What's your favorite Monty Python sketch?

[red dog 1]

Last edited Fri Oct 31, 2014, 09:47 PM - Edit history (1)

Spam?
Ministry of Silly Walks?
The Lumberjack song?

I'll go with the one where John Cleese plays Beethoven trying to finish his Fifth Symphony, while his wife keeps coming into the room interrupting him.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. dead parrot

[orleans]

16. i was going to say dead parrot but there are SO many good ones--hard to decide n/t

[malthaussen]

2. Dead parrot, aye.

Four Yorkshiremen, Lumberjack Song, come in close. But there are so many gems.

You familiar with this piece, Red Dog?:

Since "Beyond the Fringe" was a big influence on the Pythons, and Dudley couldn't quite figure out how to finish this sonata... I wonder if there's any connection with the sketch you like.

-- Mal

[red dog 1]

36. The sketch I love is a Monty Python sketch, not from "Beyond the Fringe"

and it was definitely John Cleese playing Beethoven, sitting at a piano in a small room, trying to finish his Ninth Symphony, and people keep coming into the room interrupting him

[malthaussen]

45. My thought was that Dudley's sketch might have influenced the Pythons. n/t

[red dog 1]

55. Yes, that's possible

[Art_from_Ark]

62. Actually, "Beethoven" was working on his 5th Symphony in that sketch

and it was his wife who was constantly interrupting him, including one time when she came in and started vacuuming the room while he was trying to tap out the opening melody on the piano

[red dog 1]

68. Thanks ...I'm glad someone else remembers that one

It cracks me up just thinking about it.

[LiberalElite]

3. Argument Clinic

[pokerfan]

13. No, it's not.

[LiberalElite]

14. .

[tk2kewl]

28. Yes it is!

Absolute favorite!

[pokerfan]

30. It isn't!

[kwassa]

49. I often think of this skit while reading GD.

There are many arguments about arguing here.

[Number9Dream]

57. First heard Argument Clinic, Piranha Brothers, etc on vinyl record

All of those are still great after all these years!

[LWolf]

69. There is no single favorite.

But this one is ONE of them.

[OriginalGeek]

4. What's with all the questions?

I didn't expect the bloody Spanish inquisition.

[NewJeffCT]

5. nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition

our chief weapon is surprise. Surprise... and fear.

[OriginalGeek]

6. and ruthless efficiency!

[NewJeffCT]

8. and, a fanatical devotion to the pope

our four main weapons are surprise, fear, ruthless efficiency and a fanatical devotion to the pope.

[OriginalGeek]

12. Fetch....the cushions

Now, old lady, you have one last chance. Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly - two last chances. And you shall be free...three last chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have divulged in my previous utterance.

[nomorenomore08]

89. Eddie Izzard's "Cake or Death" bit had to have been inspired by the Pythons. n/t

[OriginalGeek]

90. Not sure if I've seen that bit

but I love Eddie so I will go find it..

[nomorenomore08]

91. He says that an Anglican Inquisition would be impossible, because you'd have people running around

yelling stuff like "Either you have tea and cake with the vicar or you die!"

[OrwellwasRight]

97. Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as . . .

surprise, fear, ruthless efficiency and . . . ftt

[NewJeffCT]

7. It really depends on my mood

the time of year, the phase of the moon and a bunch of other things. I love so many of the sketches that I can't really narrow it down to one.

Dead Parrot, Lumberjack Song, Argument Clinic, Candy Shop, a bunch of the sketches from Life of Brian and Holy Grail, etc, etc

[TorchTheWitch]

9. I can only pick one?

Can't be done.

[edbermac]

10. All of them!

That's like asking me "What's your favorite Beatles song?"

Anyway here's one.

"You've lost both your arms as well."

[First Speaker]

11. The North Malden Icelandic Saga Society

[Archae]

15. Fish-slapping dance!

Short and sweet!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. The Hungarian Phrasebook.

[NewJeffCT]

27. another one of my favorites

My nipples explode with delight!

[geardaddy]

32. Yes!

[BeyondGeography]

18. Merchant Banker

Surely timeless:

[Bombero1956]

19. The Cheese shop

Customer: Well, I was, uh, sitting in the public library on Thurmon Street just now, skimming through Rogue Herrys by Hugh Walpole, and I suddenly came over all peckish.

Owner: Peckish, sir?

Customer: Esuriant.

Owner: Eh?

Customer: 'Ee, ah wor 'ungry-loike!

Owner: Ah, hungry!

Customer: In a nutshell. And I thought to myself, "a little fermented curd will do the trick," so, I curtailed my Walpoling activites, sallied forth, and infiltrated your place of purveyance to negotiate the vending of some cheesy comestibles!

[A HERETIC I AM]

20. "Not much of a cheese shop, is it?"

Owner: Finest in the district!

Customer: (annoyed) Explain the logic underlying that conclusion, please.

Owner: Well, it's so clean, sir!

Customer: It's certainly uncontaminated by cheese....



Cleese and Palin ...well...hell..they were ALL geniuses.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. "Fish License"

http://m.

"Ow did you know my name was Eric?"

"No, no, my fish's name is Eric. Eric the Fish. He's an Halibut."

"A whot?"

"He is....an...Halibut"


"You've got a pet Halibut?"

"Yes. Chose him out of thousands. Didn't like the others. They were all too flat."

"You're a looney"

[hifiguy]

75. Cleese is playing the same creepy, vaguely unhinged character

as in the dead parrot sketch.

No way to pick one favorite. Python was the richest vein of comedy gold ever struck.

[A HERETIC I AM]

77. I heard one of them say in an interview.....

That coming together to write sketches was a lot of fun because you knew you were going to hear some really funny ideas that no one had ever thought of before.

I was watching "Flying Circus" in Australia in the early 70's, well before it was on PBS in the states and realized this was something truly unique.

When Holy Grail came out in the states, most people didn't know what to expect, as MP'sFC hadn't been on PBS that long.

My brother and I went and saw it opening night, and found that once the audience caught on, it was almost impossible to hear all the dialogue for the laughter. We had to go back and see it 2 or 3 more times to catch every word.

"Richest vein of comedy gold ever struck"
You can say that again.

[hifiguy]

78. The Pythons never liked being called

the Beatles of comedy but it's the only apt comparison. Just as there was popular music before and after the Beatles there was comedy before and after Monty Python. And much of the staff of the National Lampoon, many of who went on to the first-generation SNL, were incredibly jealous of the Pythons.

[A HERETIC I AM]

79. "Never liked being called the Beatles"...

Well, the Beatles never did anything like "Confuse-A-Cat"

http://m.

Though I am sure you are aware, George Harrison was one of their biggest backers and is listed as a co-producer on many of their films, "Life of Brian" included.

[hifiguy]

81. Revolution #9 confused the hell out of me.

and George co-produced and had a brief cameo in Eric Idle and Neil Innes' magnificent "All You Need Is Cash - The Story of the Rutles." He was a HUGE Python fan.

[A HERETIC I AM]

82. Don't know how old you are, but Revolution number 9 confused EVERYBODY! N/T

[hifiguy]

83. Old enough to have seen the Rutles, err BEATLES

on the Sullivan show and remember it vividly.

[A HERETIC I AM]

85. When Topo Gigio came on, it was time for bed!

1959 here. Last of the fifties kids!

[hifiguy]

86. 1956 here.

[A HERETIC I AM]

87. Cheers to two old farts!

[hifiguy]

88. Here, here!

[Ex Lurker]

22. Flying lessons nt

[Tom Kitten]

23. Army protection racket

the very idea is so ludicrous as to be so very hilarious
"You've got a nice army base here, Colonel...we wouldn't want anything to happen to it"

[red dog 1]

39. Sounds hilarious!

I must have missed that one.

[BootinUp]

24. Self Defense against fruit is hard to beat. lol.

[CrawlingChaos]

25. Tie: The Piranha Brothers and The Most Awful Family in Britain (nt)

[geardaddy]

33. Yes, the Piranha Brothers

[MuseRider]

26. Maybe it is because I was watching with

my brother but when I saw the Twit of the year contest I thought we would never stop laughing. The short 50 yard dash (I think it was 50) for people with no sense of direction was pretty awesome too. There are so many, how can you pick?

John Cleese has a new book out. In a couple of weeks I am going to see him talk about it. We each get a free, autographed book. I am very excited about this.

And now for something completely different (back to the thread).

[red dog 1]

37. Twit of the Year was a great bit.

I'll have to save up & get Cleese's book.

[MuseRider]

40. I am just so excited to see him.

He is so fun to listen to and has such rich stories to tell. I actually thought he was doing a show when I bought the tickets and am way more excited that he is doing a talk and interview. It should be great fun. I have never bought a book of his and frankly do not know if there are any. I am not nor have I ever been an autograph hound but this is one I think I will be happy to have, those I have I do cherish.

2 days later Craig Ferguson so I will get my comedy show after all.

[red dog 1]

41. I'm jealous

I'd love to see him in person some day.

I wonder if he'll be taking questions from the audience?

[MuseRider]

42. Don't know!

It is a pretty big place so it might be hard but they could pass cards around and have you write things down to ask him. Hmmm, I had not thought of that. I will have to think of something.

[lame54]

29. The man who is alternately rude and polite...

[red dog 1]

54. Yes!

[KamaAina]

31. "The penguin on top of your television set is about to explode!"

[TX Thinker]

46. How Did He Know That?

[geardaddy]

34. Too many!

Deja Vu
The Bishop
Cheese Shop
Salad Days
Nudge Nudge Wink Wink
Dennis Moore

and many more

[Skittles]

35. she's got huge......tracts of land

[A HERETIC I AM]

47. Technically there, Skittles.....

Last edited Thu Oct 30, 2014, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)

That's a scene, not a sketch.

Still funny.

Feel free to kick an ass

[bikebloke]

38. The Scotsman playing tennis.

But there are so many.

[JeffHead]

43. Working Class Playwright

Get out you laborer!

[Hatchling]

44. "Bring our your dead!"

"I'm not dead yet!"

(Thunk!)

"Yes you are."

[red dog 1]

61. Good one!

[BootinUp]

48. I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[MrMickeysMom]

50. Anyone with old ladies in it...

which is definitely Spam, but also the old ladies who run into each other, or re-enact something on the battlefield.

[red dog 1]

53. The old ladies were truly hilarious !

They were often played by John Cleese, Eric Idle & Graham Chapman

[A HERETIC I AM]

58. They referred to them as "Pepperpots"

Mentioned in one of their books I have.

[NewJeffCT]

59. The first Monty Python sketch I ever remember seeing

was Hell's Grannies.

[MrMickeysMom]

64. Me, too!

I remember I was hooked on Flying Circus because of this one!

[NewJeffCT]

65. I loved it

it was just so ridiculous & silly that I remembered it for years, but was never able to find Monty Python again for several years, until my Social Studies teacher in high school played Holy Grail in class one day in the early to mid 80s some time (his son was in the military stationed in (I think) the Philippines and sent him what was probably a bootleg copy...) I don't think it was his Social Studies class - it may have been a study hall or something where he substituted for somebody else that was out?

[MrMickeysMom]

67. Great story...

Now, you have to admit, Holy Grail made way more sense than anything offered through that Social Studies class!

[NewJeffCT]

70. In some cases I'd agree with you

but, the guy that taught this class was one of my favorite teachers I had in high school - you could just feel his passion for history when he taught. Plus, he was fairly liberal, if I recall, and was a Democratic town councilman a few towns over from my town, where he taught.

[MrMickeysMom]

71. I'm envious of that experience...

I wished that I had more of that in high school!

[malthaussen]

73. Anything with Carol Cleveland in it!

She's a cutie!

-- Mal

[valerief]

51. Ministry of Silly Walks, for sure! nt

[OriginalGeek]

52. OI FINK 'EY SHOULD OUTLAWR PEOPLE WHAT STAND ABOUT IN WATER!

OHHH!

[betsuni]

56. Mrs. Jean Paul Sartre

[bikebloke]

60. During a funeral.

A bloke runs up coughing and climbs into the coffin. One old biddy says to another," I always said he'd be late for his own funeral."

[fifthoffive]

63. The Four Yorkshiremen

I can't explain it, but I've always loved it.

[A HERETIC I AM]

80. That sketch was one of the few, if not the only....

sketch that did not appear on any of the Monty Pythons Flying Circus TV series episodes. They only performed it live, and I believe that clip you posted above was from "Live at the Hollywood Bowl"

[CBGLuthier]

92. That is because it actually predated Monty Python, it was written for At Last the 1948 Show

by Tim Brooke Taylor (later of the Goodies), John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and Marty Feldman.
So, technically not really a MP sketch but instead a sketch done by MP.

Here is the original version

[A HERETIC I AM]

93. Yes, of course.

I've seen it performed by numerous groups of actors over the years.

[Art_from_Ark]

66. When I was a teenager,

it was definitely "A Dull Day in the Life of a City Stockbroker"-- especially the part where the stockbroker buys a newspaper

[TorchTheWitch]

72. one of my faves: Upper Class Twit of the year

#t=66

[JeffHead]

74. These 2 are right up there for me as well.

Climbing the North Face of the Uxbridge Road

Mountaineer Expedition

[hifiguy]

76. In addition to all of the greatness already mentioned

these always made me break down in hysterics:

[Iggo]

84. The one with the 16-ton weight.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

94. Songs from the movies.

Every Sperm is Sacred. The Galaxy Song. Christmas in Heaven.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

[red dog 1]

95. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life..

..is my favorite Monty Python song..
I think it's from "The Life of Brian", their funniest movie, IMO.

Jack Nicholson played it on piano in "As Good As It Gets".

[NewJeffCT]

96. yes, while Holy Grail is more famous

I agree that Life is Brian is probably a funnier movie. The Bright Side of Life is just so absurd - singing that song while they're being crucified it makes me crack up just thinking about it now.

[red dog 1]

98. Life of Brian has so many great lines..

Two examples:

When Brian & his mother go to see Jesus give his Sermon on the Mount
the people in the back can hardly hear him..

"What did he just say?"
"He said 'the Greeks shall inherit the Earth"
"The Greeks?.Why should they inherit the Earth?"


also:
"All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine. public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?"

[NewJeffCT]

100. and of course

"Are you the Judean People's Front?"

"FUCK OFF!! We're the People's Front of Judea!"

[OrwellwasRight]

99. Architect Sketch, International Philosophie, and the Election Night Special

[Ampersand Unicode]

101. Prof played this in my History of Ancient Rome class

We actually got to watch the WHOLE MOVIE just after midterm.

I always bring it up in conversation when I hear Rethugs talking about how government doesn't do anything for us and always gets in the way. (Yes, all right, but besides roads, medicine, and the moon landing... what has significant public-sector investment ever done for us anyway???)