• Thank you all very much for sharing your time with us in 2025. We hope you all have a safe and happy 2026!

Intellectual humour

I always felt that Monty Python was a few sketches of absolute genius hidden in amongst some absolute bilge. The films are superb and if you put together their greatest sketches then it would be up there with the best but alot of the stuff in the TV series was just awful. Alot of people seem to remember the best but forget how mediocre the rest of it was
Click to expand...

Exactly. Spot on.
Another one in a similar vein was Spike Milligan. Moments of genius interspersed with total and utter crap. Some of his stuff had my crying with laughter. Other bits had me cringing.
But he was one of those guys who only had to look at the camera in a certain way (like Tommy Cooper or Eric Morcambe) and you would be smiling and chuckling inside.
 
In spite of my appreciation of Python I am firmly of the opinion that the funniest man I've ever seen is Ken Dodd, he is so subtle and silly, he starts you smiling then chuckling with one silly joke after another and if you aren't careful you're soon laughing so hard you need oxygen, and he can go on longer than you can. Why isn't he a Sir -taxman I presume.

:) :) :) :D
 
In spite of my appreciation of Python I am firmly of the opinion that the funniest man I've ever seen is Ken Dodd, he is so subtle and silly, he starts you smiling then chuckling with one silly joke after another and if you aren't careful you're soon laughing so hard you need oxygen, and he can go on longer than you can. Why isn't he a Sir -taxman I presume.

:) :) :) :D
Click to expand...

I didn't want to say anything (for fear of ridicule from the youngsters on the forum) but I've got tickets for me and the missus to go watch him in Easbourne August.
Looking forward to it....
 
In spite of my appreciation of Python I am firmly of the opinion that the funniest man I've ever seen is Ken Dodd, he is so subtle and silly, he starts you smiling then chuckling with one silly joke after another and if you aren't careful you're soon laughing so hard you need oxygen, and he can go on longer than you can. Why isn't he a Sir -taxman I presume.

:) :) :) :D
Click to expand...

I didn't want to say anything (for fear of ridicule from the youngsters on the forum) but I've got tickets for me and the missus to go watch him in Easbourne August.
Looking forward to it....
Click to expand...


You don't have to be a youngster. Ken Dodd :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Didn't know he was still alive.

:D
 
As with any satirical comedy there are good bits and bad bits

Take the Fast Show, or Peter Cook & Dudley Moore, same problem

But you do have to look at Python in context with what was going on at the time, and there is no doubt that they were breaking new ground.carrying on from "The Frost Report" and "That was the week that Was"

My fave sketches not yet mentioned are, Cheese Shop, Bruce Sketch, Spanish Inquisition and Spam.

Loved the films, especially Brian and Holy Grail, lost the plot a bit later.

I have never yet found any Venuzeulan Beaver Cheese

Fragger :D
 
you also need to add Not the Nine O'clock News.

there have been moments of pure genius in many of them, as were there too in the Two Ronnies, Fork 'andles.
 
In spite of my appreciation of Python I am firmly of the opinion that the funniest man I've ever seen is Ken Dodd, he is so subtle and silly, he starts you smiling then chuckling with one silly joke after another and if you aren't careful you're soon laughing so hard you need oxygen, and he can go on longer than you can. Why isn't he a Sir -taxman I presume.

:) :) :) :D
Click to expand...

I didn't want to say anything (for fear of ridicule from the youngsters on the forum) but I've got tickets for me and the missus to go watch him in Easbourne August.
Looking forward to it....
Click to expand...


You don't have to be a youngster. Ken Dodd :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Didn't know he was still alive.

:D
Click to expand...

I heard they introduced two new diddymen when he had his Inland Revenue problems - Diddypay and Diddyheck :D
 
As has been mentioned by some, whenever someone is trying to move comedy forwards there is always a line where funny becomes not funny.

But if programs like the Frost report and TW3 hadn't existed, then Python would never have worked at all.

Even Harry Hill had a hit rate of about 50% in his first series ( I mean, he never could control those pesky badgers )

But if Python hadn't had the Gumbies, they wouldn't have had sketches like prejudice which definitely helped move comedy forward.

So to all you non believers.
 
I never got Monty Python or The Young Ones or Red Dwarf .... In fact most of it was all sh1t3
Click to expand...

Sorry but Red Dwarf was brilliant. Watched all the series with my daughter and she loved it as well. Not often we are on the same wave length. ;)
 
In spite of my appreciation of Python I am firmly of the opinion that the funniest man I've ever seen is Ken Dodd, he is so subtle and silly, he starts you smiling then chuckling with one silly joke after another and if you aren't careful you're soon laughing so hard you need oxygen, and he can go on longer than you can. Why isn't he a Sir -taxman I presume.

:) :) :) :D
Click to expand...

I didn't want to say anything (for fear of ridicule from the youngsters on the forum) but I've got tickets for me and the missus to go watch him in Easbourne August.
Looking forward to it....
Click to expand...

Beware, he goes on for hours and hours. Once on stage it's hard to get him off!!!! Make sure you've put enough money in the parking meter to cover for 3 hours. :D
 
All right... all right... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order... what have the Romans done for us?

Inspired!
 
Ok just who on earth is Dave Allen?

Red Dwarf was truely brilliant in every way but I do think it was of it's generation. I watch some now on sky and don't really enjoy it as much. Not like Fawlty Towers or Blackadder that will live forever and always be funny.
 
Ok just who on earth is Dave Allen?

Red Dwarf was truely brilliant in every way but I do think it was of it's generation. I watch some now on sky and don't really enjoy it as much. Not like Fawlty Towers or Blackadder that will live forever and always be funny.
Click to expand...

Ahh Blackadder Fawlty Towers I'd add Yes Minister to that list.

Wir wollen ein auto mieten

Wir...we're...wollen, volunteering, ein auto mieten...to go out and get some meat. No, no you're fine we have plenty of meat here in ze building! Moooo!
 
Ahh Blackadder Fawlty Towers I'd add Yes Minister to that list.

Wir wollen ein auto mieten

Wir...we're...wollen, volunteering, ein auto mieten...to go out and get some meat. No, no you're fine we have plenty of meat here in ze building! Moooo!
Click to expand...

Haha yeah same episode as the fire drill "I don't know why we bother we should just let you all burn."
 
Ok just who on earth is Dave Allen?
Click to expand...
a classic Irish comedian, of the 70s and 80s, sat on a high stool with a cigarette and glass of Irish on a side table. Close to the mark, religious and political jokes were his speciality.impeccable timing and dead pan humour.
You were always wondering how he lost half of one of his fingers and had to keep checkin to see which one it was. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top