Monty Python
The Rutles: A Look Back at Dirk, Nasty, Stig and Barry
The early 60′s were not especially kind to The Rutles. Languishing in the Rutland Cavern for years, it wasn’t until 1975 when this relatively unknown British pop group fronted by Neil Innes appeared on Rutland Weekend Television singing “I Must Be In Love” from their 1965 album, A Hard Days Rut, that The Rutles began [...]
BBC, former Python Terry Jones, discover flying penguins
BBC presenter, Terry Jones, discovers a colony of penguins which are unlike any other penguins in the world. Back in 2008, the BBC announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic for its natural history Miracles of Evolution series had captured footage of Adélie penguins taking to the air. Film maker, writer, former Python turned [...]
A tearful goodbye to BBC Television Centre…
As of today, the infamous BBC Television Centre is no more. It has ceased to be. It has gone on to meet its maker. Bereft of life, the Centre rests in peace! It is…an ex-Television Centre. On Monday, 18 March, a host of BBC stars bid farewell to the famous Wood Lane building for a [...]
Monty Python – All the bits, complete AND annotated
If you get a chance to drop by a newstand in the not-too-distant future (i.e. this month), pick up a copy of The Atlantic for a brilliant article. “The Beatles of Comedy” is a great read and a real treat for British comedy fans worldwide. Working from the premise that the genius of the Monty [...]
Happy Endings next up for League of Gentlemen alumni
Back in 1995, The League of Gentlemen was formed. The world, as we know it, has not been the same since….and, in this particular case, this is a good thing. The quartet of British dark comedy writers/performers, Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith set up shop in the fictional village of Royston [...]
Graham Chapman's beyond the grave biopic – Monty Python style
In true Monty Python style, the upcoming self-described ‘animation epic’, A Liar’s Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman, tells the story of (surprise) Graham Chapman, probably best remembered as ‘the dead one from Monty Python’. Described in the Hollywood Reporter as unorthodox, freewheeling and, by fellow Python member John Cleese as a [...]
Let the XXX Olympiad Games begin – Monty Python style
Seems a bit more appropriate this year given that the XXX Olympiad Summer Games get going in full swing today in London that we take a step back and honor those events that, unfortunately, won’t make it to telly yet again this year. Much like the News and Documentary Emmy categories never get their day [...]
Does dumbing down of British comedy signal the End of Civilization as we know it?
This is a long one folks so bear with me…. After almost three years of tellyspotting, I continue to have a thought regarding a genre that I’m particularly fond of….British situation comedy. Having grown up on the likes of such classics as Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Good Neighbors, To the Manor Born, Keeping Up Appearances, [...]
Greece vs. Germany: Better match-up in EURO 2012 or EURO 425 B.C.?
Looking at the groupings for the EURO 2012, the European Championships that begin today, one can probably guess that Greece will not be playing Germany in the knockout stages. You never know, however, as it’s quite possible the 2004 Euro champion will make it out of Group A and advance. Even though Germany is in [...]
Pythons reveal favorite modern comedies….
After having to suffer for years and years of fans worldwide wanting to know what are the Pythons favorite sketches or what were their early days influences for the brilliant Python sketches, at long last, someone has asked the likes of Terry Gilliam, Carol Cleveland, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, what makes them laugh…non-Python related. [...]
