The Flying Circus

The fact that 5 adult grown men, who apparently look quite serious, can wear women’s clothes and do silly things is well, what makes you fall in love with them.

I may not be a true Pythonian but I guess in a few more months or years I could be one. Till now, I have only watched the 45 episodes of the Monty Python’s Flying Circus. I can’t wait to download the movies and watch every other video I can possibly find on youtube.

I guess my favorite pythons would be all of them. Every single one of them is so unique and funny. It’s their amazingly different, yet, similar sense of humor that comes together and makes Monty Python what it is. They are different in their approaches to one similar thing: fearless childish absurdity.

John and Graham wrote dark, bold, vivacious sketches, Michael and Terry – lighter one and Eric, also milder ones. (Though I have to admit, the dark bold vivacious sketches do really make you laugh harder)

I might not be born in late 1960s but when I look at their sketches, I know that they revolutionized humor.

I don’t think I have the kind of vocabulary that I can use to justify the amount of respect I have for John, Graham, Michael, Terry, Eric and Terry. They took a risk. They did something different. They were not hesitant to show absurdity. And they succeeded to make millions of people laugh. They made something so legendary that even today, 50 years later; they earn respect and love from whoever watches their show. I quite agree with everyone when they say that Monty Python was well ahead of its time. Maybe that’s why you find it so funny even today.

And now without further ado, I present to you, my favorite sketches:

1.       Spanish Inquisition (of course)

2.       Flying lesson (which I can’t seem to get enough of which also is the main reason I fell in love with Graham)

3.       Secretary of State Striptease (which is why I fell in love with Terry)

4.       Take your pick (Just the ending though in which Michael Palin dressed as pope jumps at the sexy presenter Graham)

5.       Sam Peckinpah’s Salad Days (HAHAHAHAHA)

6.       Rival Documentaries (It’s so funny how Michael and John fight over the microphone like kids especially in the field when Michael tells John to “Go away” and “NO!” and then they get into a fight)

7.       Many others I can’t seem to remember now but will do so later because I think I can stop watching all the episodes again and again and again.

P.S I am not really fond of this post because I can’t seem to justify how amazing Monty Python is. What I would really like to do is enter your brain and cut all the shackles that adult life has used to cage your fun with. Then I would let your brain go free into the wild so you end up going under the table and biting peoples ankles at a formal dinner party (like Chapman) or attend a twelve minute presentation you are supposed to give on a serious topic dressed as a carrot in complete silence (also Chapman). Because that is what Monty Python makes you feel like.

P.S.S Even though I love all of the Pythons equally, there is something really fascinating about Cleese and Chapman that draws your eye towards them as they act. I don't exactly know what it is but I'm guessing it's the seriousness with which they do the most absurd childish things in the world. It is so amazing how they can do that. I'm actually quite interested in Chapman now a days. It's just that he is such a curious figure. So mysterious. Not to forget, dead. But he led quite an interesting life and that is what I am so curious about. I keep wondering what it would be like if he weren't dead. He would be old. And it wouldn't make me so weirdly sad every time I look at pictures of the old Monty Python crew without him. I kind of wish he were still alive. He really would be like Michael describes him: "old and wise". It would have been so good to look at him and know that behind it is years and years of wisdom gained from living a crazy life.