I have always been fairly quick when it comes to Humour &, when focused, could talk the Legs of most Two or Four - Legged Creatures. I only came across a few Peers who could keep up with me, & only Three of them could better me. Now this could be just the Calibre of Friends, etc. that I had. I will say that I have very seldom come across any others, it's an Age thing I guess, they all seem to be getting slower.

You'll notice that I put 'they' & did not include myself in that last bit, it's an Ego thing I guess ;-)

I must add, at this point, that it seems the BBC, especially BBC 2, feature quite heavily in my Preferred Comedy Viewing. Although this may not appear all that obvious from the Shows, etc. mentioned on these pages. I will say that a large majority of those that I didn't include were BBC Shows. It's not to say that they haven't occasionally come up with the odd Dead Parrot... It's Resting! It just seems that they have allowed a little more scope for those with more Inventive & Progressive Ideas.

I presume that the Commercial Considerations that the 'Independent' (let's not go there) TV Companies tends to make them a little more Reserved &, ultimately, not my scene at all. The Exception is probably Channel 4 who have had some Excellent Stuff at times. They do have the Advantage of not having the same Funding problems that say, Channel 5, the Main ITV Companies, in effect, Subsidize it.

Even harder than dealing with my Adolescence, has been deciding what 3 to put on this Page.

Why 3? Tradition! Only a 2 year old Tradition, yet it seems to 'feels' as though it has always, should always & will always be the way it's going to be. This will give someone the Opportunity to Parody, Lampoon & Ridicule in time to come. That's what Tradition is for isn't it?

So not to labour the point too much I will briefly mention those that only just missed out on getting a Write Up;

Dad's Army: Still holds it own after all these years, Don't Panic! Don't Panic!

The Marx Brothers: Some Brilliant Lines, 'The most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.'

The ones below, I chose because, for me, they pushed the Boundaries & went out on a Limb. At times they fell flat on their Respective Faces, most of the time they had me in Tears (of Laughter, mostly ;-)

By far my most favourite Sketch is the Lumberjack Song! Just brilliant! I can't think of any else to Write about it, so I'll Write it again, JUST BRILLIANT!

Bicycle Repair Man; The Dead Parrot Sketch (can't get away without putting this one in). I'll add more when I find out what they were called.

And now for something completely different...

...I guess you knew that this was going to happen ;-)

There are probably Hundreds, Thousands, if not Millions, of Web Sites out there with some Homage paid to Monty Python, or any of there members numerous other Works, Projects, Films, etc. The List is Endless. As I'm not one to delve into the far reaches of Infinity, without due cause & psychological support, I'll not waste my time trying to Name them.

One thing I will add, for the sake of Name - Dropping is that I have met Fred Tomlinson. Who? You ask. He, along with his Singers, was involved with most of the Music, Songs, etc. including most of the Best Known Ones. You'll find him listed in most of the Credits from the Series & Films.

What I will do is go through the Main People & try to do the best by them.  

Graham Chapman:

Mainly known for his Monty Python stuff. Involved in Writing & Composing, Played Yellowbeard - a bit of a Hit & Miss Film. Died in '89, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life was Sung at the Ceremony, a nice touch.

John Cleese:

'The Comic Messiah' (see Not The Nine O'clock News, below). Doubly Famous for his Role as Basil in Fawlty Towers, Comic Excess at its most Excessive!!! Master of the Silly Walk! Has Appeared in more Films than I could shake a (dead) Parrot at, A Fish Called Wanda, The World is not Enough (Bond Film), Time Bandits (vastly Underrated) & Whoops Apocalypse (TV Series). Has done many Voice - overs including The Bomb in the Starship Titanic Game.

Terry Gilliam:

Whose Animation's were just Wild & Wacky. They appeared to fit in with the General Feel of the Programmes & yet seemed Out of Place. He also went on the Direct Jabberwocky & Brazil, a Film that I needed to watch a few times before Fully Appreciating the Effort & Detail it has, not everyone's 'cup of tea' though.

Eric Idle: 

Capable of some Excellent Songs, including Always Look on the Bright Side of Life & not including the One Foot In The Grave Theme Tune I'm afraid, though I can Recite most of the Lyrics. Has done a number of Voice - overs, the South Park Movie, Disney's Hercules TV Series (for my views on the Live TV Series click Here) & in Pinky & the Brain as Pinky's Mum & Dad.

Terry Jones:

Appeared, Directed & C0 - Wrote the Python Films, Life of Brian, Meaning of Life & the ...Holy Grail. Also on the seldom seem & brilliant Jabberwocky & lots more. Does a wicked Old Lady - 'He's not the Messiah, he's a very Naughty Boy!' Also wrote the Starship Titanic Book, based on the Douglas Adam's Game of the Same Name.

Michael Palin:

Has got into all different sort of things, A Fish Called Wanda, Brazil, Jabberwocky (also Writing), Ripping Yarns (time for a rerun I think), Time Bandits & let's not mention those Globetrotting Journeys ;-)

It doesn't seem to matter how many times I watch this Film, I still find myself Laughing, Chuckling & Grinning Inanely. If you have never seen it, STOP READING THIS & GO GET IT. I feel this is probably the Definitive Film about History & I would like to think that this is probably more like what Actually Happened than any History Lesson could ever Impart. The Song, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, probably typifies these Sentiments in a way that I could never manage even if I had 1 million Chimpanzees (with Word processors) & the better half of Infinity.

It's Greatest Message lies in Realms of 'Not Taking Ourselves Too Seriously'. On a Personal (Serious ?) Note it shows how Events can often Conspire to make Fools of us All. On a Very Personal Level, it upsets those of a Strictly Religious Background who often seem to forget that Life can also be Enjoyed without it having to be a Crime or a Sin. Those, I have found, who have so much Faith that they can not even Contemplate the Thought of Questioning It. Now that's not very Funny at all ;-)

Monty Python & the Holy Grail didn't quite hit the same spot. Although still very Funny in places it didn't seem to have that little something. The Knights that say Ne, the Chanting Monks & the conversation between King Arthur (Chapman) & the Field Worker (Idle) are the bits that Stand Out the most for me. The latter should be watched by anyone interested in the finer points around the continual battle between those that have (or think they have) power & those who don't recognize it (you can decide for yourself which Character is which, or both? ;-)

This was quite a Disappointment, about the only thing that Stands Out to me is the Every Sperm is Sacred bit. It was also arguably the most Controversial bit, which is probably why.

I watched a few Episodes recently (JUL 00) & found it looked, & felt, very Dated. It is definitely something of it's time, that said, The Goodies were Tops for a Decade. Despite that, anyone, in their Thirties (yes, it's been that long!), would probably still recognize those Three;

Tim Brooke-Taylor

The Failing British Stiff Upper Lip! Often the Fall Guy, if one could be identified as such from the general chaos. Often full of the Joys of being English with little relevance to the actual situation at hand. Now this does sound familiar?

(Dr) Graeme Garden

The Ideas Man! Full of odd inventions & an ability to take the simplest tasks & turned it into something of epic proportions, all in name of making life easier, sound familiar, just think of what you may have been told about Computers.

Bill Oddie

The scruffy, drop out, layabout that I've seen in numerous Shows, a Mainstay of the British Comedy Writer. The most practical, as long as it doesn't involve work! Bill has since gone on to make himself quite a name in the Natural World with his Programmes on Ornithology.

As with other Comedy Shows, Past & Present, The Goodies also had a Major Musical Input & did better than most on the Hit Parade, The Funky Gibbon was Number One for a few weeks. I know, for a fact, that somewhere in the my Family there is a Goodies Album. I have an idea, although it would be more than my life's worth to even suggest who may have it. Such is the way with older things.

Maybe there will be a Goodies Retro some day soon & People may once again Appreciate their particular contribution to the World of Comedy.

I saw a rerun recently & Not The Nine O'Clock News and it hasn't aged all that well, I did find that a bit surprising. As with the Monty Python Team (see above) most of the them are still Household Names - Testament to their Skills & Talent.

Rowan Atkinson

Other Gems are the Utterly Brilliant Blackadder Series, the Surprisingly Successful Mr Bean (not the Film) & the less Popular Thin Blue Line, all involving Ben Elton as a Writer (click Here for more). Has now branched out in to Films in a big way. Nothing that I have thought particularly wonderful, although he was in the Scooby Doo Film which I think was absolutely brilliant (much to my family & friends dismay - well horses (or doggies) of courses, I guess ;-)

Griff Rhys Jones

Went on with Mel Smith (see below) to do Alas Smith & Jones Did a wonderful job Playing Bambi (Gascoigne) in The Young Ones' (see below) spoof of University Challenge, Bambi.

Mel Smith

I did not get into Colin's Sandwich at all! Directed (Mr) Bean (the Film, unfortunately) & The Tall Guy. Co - Wrote & Starred in Morons From Outer Space with Griff Rhys Jones (above).

Pamela Stephenson

Starred in Superman III. Has gone on to become a Qualified Psychiatrist, with her own Practice, & is Married to Billy Connelly (I'm sure there's no connection, honestly ;-)