# History Channel: Incredible But True, my ass! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 23, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551 "2006-03-23T04:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/41 "2006-03-24T00:05:08Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Hm. I watched one of those insane Graham Hancock documentaries about how aliens built the pyramids on the BBC when I was visiting my cousin in London a few years ago. It was so incredibly, irresponsibly bad that I intended to write the BBC execs exactly what I thought of them (naturally, I forgot it about later). > > I doubt it wasn’t actually produced by the BBC, but they showed it. I’d be pissed off if my tax dollars went to airing that sort of tripe. The BBC were actually de-bunking his theories, so much so that he complained to the Broadcasting Standards Commission who dismissed his complaints almost in their entirety. Or would you prefer that your tax dollars weren’t used for programmes trying to get to the truth? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/42 "2006-03-24T01:23:14Z")
I was watching the “History” channel last week when they had a show on Irish gangsters in America. The show as called…ahem…‘Paddywhackery’ :rolleyes: Anyways, they had one “expert” on Italian-American history on who opined that the assination of Kennedy was the “ultimate hit”. Pay-back to the Irish for “biting the hand that feeds them”. The Italian mafia “sorted out their Irish problem” by killing Kennedy. And that was taken as fact. FUCK OFF HISTORY CHANNEL. You’re a channel for people who want to think they’re sophisticated when they are really bored housewives or mindless dopes. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/43 "2006-03-24T01:43:44Z")
Well, you know, **JPen** they could debunk right off the freakin’ bat, as in… [Show Trailer] "A Story… …about a secret Experiment gone wrong… …believed by many… _but totally, utterly false!_ The Philadelphia Experiment, tonight on **Things That Are Not So!**" [/show trailer] And have the show be introduced thus: “Welcome to **Things That Are Not So**. I’m your host, Harry Rogaine. Tonight, we will explore a particularly incredible allegation, and look into why do people believe it…” And upon going to every ad break, use the teaser: “You won’t believe what other bogus things people believe about this!”, and upon coming back “Welcome back to **TTANS** , where we continue to explore how come anyone could believe this story…” ---
**Author:** ![Ottoerotic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ottoerotic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottoerotic)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/44 "2006-03-24T02:16:34Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > If they want to make it clear that the stuff is phony, they call it “The Philadelphia Experiment HOAX”. They are trying to play both ends of the street, and it’s asinine. I doubt that that would help any. I overheard a 20’s something male getting his haircut next to me telling his barber that “Dragons are real, and that they made a documentary on it to prove it.” Dumbass //For those who don’t remember National Geographic(?) did an obviously fake special on dragons with, (if i remember correctly) all of the “THIS IS A FAKE” disclaimers on it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/45 "2006-03-24T03:15:16Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > The BBC were actually de-bunking his theories, so much so that he complained to the Broadcasting Standards Commission who dismissed his complaints almost in their entirety. > Or would you prefer that your tax dollars weren’t used for programmes trying to get to the truth? Well, I must admit I missed the follow-up program that said “that show we just aired? Pretty damn stupid, huh?” (I don’t disbelieve you, but the program I saw was _not_ a debunking, it was a lunatic fringe “documentary” hosted by the crazy guy himself.) Personally, I’d prefer that my tax dollars aren’t used for making any television programs. Doesn’t seem like that should be a function of the government, imo. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/46 "2006-03-24T22:09:20Z")
**Airman Doors** I’m not surprised that you would take a stance adamantly denouncing those who are trying to bring the truth to the American people. No doubt the US government has specifically ordered all military personnel to quell all rumors about the “Philadelphia Experiment”. The truth is that it was successful in achieving time travel _and_ teleportation. You’d think after 60 years they’d release all those classified documents. Oh no, the “powers that be” want us to remain ignorant of the truth. I suppose if I brought up the Roswell incident, you’d declare that wasn’t the truth either in spite of the fact that those aliens are now being kept in Area 51. I have to make this posting short because Bigfoot is rummaging through my trash … again !!! Damned Sasquatch !!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/47 "2006-03-24T23:07:34Z")
I wish we could have interesting bullshit shows like Incredible But True on our History Television (Canadian version of History Channel). But no, we just get the 24-hour Hitler channel. Seriously, I’m guessing 2/3 of the programming is about Hitler or other big time Nazi’s, or showing WWI and II planes. We never get the cool conspiracy theories and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/48 "2006-03-27T15:21:51Z")
Even when the History channel is being truthful, they generalize to the point of uselessness. They forced Both Terry Jones and Peter Woodward to produce shows so abbreviated that they could barely touch the subject matter. Woodwards “Conquest” show was awesome in its goal, but the 30 minute time limit turned it into game-show attempt to prove a quickie hypothesis. Jones “Medieval Lives” also suffered heavily from the 30 minute format. He was supposed to takle the topic of Knights in the middle ages in one episode. How much info can one deliver about such a broad-ranging subject in 30 minutes other than, “They wore armor, They fought for a living, and they swore oaths to their Lords?” And that’s with commercials cutting up the rythym. The history channel is soundbite learning from a corporate broadcaster who has no knowledge of or care for the subject matter. Watching one of their shows is like reading a history report from a 10th grader who wrote it the night before using an encyclopedia. I need to start buying some of those BBC documentaries. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/49 "2006-03-28T13:16:45Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Even when the History channel is being truthful, they generalize to the point of uselessness. They forced Both Terry Jones and Peter Woodward to produce shows so abbreviated that they could barely touch the subject matter. Woodwards “Conquest” show was awesome in its goal, but the 30 minute time limit turned it into game-show attempt to prove a quickie hypothesis. Jones “Medieval Lives” also suffered heavily from the 30 minute format. He was supposed to takle the topic of Knights in the middle ages in one episode. How much info can one deliver about such a broad-ranging subject in 30 minutes other than, “They wore armor, They fought for a living, and they swore oaths to their Lords?” And that’s with commercials cutting up the rythym. > > The history channel is soundbite learning from a corporate broadcaster who has no knowledge of or care for the subject matter. Watching one of their shows is like reading a history report from a 10th grader who wrote it the night before using an encyclopedia. > > I need to start buying some of those BBC documentaries. The Terry Jones thing is a BBC light infotainment piece not a phd thesis. He did great ones on The Romans and the Egyptians too. Hilarious and informative to the average non-scholarly viewer. Lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/50 "2006-03-28T19:32:58Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Well, I must admit I missed the follow-up program that said “that show we just aired? Pretty damn stupid, huh?” (I don’t disbelieve you, but the program I saw was _not_ a debunking, it was a lunatic fringe “documentary” hosted by the crazy guy himself.) Then you’re almost certainly misremembering which channel you saw the programme on. Hancock has made two series for British TV: _Quest For the Lost Civilisation_ and _Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age_. The first was [made for Channel 4](http://www.fortunecity.com/emachines/e11/86/toynbee8.html#) and [so was the second](http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4350493,00.html). Channel 4 - who, incidentally, are responsible for _Time Team_ - is one of the commercial terrestrial channels and it has no connection with the BBC. Had he presented any programme on the latter then he’d almost certainly be crowing about it on his (somewhat out-of-date) [official web bio](http://www.grahamhancock.com/biog.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551/51 "2006-03-28T20:40:11Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > The Terry Jones thing is a BBC light infotainment piece not a phd thesis. He did great ones on The Romans and the Egyptians too. Hilarious and informative to the average non-scholarly viewer. Lighten up. Nah, I think I will keep demanding better from my TV. I’d rather be disappointed by them not reaching my standards than disappointed by having sunk to theirs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-channel-incredible-but-true-my-ass/349551.md?page=2)