He's a walking urban legend.

On his HBO show, "Assume the Position," Robert Wuhl purports to present little-known tidbits of American history while separating myths and erroneous "common knowledge" from the ugly truths no one's bothered to tell us. It's a gimmicky comedy show, and if you've ever seen Wuhl perform, you'll understand why he needs more than just his sense of humor to get on HBO.

But it only works if Wuhl doesn't get sloppy on us.

In his latest installment, Wuhl claimed Hedy Lamarr's skinny dipping scene from 1933's Ecstasy was "the first nude scene in motion picture history," and that Barbara Bush is a "direct descendant" of Franklin Pierce.

I recognized both as falsehoods the moment I heard them.

Hocus-Pocus and Wuhl

Having been around tall-tale tellers my whole career, I've grown to despise urban legends and those who sloppily spread them. So, a show like the one Wuhl claims to give us should be my sort of thing. But a man who spreads urban myths while purporting to dispel them is even more despicable than someone who simply repeats urban myths without giving them much thought in the first place.

Claiming Barbara Bush is a "direct descendant" of Franklin Pierce fit neatly into Wuhl's asinine routine, as did Lamarr appearing in the first nude scene in motion picture history. I guess it's just too hard for Wuhl et staff to make such comically symmetric "lesson plans" with just the facts.

A comedic history lesson whose punchline neatly returns to its premise is only worthy if it's factual.

For the record, Barbara Bush descended from a fourth cousin of Franklin Pierce's. And, though I don't know what motion picture featured the first nude scene, I do know (and own a copy) of a 1920 Lon Chaney movie one scene of which shows, quite prominently, a nude young woman modeling for a sculptress.

Now, if some average shmo like me, with no particular knack for movie and/or presidential trivia, can spot two mistakes in as many minutes, imagine how many lies Wuhl averages in a 30 minute show.

I'd been debating on canceling HBO - and I think this just sealed the deal.

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