Students to Present Popular Public TV Show, “Mental Engineering”

As part of a psychology seminar, students will present an episode of “Mental Engineering,” modeled after the popular public television program of the same name. The Carleton edition of “Mental Engineering” will take place Wednesday, May 6 from 4:15-5 p.m. in Leighton Hall, room 304, and will feature an appearance by the television series’ host, John Forde. A question and answer session will follow the panel discussion. This event is free and the public is invited to attend.

“Mental Engineering” is a weekly roundtable discussion broadcast exclusively on public television about TV commercials and our commercial culture. Alternately funny and insightful, “Mental Engineering” teaches us about ourselves, using the most vivid and pervasive examples of our modern culture—the television commercial. Says Bill Moyers, “’Mental Engineering’ is the most interesting weekly half hour of social commentary and criticism on television.” Past panelists have included Sam Simon (co-creator of “The Simpson’s”), Lizz Winstead (co-creator of “The Daily Show”), Al Franken, Joe Garden (editor of “The Onion”), Merrill Markoe (co-creator of “Late Night with David Letterman), and many other notable social and cultural commentators.

Called “Jim Carrey with a Master’s degree” by the Associated Press, host Forde encourages students and teachers to produce their own episodes of his popular program, and offers suggestions on how to do so on the show’s website: www.mentalengineering.com.

The event is part of a psychology seminar on language and deception led by assistant professor of psychology, Mija Van Der Wege. For more information, contact Van Der Wege at (507) 222-4375.