Rather late to this thread - it must have come and gone during one of my hiatuses from the site. However ...
Joey Stewart wrote:I don't know why, but whenever I hear a monty python sketch described to me it is always considerably funnier then when I see it performed.
Amen to that. I used to own two volumes called
Monty Python: All The Words. Gave them away when (a) YouTube got going, and (b) I realised they were only uselessly occupying space on the shelf.
Geoff Chandler wrote:Monty Python were slightly humerous and no more.
Most of the time they were just tosh. 'The Life of Brian.' was good and that was it.
Can't quite agree there. Some of the TV episodes, mostly earlier ones, sustained the level of hilarity very well. But they did get very self-indulgent at times, it's true. When I was at uni, there those who "got" MP and those who just didn't. (Strangely, my father - usually hypercritical of most television, and not really one for way-out ideas - was one of the former group.)
Geoff Chandler wrote:The mid 60's radio programme ' "I'm sorry, I'll read that again." was where it stemmed from.
That was good. If you listen to the 60's broadcasts you can hear future Python gags all the time.
Ah yes, ISIRTA! Never missed it, and always made a point of catching the repeats as well. There was a short chess-related skit once, which went something like this:
David Hatch: And now, over to ____ ____ at Crimpton-On-Sea*, for the latest report on the big chess tournament.
Graeme Garden: (
Cheerfully) Hello! It's a lovely fine day here in Crimpton, and everyone's out enjoying the sea air and having a wonderful time!
(
Sotto voce) .... which is why I'm fed up with sitting in this stuffy hall watching this boring chess!
[
Using "professional" voice again, gives a quick summary of the "action", ending with reference to some noted grandmaster .... ]
... and his assistant from Prague.
Bill Oddie: His Czech mate!
GG: Aha! He's moved .... black knight to queen four!
BO: (
In pseudo-Caribbean accent) Howdy do dere, honey!**
* Or wherever it was.
** A catch-phrase trotted out - frequently - whenever the word "black" was spoken. Ultimately parodied in an Othello spoof, thus:
David Hatch: "Othello went white!"
Bill Oddie: (
in exaggerated RP tones) "How do you do there, honey?"