ACA has acted preemptively to address a negative portrayal of the chiropractic profession that is set to air on the Showtime cable network this Friday, January 31. This past Friday, January 24, Showtime began a controversial new series called "Penn & Teller: Bullsh**!" The series, featuring comedians/magicians Penn & Teller, aims to discredit or expose TV psychics, alien abductions and other contentious subjects. The program's second installment of the program, set to air at 11:00 pm ET/PT this Friday, January 31, will address the subject of alternative medicine -- with chiropractic care included the program's crosshairs. Other targets of the episode on alternative medicine will include reflexology, magnet therapy and an alternative medicine fair. ACA's general counsel has sent a preemptive letter to Showtime advising the cable network of ACA's position on the program. Stay tuned to future issues of the EVP weekly report, as we will advise the chiropractic profession on further action. The letter from ACA general counsel George McAndrews, Esq., is below. To obtain a copy of the documents to which Mr. McAndrews' letter refers, please respond to this email with your request. Thank you. January 24, 2003 VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS Matt Blank Chairman and CEO Showtime Networks 1633 Broadway, 17th Floor New York, NY 10019-6708 Jerry Offsay Programming President Showtime Networks 1633 Broadway, 17th Floor New York, NY 10019-6708 Cherie Shanahan Consumer P.R. Showtime Networks 1633 Broadway, 17th Floor New York, NY 10019-6708 Brooks Jewell Trade P.R. Showtime Networks 1633 Broadway, 17th Floor New York, NY 10019-6708 Kevin Barry/Production Learly Productions 20841 Ventura Blvd., Suite 198 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Ladies and Gentlemen: The American Chiropractic Association has been informed that Showtime will carry a Penn & Teller: Bullshit! episode on alternative medicine on January 31, 2003. It appears that "chiropractic medicine" is one of the topics or targets. We recognize the First Amendment right to expose questionable practices, particularly in the "most jaw-dropping fashion possible . . . with wit and off-center comedy." Our concern is with public accountability and fairness. More than 26,000,000 Americans go to doctors of chiropractic each year. The issue is their health and well-being. Responsible medical researchers and institutions have concluded that chiropractors have superior education, knowledge and training in care of the musculoskeletal system and that medical physicians have a glaring competency gap in this same area. Tests given by the most reputable medical sources indicate that 82% of medical school graduates flunk a basic exam on this system(s) that comprises 60% of all body systems and the problems of which comprise more than 20% of all visits to medical physicians. Enclosed with this letter are some background items - - mostly gleaned from admissions by governmental bodies, medical physician researchers, or medical statisticians, with some work by Consumers Union, that might form an intriguing topic for a BullShit episode on the deceptive image of the omnipotence of American Medicine. They might also give credible information that might balance any negative effects of concentrating only on the outliers of questionable practices by a few. Who knows? Maybe the viewing public would be entertained, informed and benefited by exposure to such data. The American Chiropractic Association stands ready to cooperate in any legitimate effort to improve public health and to expose illegal or unethical conduct. Proper and fair education of the public is always welcome. Comedy lightens our spirit. Thank you for your fair consideration of these comments. Very truly yours, George P. McAndrews GPM:rd Enclosures: 1. The Saga of Chiropractic 2. Spokes of Chiropractic Progress 3. A 24 page letter from the National spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association to the Senior Editor of Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, dated January 5, 2003 4. A 15 page review of "Science and Chiropractic