Anti-Science
Ben Stein Gives “Expelled” Four Stars!
In case you were wondering whether or not to buy the DVD of the movie Expelled, the anti-evolution lie-fest hosted by Ben Stein, the producers would really like you to know that a bigtime Hollywood star who was once in three minutes of Ferris Bueler’s Day Off gives this movie his absolute highest recommendation! Yes, that person is also the host of the documentary in question, but still! Here is the actual DVD cover advertised for sale at Barnes and Noble:
In other news, Stephen Baldwin gives Biodome 700 stars.
Thanks to Guy for sending us this classic.
I sometimes listen to Christian radio in the car for fun (the Bott Network), and there was an ad on this morning about how Americans everywhere are “thanking Ben Stein” for his discoveries and bravery. Pretty awesome start to a dreary morning!
I didn’t know the movie was supposed to be a comedy. Perhaps we’ve been misunderstanding it all along?
omfsm. that is awesome. completely, utterly, totally, and in all other ways awesome.
Wait, it’s his movie and he only gave it 4 out of 5?
I just checked:
“Expelled” opening weekend – $2,970,848 on 1,052 screens
“Religulous” opening weekend – $3,409,643 on 502 screens
Higher gross on half the screens. There’s hope yet for humanity.
This movie would be better if it was called Don’t Stop the Planet, I Don’t Want to be Expelled, and had a musical number. Let’s call it I Ain’t Coming From No Monkey. Sing along, you know the music:
BEN
(singing)
The only truth is in ID,
Not Dick Dawkins or Pee Zee.
I ain’t coming from no monkey, no siree.
TIKTAALIK raises in the background.
BEN (cont’d)
Oh, my god! I was wrong!
Charles was right all along.
Yes, I do come from a monkey…
EVOLUTIONISTS
Yes, you do come from a monkey…
EVERYBODY
Yes, I do come from a monkey,
Can’t you see?
BEN
I love you, doctor Dawkins!
@Steve That is awesome. Thanks for checking.
I had a lolgasm at this!
He was the only person he could find to give his DVD a positive blurb?
@Andrés Diplotti: You’re designed so intelligent
Ain’t no way that was an accident
C’mon shake your monkey hips
My pretty little creationist
When did we start treating Ben Stein like he was a guy that knows about science? Was it because of Win Ben Stein’s Money?
You know, people actually succeeded in winning his money, sometimes.
big deal. I gave Space Chimps 6 out 5 and no one noticed!
They were chimps!
In space, for F*%@ sake!
Gees, the temerity of this dude. I bet he carries a copy of his “masterpiece” with him at all times. He probably reads poetry to it at sunset, rubs scented oils on it, and sleeps with it at night and calls it “Baby”.
BTW, looking at the DVD cover/poster, if anyone should be pissed, it’s Angus Young.
@Sam Ogden:
Angus Young, and every repressed english school-boy since Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life.
He really looks kind of pervy on the cover. Gives off that creepy old dud vibe.
@Gabrielbrawley: It’s the short pants.
I am holding out hope that this is one giant joke that Ben Stein is playing on us all, and a year or two from how he’ll come out as an atheist.
hopefully, immediately after throwing a fit at the oscars for not being nominated.
‘Expelled’ is not getting very good reviews anyway … 4,929 imdb.com users give ‘Expelled’ a bombing 3.5/10.0 …
That said, 3,939 imdb.com users give ‘Religulous’ an above-average 7.5 … You all dis Bill Mahr all the time on the vaccination thing, but I thought ‘Religulous’ was (for the most part) well done … I think the skepchicks should do a movie review, and I nominate my favorite skepchick to do it.
@Sam Ogden: And just think, Ben Stein is only 10 years older than Angus Young … See http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-10-22/music/the-new-ac-dc-record-passes-our-scientific-test&page=1 … That’s it, I’m going to Wal-mart now.
@TheSkepticalMale: Maybe I should let a guest writer do the review. Maybe a film buff who saw the movie this weekend and had interesting commentary at the cafe afterward.
@braak: Dumbass documentaries aside, I kind of like Ben Stein as celebrity-economist on the Motley Fool radio show, and his commentary on the last presidential debates on the Tavis Smiley show was pretty spot-on.
@TheSkepticalMale:
Nice review! About sums up AC/DC’s discography perfectly.
One of my favorite responses to a music critic was from Angus Young.
(Paraphrasing)
Critic: You all have recorded 14 albums that all sound exactly alike.
Angus: That’s a bloody lie! . . . . We’ve recorded 15 albums.
At any rate, I may have to get to Walmart myself:
Since no one else has mentioned it, PZ also makes an amusing observation regarding the Expelled DVD.
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/10/even_its_promoters_havent_seen.php
I think Ben Stein is an innovator and a pioneer… I mean, It’s going to turn the entertainment industry on its ear now that everyone can review their own work!
I think this just lends credence to the argument that the makers of this film don’t even take the subject seriously. They’re essentially mocking themselves.
@sam:
Damn, they’re getting old.
Why does this remind me of a scene from “Tommy Boy”….
…Because they know all they sold ya was a [four star] piece of s**t. That’s all it is, isn’t it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it [four stars], I will. I got spare time…
Will Expelled never cease with their shenanigans o’ bullshit? Stein’s actual quote is “I like movies. I like to eats popcorn. I like to eats popcorn and watch movies. It is fun times.”
Misquoted and out of context. Qu’elle surprise.
Ok I dislike Stein and this movie as much as anyone else, but quoting himself on the cover of the DVD is a joke. One that’s been done before, and is pretty inappropriate on what’s supposed to be a serious movie, but still, it’s a joke. There’s enough to mock there without acting like the humour flew over our heads.
@TheSkepticalMale: That’s as it may be, but I think it’s fair to say that expertise in one area doesn’t necessarily translate into expertise in another.
@Alnonymous:
See, this is why I love this blog. References to Tommy Boy and AC/DC in a thread about a horrible ID documentary. Can it get any better?
@Sam Ogden: References to Tommy Boy and AC/DC in a thread about a thoughtful and even-handed ID documentary?
:-)
haha, I can’t wait to see this film, just to see the bit about PZ.
Who on Earth is this chap? Why is he dressed like a badly-dressed schoolboy? Is he a mentally-challenged paedophile? Will this disguise get him into school? America, are you mad?