Expelled from "Expelled"

That's right, folks. The blogosphere is buzzing over the fact that PZ Myers, who has a minor role in Expelled, got the boot from a private screening held in Minneapolis last night. But PZ's guest for the evening, Richard Dawkins, who has a major role in Expelled, managed to get in undetected. Way to go Richard!

While PZ was cackling on his blog, associate producer Mark Mathis was going head-to-head with Dawkins in front of an appreciative crowd. My only regret is that we didn't have a camera there to film it all. Suffice to say, from what I've heard, Dawkins' peformance won't earn him an award any time soon.

Incidents like this make me want to hug PZ. He and his peanut gallery have been lighting up switchboards (not to mention my blog) across the web with their cries of outrage. They're the best PR team a guy could wish for. Keep up the good work!

Look for an official response to this episode on the Expelled blog soon. And don't forget, the film will be in theaters everywhere--even Minneapolis--on April 18. So perhaps PZ will get a chance to see it after all.

Comments

[micketymoc]

Interesting how you're spinning it like it's a win for your team.

Your guys lied about the movie's subject to your interviewees, then you bar them from the door of the same movie they're appearing in.

Your guys lied about the working title, when the title was fixed months before "Crossroads" interviewed Dawkins and Myers.

Your guys are calling for open debate, but are suppressing it by refusing to invite potentially adversarial reviewers.

Now I understand why Born-again Christians place faith over works, after all, how could you excuse yourself before God with works like these?

[Phil]

"While poor PZ was crying foul on his blog..."

Really? From what I could tell, they are laughing their collective back ends off.

[micketymoc]

Yeah, "foul" doesn't exactly describe the first reaction I got upon reading PZ's blog entry, unless by "foul" you mean laughing my ass off, then reading the entry to my wife so she could share in the hilarity.

At least I have that to thank you for, Kevin, you have been indirectly responsible for a really satisfying laugh. My wife and I thank you!

[Chris Neufeld]

PZ was invited, and did everything above-board.

And the IDers 'expelled' him anyway!

The irony. Oh, the irony.

You poor sad deluded people. This made my week, I couldn't invent something this funny.

[Reed A. Cartwright]

It is dishonest of you to claim that PZ wasn't invited to the screening. He was as much invited to the screening as every other person in line who had registered and been approved by your online system.

An accurate description is that while waiting in line, he was disinvited by Mathis and ordered by an off-duty police officer to leave the area or face arrest.

From the many descriptions I've read, that Mathis was so afraid of PZ being there that the officer and the theater hardly gave him enough time to say "see you later" to his family and friends.

[winkingbuddha]

You, Kevin Millar, sir, are a liar, and a shameless (yet criminally incompetent) one at that.

[trebob]

The minds behind Expelled get caught lying again.

[ellazimm]

I would advise you to show some backbone and leave up all comments submitted. The very least you can do is take it as well as you give it.

[Nullifidian]

The reason? He wasn't invited.

So then which one of you was the bright spark who invited Richard Dawkins?

There was no need for any invitation. All one had to do was RSVP on your website, and bring ID. I did it myself when it played at the AMC Mission Valley 20.

If you want to call laughing one's butt off at your base hypocrisy "crying foul", feel free to do so, but it's not going to help your credibility.

[Julius]

For Eris's sake, have you creationists NO shame? Even if I assume, a priori as it were, that both sides are equally likely to be lying, your story doesn't add up. PZ's does.

I mean, if the website where PZ Myers et al. registered to get onto the guest list was only meant for people who already had invitations, why weren't the names checked beforehand? In other words, if it's true that Myers, Dawkins and the gang were being dishonest, then you will have to concede that the logistics of the screening were handled in a grossly, staggeringly incompetent manner.

Which I guess is also plausible...

[Reed]

What does it say about the producers that people featured in the film aren't invited to a basically public screening ?

Regardless of whether PZ was technically invited or not, this seems like a serious lack of common courtesy.

[Gutsy]

Clearly this is the movie makers' professional 'spin'. Their PR manager probably wrote the comment in all actuality.

This is all admittedly off the top of my head, unfounded speculation, but I give its likelihood a high chance.

What do you all think?

[GunOfSod]

I really dont understand how you people can operate at any sort of normal level while displaying such blantant intellectual dishonesty.

[bobrussell1957]

You are one of the reasons I am glad that I am NOT a christian.

[October Mermaid]

Ah, the trusty "I meant to do that" defense!

That's the great thing about being a liar, though, isn't it? After a while, you get good at lying to yourself, too.

[MacT]

I'm not a Christian, but my much-loved parents are. I feel badly for them that they are associated by religion with people who behave as Kevin Miller does. Sad.

[Bill J]

And the humor continues...

[Rev. BigDumbChimp]

I'd like to know what you guys are so afraid of having anyone who might be critical to your film come and se a screening of it?

Is it that you know exactly how full of lies, distortion and obsfucation it is and don't want that getting out before its official release?

What cowards.

[Chris]

LOL, the more I read and hear, the more the word delusion keeps popping up in my mind when thinking of you people, not only deluded about god but deluded about life as well. Please, get well soon.

[George]

Are you really for real Mr. Miller? The lies that you have just stated are unbelievable and completely against what actually happened, as reported by other witnesses.

Anyone who buys your deep pile of doo doo needs to be checked into a mental hospital.

[Peter]

I don't think God would approve of your tactics Mr. Miller. I urge you to go to church and confess your sins right now and may God have mercy on your soul.

[joan]

Wow. You "expellers" are really and truly divorced from the reality-based community.

Can't have that big bad heretic PZ Myers causing trouble in his Minnesotan professorial way, now, can we? Wouldn't want to ruin the groupthink!

The guy responded to an open invitation, for the love of Mike!

[gbusch]

When a writer is not true to his subject, when the story does not align to the facts, the authors intent is not honesty or reason ... but deception for the purpose to deceive.

How juvenile your efforts ... how blatant your lack of values ... you prostitute your livelihood and treat ignorant your audience?

[rimpal]

Kevin,

The joke's on you! Expelled never was about science, and from all accounts, especially yours, seems to be a pretty badly made movie. Myers is having a good laugh and in any case the blogging activity on scienceblogs is greater by several orders of magnitude than blogs like yours or other apologies for one like UD. Dawkins seems to have, in usual fashion, made kheema of what little is there to discuss in this sorry little excuse for a movie, which is why we know you have not chosen to make public a tape of the discussion.

[factician]

Hmmm... it sounds a little like you're distorting the facts, Kevin. PZ sounded rather relieved to not have to sit through the movie. (I confess, I am still trying to decide if I'll see the movie when it comes to town - I feel like I should, given my fascination with creationists, but I don't know if I'll be able to listen to BS for a whole 2 hours - when will the DVD be available?).

You know, if you have to lie for your cause, perhaps your cause isn't worth it?