# Favorite Python? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2003, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479 "2003-09-09T08:12:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![johnnyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@johnnyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnnyboy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/1 "2003-09-09T08:12:14Z")
I was enjoying the painfully funny Meaning of Life tonight and realized that I simply love these guys. Together they were the funniest troupe ever; separately they’ve all done some great stuff as well. But my main question is this: who’s your favorite Python and why? Obviously it’s a very tough call, but mine would definitely be Michael Palin. To me he seems the most versatile and affable. Ask me five years ago and I’d have said Eric Idle or John Cleese. Palin’s the understated one that everyone seems to overlook. But keep an eye on Mike as you watch The Meaning of Life, Holy Grail, Life of Brian and Flying Circus and you’ll see where my admiration comes from. The guy’s a quiet genius. All six of the guys are clearly brilliant in various ways. But who’s your fave? ---
**Author:** ![Sanscour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Sanscour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanscour)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/2 "2003-09-09T10:04:31Z")
Wow, tough call on this one. As you pointed out already, they’re all great and together they are incredible. I’d have to go with Terry Graham for how he can make me laugh when he goes JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZUS CHRIST! as something is being catapaulted at him. Then John Cleese, and after him Michael Palin, especially in A Fish Called Wanda: Kline: May I kiss you Ken? Palin: NO YOU FFFUCKING CAN’T!!! Mmm, I have an urge to Watch Monty Python now…damn you **johnnyboy** Sanscour ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/3 "2003-09-09T10:37:39Z")
I’m gonna register a vote for **Terry Jones** , not so much for what he did on the show (He was mainly a support player) as for his amazing BBC miniseries, **The Crusades**. Yeah, Cleese is funnier and Idle has that whole “music hall” thing going for him, but I wish I’d had Terry Jones as a history teacher back in the day! ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/4 "2003-09-09T11:12:30Z")
I have to vote for John Cleese; here’s a great example of the man’s cleverness. I saw the troupe live at NYC’s City Center back in 1976. People had massed near the stage entrance before the show to meet/photograph the guys. Each one shows up and is mobbed; for the most part they are quite polite; signing albums (LPs!), ticket stubs, etc. Up the street comes John Cleese. A group descends upon him. But he has his toddler,Cynthia, in arms and tells the crowd, “No, no, sorry, baby here, sorry, thank you” (with a wicked grin on his face). I got a slightly blurry photo of the two of them for my efforts! ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/5 "2003-09-09T11:51:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sanscour \* > \*\*Wow, tough call on this one. As you pointed out already, they’re all great and together they are incredible. > > I’d have to go with Terry Graham for how he can make me laugh when he goes JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZUS CHRIST! as something is being catapaulted at him.\*\* Shirley, you mean Graham Chapman and not “Terry Graham”? (and yes, I’ll call you Shirley if I want to). I’m a traditionalist, so I’m going to have to say John Cleese. Fawlty Towers is literally too painfully funny for me to watch at times. Barry ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/6 "2003-09-09T12:02:12Z")
Another vote for John Cleese, also due to his work in “Flowery Twats.” Whoops, I meant to say “Farty Towels”– AAAH! Just don’t mention the war! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/7 "2003-09-09T12:04:09Z")
I’d have to go with the penguin on top of the television set. After that, it’s a toss-up between **Terry Graham** and **John Michael Eric**.🙂 (There, does that cover it?) ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/8 "2003-09-09T12:21:54Z")
I’d vote for Graham Chapman, mainly for the movies. Also his autobiography was brilliant. Then Terry Jones. Although Terry Gilliam has achieved most since the show finished, I didn’t think his animations were especially good. John Cleese loses about a million points for suing the Evening Standard after they said he’s not funny any more (he isn’t; he makes most of his money from adverts and corporate videos). Not to mention his painfully bad Sainsbury’s adverts. The first link includes the original article: [http://www.dailyllama.com/news/2002/llama136.html](http://www.dailyllama.com/news/2002/llama136.html) > **[Cleese wins Standard payout](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/feb/06/pressandpublishing)** > > Comedian John Cleese has won £13,500 from the London Evening Standard over a 'nasty' article suggesting his career in the US had faltered. By Ciar Byrne. [http://www.spr-consilio.com/couser9.html](http://www.spr-consilio.com/couser9.html) ---
**Author:** ![Skillet38](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Skillet38](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skillet38)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/9 "2003-09-09T12:40:40Z")
Splunge ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/10 "2003-09-09T12:50:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by refusal \* > **John Cleese loses about a million points for suing the Evening Standard…** Anyone who sues the Evening Standard gains an immediate 2 million points in my book, funny or not. However, Palin gets 2 million and 1 votes for all the patient humanity, tolerance and gentle humour he shows in his travelogue series, so he gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/11 "2003-09-09T13:08:53Z")
Also, get Palin’s ‘Hemminway’s Chair’ and realize what a good writer he is. ---
**Author:** ![goonhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@goonhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goonhead)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/12 "2003-09-09T17:33:43Z")
I don’t know if I have a favorite member of the Python troupe, but I have the DVD set of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” and I think that the show went downhill somewhat during its final season, after John Cleese departed. Most of my favorite skits have John Cleese in them somewhere, so I guess I’d vote for him, with Michael Palin a close second for his rendition of “The Lumberjack Song”. ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/13 "2003-09-09T18:10:54Z")
I love travelling the world vicariously with Michael Palin. Don’t know if his latest journey–Sahara–was particularly tough on him, or if it’s just that he’s getting older, but he looked a little worse for wear in the desert. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/14 "2003-09-09T18:48:57Z")
Paln just edges out Cleese. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/15 "2003-09-09T18:55:09Z")
I rather like Burmese pythons, as they’re docile and rather large. They get to be too large, though – 30 feet or so – and so they require large housing and a great amount of food. Reticulated pythons are out, as they’re both obscenely large and nasty in their temperament. Ball pythons are extremely docile, and always a good standby, but they can be very picky eaters. Terribly frustrating at times. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/16 "2003-09-09T18:55:59Z")
Terry Jones threw himself into every little part. He didn’t hesitate to make a fool of himself. Plus his women were hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/17 "2003-09-09T19:07:18Z")
I’m gonna cheat and break this up into 3 parts: During the original series: Cleese Movies: Idle/Chapman (tie) Post Python: Palin I have autographs of Chapman and Gilliam, and would love to round out the set if I ever got the chance. * * * How is Rap like Porn? Both are better with the sound turned off. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/18 "2003-09-09T19:38:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*I rather like Burmese pythons, as they’re docile and rather large. They get to be too large, though – 30 feet or so – and so they require large housing and a great amount of food. Reticulated pythons are out, as they’re both obscenely large and nasty in their temperament. > > Ball pythons are extremely docile, and always a good standby, but they can be very picky eaters. Terribly frustrating at times. \*\* Damn you, I got almost all the way to the end of this thread and thought I was going to be the one to make the first snake joke!😛 ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/19 "2003-09-09T20:23:45Z")
Palin. He’s so “everyman” but just a little off… ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479/20 "2003-09-09T21:21:01Z")
I never really thought of it before. I love Gilliam as a director, but I was never a big fan of his animations for Python. Jones gets bonus points for being in the skit I nicked my screen name from. Chapman and Cleese get points for being the writers of The Dead Parrot sketch. I was never a huge fan of Idle during the series, but I loved his work in the films (plus he wrote the song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”). And of course Palin was a favorite throughout the series and the films, from the meek man who wants to become a lion tamer (until he learns what lions are) to Ken Shabby, the man who cleans public lavoratories (and when he gets promoted, they’ll give him a brush). Tough, tough call. I’m gonna say it’s a tie between Cleese and Palin. Palin, as had been said, can be very versatile and has a bit of the everyman quality about him, while Cleese has written some of my favorite skits - The Argument Clinic, The Dead Parrot, and I don’t know if he wrote the skit but he was the Minister of Silly Walks. As a side note, I have a book about Python (forget the name, _The First 25 Years of Monty Python_ or something like that) and in the book it mentions that the Pythons rarely ad-libbed during filming of the TV show or movies. I believe it was Cleese, who could recall only 2 ad-libs (and it’s been a while so this is all from my rusty memory). One was during a Gumby sketch, when Pailn comes in and announces, “My brain hurts!” Cleese (who admits that he and Palin were the two who were easiest to break character and start laughing) started the ad-lib by beginning to undo Palin’s pants. Palin then ad-libs, “No, the brain up here!” and points to his head. The other a-lib that was remembered is also by Palin and made it into _The Meaning of Life_. When Death comes to the dinner party and takes everyone away for eating the salmon mousse (did I spell that right?), on the way out Palin says, “Hey! I didn’t have any mousse!” The scene cuts directly after that line because everyone started laughing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-python/200479.md?page=2)