Penn & Teller Bullshit: Alcoholics Anonymous

The comedy/magic duo Penn & Teller, have been doing a show called Bullshit! for several years now where they expose scams and bust cultural myths.  One classic episode examined Alcoholics Anonymous.  It’s a great primer on what’s wrong with the organization.  With all the traffic I’m getting right now from people interested in Charlie Sheen’s claims that AA is a cult and an ineffective solution for addiction, I thought this would be a good time to post it.

Specifically, they cover the basic facts that addiction is not a real disease, that AA is indeed religious faith healing, that it has a 5 percent success rate, and that it is no more effective than rates of natural recovery.  If you want to know more about these claims, explore this site for in-depth discussion, if you’re a newbie who wants the basics presented in an entertaining form, watch the videos below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3