40 Years Of Monty Python
Forty years ago today, the first episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus aired on the BBC. In honor of this, here are two of my favorite Python sketches -- "The Spanish Inquisition"...
...and "How Not To Be Seen":
When I was a student at Kansas, I saw the late Graham Chapman give a lecture in which he said he'd never really heard a good definition of "Pythonesque" humor. Here's what I came up with: "Humor involving a person or persons, who may or may not be silly themselves, either interacting with silly people or finding themselves in an inherently silly situation". Watching Monty Python's Flying Circus on Sunday nights on the local PBS station when I was in high school was when I started learning to appreciate absurdity, a pasttime I continue to enjoy to this day. For this, I'm thankful for Monty Python. I'm sure that even in another 40 years, they'll still be bringing laughs to generations of new fans.
posted by Bubblehead at 11:02 PM
15 Comments:
When we've secured a really shitty duty day, I put on Holy Grail once I'm home in sweats with a beer in hand making my way through a Poppa John's pizza. There is something about Monty Python in general that makes me laugh and just relax and forget all the horseshit for a few hours.
The Monty Python crew will one day rule the world as far as I'm concerned.
10/06/2009 1:32 AM
Monty Python was always quoted on the boat, and somehow always appropriate. Of course, as my wife says, there are two types of people in this world - those who think Monty Python is funny - and women.
10/06/2009 3:30 AM
It's only a flesh wound!
10/06/2009 4:13 AM
We took our kids to the musical production of Monty Python and The Holy Grail a few years ago. It was absolutely great.
More recently we were taking our daughter to the airport so she could return to college. Her Marine boyfriend (another story altogether) and her brother were with us. The two young men were reciting quotes from Monty Python and our daughter was groaning that she was apparently dating her brother.
OldCOB
10/06/2009 6:40 AM
Joel,
You truely are a child of the 70's as am I. I also thought MPFC more funny than SNL. My school mates couldn't understand it. Growing up in a small cow-town in southeastern Arizona; for me, the Sunday night broadcast of the show, also on the local PBS station, was not to be missed. My parents and siblings never got it.
My favorite bits...
The Philosophy Department of the University of Woolloomoolloo; "...howls of derisive laughter, Bruce!"
"Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam...".
"If the penquin lays an egg...?"
And like you,...
"Nobody expects..."
Thankfully, my son and daughter, who were exposed to MPFC through our DVD collection, are huge fans. My daughter's husband just doesn't get it though. My wife is tolerant. Funny, that.
Dinsdale!
WCC
10/06/2009 6:43 AM
I quote it to my kids! They love it!
"Fishy, fishy, fishy FISH!"
And we quoted it a lot in Highschool as well. lol
Have you seen spamalot? It's the only on stage production I could get my husband to go see with me, we both loved it. Back when David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry, and Hank Azaria where in it. It was excellent.
10/06/2009 7:24 AM
Off-going watchstander finishes cleaning the shack after watch and asks for drink run orders from the on watch section:
PBB - I'll take a Black & Bitter
Class - Hot Chocolate please
PNB- Ice Water would be great.
I come back into the shack from Control as he gets the last operator order.
"Sup, whaddya want me to bring ya?"
I say: "Bring me a shrubbery!"
Blank stares except from Aux who is chuckling. /sigh.
"I'm picking the movie tonight, you uneducated swine!"
10/06/2009 5:02 PM
Two of my personal favorites:
The Ministry of Silly Walks and "I'd like to have an arguement, please".
One of my old XO's was a rabid MP fan and more than once I threatened to fart in his general direction!
10/06/2009 5:24 PM
Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time
10/06/2009 7:36 PM
The world today seems absolutely crackers,
With nuclear bombs to blow us all sky high.
There's fools and idiots sitting on the trigger.
It's depressing and it's senseless, and that's why...
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They only come up to your knees,
Yet they're always friendly, and they're ready to please.
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
There's nine hundred million of them in the world today.
You'd better learn to like them; that's what I say.
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They come from a long way overseas,
But they're cute and they're cuddly, and they're ready to please.
I like Chinese food.
The waiters never are rude.
Think of the many things they've done to impress.
There's Maoism, Taoism, I Ching, and Chess.
So I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
I like their tiny little trees,
Their Zen, their ping-pong, their yin, and yang-ese.
I like Chinese thought,
The wisdom that Confucious taught.
If Darwin is anything to shout about,
The Chinese will survive us all without any doubt.
So, I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They only come up to your knees,
Yet they're wise and they're witty, and they're ready to please.
All together.
[verse in Chinese]
Wo ai zhongguo ren. (I like Chinese.)
Wo ai zhongguo ren. (I like Chinese.)
Wo ai zhongguo ren. (I like Chinese.)
Ni hao ma; ni hao ma; ni hao ma; zaijien! (How are you; how are you; how are you; goodbye!)
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
Their food is guaranteed to please,
A fourteen, a seven, a nine, and lychees.
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
I like their tiny little trees,
Their Zen, their ping-pong, their yin, and yang-ese.
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They only come up to your knees...
10/07/2009 3:33 AM
"It's not a question of wher 'e grips it. It's a matter of weight ratios. A ten ounce bird cannot carry a one pound coconut."
"It could get here a different way."
"Are you suggestin' that coconuts migrate?"
Oh, probably shouldn't do long recountings of Python to pass the time during rod testing...nope.
10/07/2009 3:47 AM
I watched for Carol CLEAVAGE :)
10/07/2009 12:01 PM
GALAHAD: I seek the Grail! I have seen it, here in this castle!
DINGO: No! Oh, no! Bad, bad Zoot!
GALAHAD: What is it?
DINGO: Oh, wicked, bad, naughty Zoot! She has been setting alight
to our beacon, which, I just remembered, is grail-shaped. It's not the
first time we've had this problem.
GALAHAD: It's not the real Grail?
DINGO: Oh, wicked, bad, naughty, evil Zoot! Oh, she is a naughty
person, and she must pay the penalty -- and here in Castle Anthrax, we
have but one punishment for setting alight the grail-shaped beacon. You
must tie her down on a bed and spank her!
GIRLS: A spanking! A spanking!
DINGO: You must spank her well. And after you have spanked her, you
may deal with her as you like. And then, spank me.
VARIOUS GIRLS: And spank me.
And me.
And me.
DINGO: Yes, yes, you must give us all a good spanking!
GIRLS: A spanking! A spanking!
DINGO: And after the spanking, the oral sex!!!!
Okay, side note; What man wouldn't want to line up that many women who've just finished bathing together and then issue each one a spanking?
The Holy Grail is by far their best work.
10/07/2009 6:50 PM
Personal Favorite Python Moment:
Coming out of the 11:30 AM Sunday showing of The Life of Brian to find all the Jesuit priests from my high school on the picket line in front of the theater.
My brother and I stopped to tell them how good it was and that they should check it out.
"Romani ite domum!"
Priceless memories...
10/09/2009 11:55 AM
"I have a vewwy gweat fwend i Rome named,,,Biccus Dickus"
"He has a wife you know,,,,do you know what she's called? Incontinentia,,,,,,,,Incontinentia Buttocks!"
10/09/2009 1:19 PM
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