There is a report that the five surviving members of the Monty Python are going to have a reunion stage show.
I am a huge fan of this group’s comedy but I am a bit apprehensive about this. The kind of humor they did so successfully was a young person’s type of humor, irreverent and iconoclastic. Now they are part of the very establishment they made fun of. If they try to do the same type of humor again, it may not work so well even if the writing and acting is as good. But they are imaginative people and may be able to still pull it off. But whatever it is, I will watch it.
Meanwhile, here is one of the many, many sketches that I have watched and enjoyed numerous times. It is not one of their funniest but it illustrates the weird absurdist touches that were the hallmark of their humor.
Not that it’s quite the same thing but I remember being similarly apprehensive when I was going to see Spamalot a few years ago, and was enormously pleasantly surprised. So…yay?
Here’s hoping. I’m reserving judgment too.
Good afternoon Mano,
I’ve long been of the opinion that reunion tours, of any stripe, are never a good idea; sort of like hooking up with the girl you took to the prom after you’re 50ish.
Do all you can to make today a good day,
Jeff
The British comedian Russell Howard was talking recently about how he went into the gym at a hotel he was staying at in the U.S., and saw Cleese working out on one of the machines. The only other person in the gym was an American called Todd, who was very loudly encouraging himself on, and so all they could hear was Todd calling “Yeah, Toddy, that’s it…..come on Todd…..nice one Todd….oh, way to go, Toddy….” and so on without a break.
All of a sudden, Cleese’s dulcet tones rang out, “I say, Todd….Todd?” (pause to ensure he’d got Todd’s attention) “Ah, Todd, do shut the fuck up!”
So Cleese is on form still.
If you look closely I make a brief appearance in “Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl” in the role of “member of the audience”.
Including degrees in math, physics, and computer science, and award winning software I have delivered, I think it’s my biggest and proudest nerd badge accomplishment.
I wouldn’t worry. I have this feeling that they will somehow manage to remain sufficiently irreverent 🙂
Mmmm, not so sure I agree with that. John Cleese, in particular has maintained the lifestyle of an iconoclast quite well. He’s had four wives, two of which took most of his money. He gave a tour of his house in Southern California a few years ago as part of a documentary on him, and I was amazed to see how tiny it was (but not at all surprised to see it was chock full of books). He spends a fair amount of time online criticizing right-wing politicians.
Terry Gilliam is probably the most powerful Python these days, although even he might have trouble getting a new project greenlit, since he hasn’t had a hit in many years. In any case, I can’t imagine him giving donations to the RNC or arguing that government regulations are strangling Capitalism, or anything like that.
I’ve never met any of them, so I may be wildly wrong here, but if I ever walk into a bar or pub and see any Python sitting there, I suspect that we’d end up having a delightful time together.
Although it’s not a Python original, they should be about the right age for a proper rendition of the Four Yorkshiremen sketch. Palin will be the one with the legitimate accent.
As a single sketch, my favorite will always be the The Parrot Sketch.
SHUT THAT BLOODY BAZOUKI UP!
😀
I have doubts that their reunion would be much shakes, but I may well watch it, if only because Python totally defines geek-life in many ways.
My favourite Python-related bit comes from Rowan Atkinson with Not the Nine O’Clock News, with the Pythonism sketch. “Wherever two or more are gathered together in the name of Cleese, they shall recite the Parrot Sketch.”
The humor, at the time, was fresh and timeless. Even after this long time the original recordings have a certain verve and twist in the delivery that the same actors, as good as they are, can’t pull off. Delivered rewarmed during a reunion tour it would be, IMHO, just a trifle sad.
I always greatly enjoyed the hunting mosquitos sketch with Eric Idle.
“There’s nothing more dangerous that a wounded mosquito.”
I also always enjoyed the Johann Gambolputty-de-von-Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crass-cren-bon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelter-wasser-kurstlich-himble-eisen-bahnwagen-guten-abend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwürstel-gespurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-schönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittleraucher-von-Hautkopft of Ulm sketch