters.

"We will mail a tape of select portions of this broadcast to many interestedparties, including the bishops. And we will hold a press conference tomorrowoutside the hotel where Viacom is holding its annual stockholders meeting. Theyhaven't heard the end of this yet."

Donohue, who will be joined by some Catholic League staff members, said hewill answer any questions following a few remarks. He promised that copiees theCatholic Lea ue news release on this subject, "Mother F***ing Teresa-Courtesy of

FOIA: 2007-234

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Viacom," will be distributed to Viacom shareholders as they enter the hotel.

FOIA: 2007-234

Page 7 of 11

CIMS Report FOIA: 2007-234

PROBLEM00902880

UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

(000 ) 000 0000

ControlIDConsumer's Name

Consumer's Phone NumberEmail

Submission Method

Problem Submitted Time 12/9/2004 5:47:40PM

Problem Description

wrote on 12/9/20045:47:40 PM:

Referencing Penn and Teller burning the flag on the West Wing. The Supreme Court also says that burning the flag has atendency to incite violence, thus justifying the use of violence against those who bum the flag. Burning the flag is an act ofviolence. They have no idea the pain they inflict on America's veterans when they bum the flag. If I ever meet Penn and Teller Iam going to obscenely smash their heads in. Some say violence is obscene, actions that provoke obscenity are obscene. This isthe second obscene act I have witnessed on NBC, the first was ER's depiction of little girls leaping to their death out ofwindows.

",,'

<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR>

Referencing Penn and Teller burning the flag on the West Wing. The SupremeCourt also says that burning the flag has a tendency to incite violence, thus i

justifying the use of violence against those who burn the flag. Burning the flagis an act of viollence. They have no idea the pain they inflict on America?sveterans when they burn the flag. If I ever meet Penn and Teller I am going toobscenely smash their heads in. Some say violence is obscene, actions thatprovoke obscenity are obscene. This is the second obscene act I have witnessedon NBC, the first was ER?s depiction of little girls leaping to their death outof windows.--narcomment

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CIMS Report

ControllDConsumer's Name

Consumer's Phone Number

EmailSubmission Method

Problem Submitted Time

PROBLEM01374

UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

(000 ) 000 - 0000

5/26/2005 1: 16: 15PM

FOIA: 2007-234

Dear Chairman Martin,

Problem Description

wrote on 5/26/20051:16:15 PM:

Viacom is a prime example of why it is vile to allow nearly sole-ownership of multi-media services.

Chainnan and CEO Sumner Redstone needs to be held accountable for the scandalous assault and portrayal of Mother Teresa andthe Sisters of Charity during Showtime's recent episode of "Penn and Teller."

.This horrendous, vicious attack was meant to ridicule each and every Catholic in the U.S. as well as the Catholic Church.

The question needs to be asked: Can we expect Viacom to next put on a skit concerning the dumping of the Koran in the toiletfor laughs followed by the shredding of the Torah? I think not! This kind of thing would never be allowed nor would anysponsor put their name and money behind such a program.

Catholics deserve the same respect, and as a Roman Catholic - I am asking you to convene a Hearing on the conduct of Viacomand its obvious discrimination against Catholics. Maybe - the time has c90IDP to "pull the plug" on freedom of the press.Viacom's disgusting lack of judgment in presenting Mother Teresa in such a hateful manner shows very clearly they need to bereined in before they do more damage.

Thank You,

<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2627" name=GENERATOR>

Dear Chairman Martin,

Viacom is a prime example of why it is vile toallow nearly sole-ownership of multi-media services.

Chairman and CEO Sumner Redstone needs to be heldaccountable for the scandalous assault and portrayal of Mother Teresa and theSisters of Charity during Showtime's recent episode of "Penn andTeller."

Thishorrendous,vicious attack was meantto ridicule each and every Catholic in the U.S. as well as theCatholicChurch.

The question needs to be asked: Can we expectViacomt()n~~.~~EU..t"~~a skit concerning the dumping of the Koran in the toilet

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elMs Report

for laughs followed by the shredding of the Torah? I think not! Thiskind of thing would neveer be allowed nor would any sponsor put their name andmoney behind such a program.

Catholics deserve the same respect, and as a RomanCatholic - I am asking you to convene a Hearing on the conduct of Viacom and itsobvious discrimination against Catholics. Maybe - the time has come to"pull the plug" on freedom of the press. Viacom's disgusting lack ofjudgment in presenting MotherTeresa in such a hateful manner shows veryclearly they need to be reined in before they do more damage.

.Thank You,

FOIA: 2007-234

J

Pagel00fll

CIMS Report FOIA: 2007-234

Problem Description

1just went on «tvguide.com» to check listing and a highly objectionablecommercial for Penn & Teller came out of my speakers. How do 1 investigatethis?

Email

4/13/2004 12:04:17PM

PROBLEM00445

UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

(000 ) 000 - 0000

ControlIDConsumer's Name

Consumer's Phone Number

EmailSubmission Method

Problem Submitted Time

•

Page 11 of 11

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Are there arty requlatiOftS 3ga1ftBt hate speeoh Oft, "'SOW about. calling a saint:lypl''u$on, or any person filthytlam8s?

Showti~'s Penn and "'el1er in the episode, fiBolier ThanThou· that aired May 23, 24 and 2'1 oalled to!Ot.ber 'fer.... -MotherZ'''''-king TereSl1 lf

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• ·1 ....c.dJo. aad-HIIt ".,oMmcred-by Showmnefs~~1buTh~jchwas$bown at the end or May 2005. "JMd~Mother 'teresa who I admire was viciouslytnaedin.~.

The show promoted divisive'ttass among peopt~ an.~ promoted bate lorCatholdsm. Atthe ri$k otbcing offensive 01 i...,No. I ask the following only to make a point. Wouldyou a.flow sotnCOnt to put on a .show withtht conlon! 40td black Martin Luther It..loves watermelon and red ripple'? Or would you lll!OW a shaw with tbe content 'OreedyRabbi Gold stals his brother's~y and copulates with his brotbw's wife'? (don'tthink so imd ifyou did you $hould be c.en$(>r~atK1 punished.

Wby is it that ShoMime promote$' its ()Wft bnnd ojtporitiea1 eorredDess 1ft mattm1tIatrelate to blacks. says. 1ews. Muslims etc. but you f.ppear to relish bashiog Catholics.~HoliCt Than Thou' $houhi nQt haw been aired and the people r:espomible for the show$bouId be <:eMOted. "ease stop producing progrmus that arc bigotcdand divi$ivc,

~ Nt. Kevin MatfinC~federal CommunicatiODJ Commission

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