Humour

Monty Python

It was rather late (thanks to the year-long delay of broadcasting the TV series in the German TV) that we got infected by the Monty Python fever. These six men of the group are in our eyes the climax of comedy, because they offer humour as it should be: black and dry. From the classical "Flying Circus" shows (complemented by two "Fliegender Zirkus" episodes produces by the Bavarian Broadcasting Company), via the movies - best among them of course "The Life of Brian" - to the successful productions of individual members like "Fawlty Towers" or "Clockwise", there is nothing that can be measured with this kind of humour.

We are especially taken by John Cleese and Michael Palin and their verbose nonsense-sketches. Two of the most famous examples:

"Look my lad, I know a dead parrot when I see one and I'm looking at one right now." - "No, no sir, it's not dead. It's resting." (Ep. 8 "Full Frontal Nudity")

"Look this isn't an argument." - "Yes it is." - "No it isn't, it's just contradiction." - "No it isn't." - "Yes it is." - "It is not." - "It is." (Ep 29 "The Money Programme")

The complete words can be found in
"Monty Python's Flying Circus: Just the Words" (ISBN 0 413 74199 1 and 0 413 74110 9) published 1989 by Methuen Ltd., London.
"The Complete Fawlty Towers" published 1989 by Methuen Ltd., London.

A collection of all episodes of "Flying Circus", as well as many pictures and information you can find it:
"The first 200 Years of Monty Python" by Kim Johnson (ISBN 0 8596 5071 X) published 1989 by Plexus Publishing Ltd. London
What these six guys also did is collected in:
"Life Before and After Monty Python: The Solo Flights of the Flying Circus" by Kim Johnson (ISBN 0 8596 5206 8) published 1993 by Plexus Publishing Ltd. London ("Fawlty Towers" included)

And then there are these two books that contain pictures, cartoons and stories from the show:
"Monty Python's Big Red Book" (ISBN 0 7493 1173 8) published by Mandarin Paperbacks, London
"The Brand New Monty Python Papperbok" (ISBN 0 7493 1170 3) published by Mandarin Paperbacks, London

The official web site and actual news you can find at:
www.monty-python.com/
www.dailyllama.com/home.html

Whoever enjoys nonsense (and not only related to Monty Python), should visit the news group

alt.fan.monty-python

And another tip for all who like to travel: For the BBC Michael Palin made three travels to different parts of the world and his adventures are documented in multi-part TV shows. It is really recommended to see those shows (should the be run from time to time). "Around the World in 80 Days"; he follows the trail of Philias Fog (and has to recognise that travelling today is not too easy when you are restricted to ship and railway); in "From Pole to Pole" he travels along the 30^th parallel from the north to the south pole; in "Full Circle" the journey starts from Alaska to Russia, further on to Asia and via South and Middle America back to Alaska. The shows excel because Michael Palin does not show the already knows sights of a country, but concentrates on the people living in that country and their daily routine (e.g. he is shaved by a blind(!) barber in India using a razor blade). And of course because of the pointed, dry humour of the narrator.

To abridge the time until the next re-run, the adventures are also available as books ("Around the World in 80 Days" ISBN 0 563 38495 6; "Pole to Pole" ISBN 0 563 55106 2).

Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett is the most humorous and intelligent author of the fantasy genre. Best known are his novels of the Discworld, a flat world on the back of a turtle, that is inhabited by witches and warlocks, werewolves and vampires, dwarfs and trolls, lesser gods and DEATH.
He also wrote other books, like about carpet people and the end of the world.

Elisabeth has collected some of his philosophical quotes (mostly in English).

But not only his books fascinate us. Also the three computer games "Discworld", "Discword 2: Presumed missing...?" and "Discworld Noir" brought us many hours of laughing and joy.

Who wants to learn more about Terry Pratchett can find all about him at

www.lspace.org/

Woody Allen

Woody Allen is Markus' favourite philosopher. His humour, which is of course influenced by his Jewish heritage, is a great mixture between transcendental ("Is there a life after death?...") and every-day's problems ("... and will they be able to break a twenty?").

Especially his early movies manage to combine comedy with deep thoughts, his books and stage plays complete that. Here some typical quotes from Wood Allen (in German).

The picture on the right comes from the Woody Comics. Alas I only have German versions and no idea about the original ones.

More information about Woody Allen, his life and his work you can find at

www.woodyallen.com and
The Internet Movie Database
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000095/

Jokes

So that you can get an impression, we have prepared some Jewish jokes (German) and some Irish jokes (English).

All pictures on this page are © and TM by their respective owners and used without permission. No infringement of copyright is intended, but should it occur please let me know and I remove the offending material immediately.

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