# How funny, to you, are Monty Python? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104 "2012-03-29T01:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/61 "2012-03-29T18:34:59Z")
Genius, American female, 43. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/62 "2012-03-29T20:21:36Z")
comic geniuses, 40, South Africa ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/63 "2012-03-29T20:27:12Z")
Geniuses, 47, USA male ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/64 "2012-03-29T21:26:27Z")
50 male. not my brand of humor. (I really liked the XKCD.) ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/65 "2012-03-29T21:41:07Z")
53, Brit, watched them when they first came out. I wanted multiple options. They were comic geniuses who produced hit and miss comedy that often has not aged well. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/66 "2012-03-29T21:46:22Z")
Male age 49, genius. Oh, and the Pythonites were geniuses too. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/67 "2012-03-29T23:28:43Z")
50, male, American. I first saw MP when I was in the 7th grade, and was hooked from the beginning. The absurdist humor stuck with me for decades, so I voted “geniuses”. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/68 "2012-03-29T23:41:15Z")
My reaction to Monty Python has always been kind of hit-or-miss. When they “hit,” they’re good, they’re _very_ good. The first time I saw Holy Grail, I was on the floor convulsing with laughter. When they “miss,” it’s at best a smirk. As worst, they’re annoying. I don’t expect non-stop comedy genius out of any comedian, or group of. So I give them a pass for the “misses,” and enjoy the “hits.” ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/69 "2012-03-30T00:18:56Z")
:DAbsolute absurdist, stream-of-consciousness, humour geniuses! Some skits may fall a bit flat when under pressure to come up with material for Flying Circus but the feature length movies more than made up for it. > [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Peruvian male 43 > Sometimes smirk. > They et boring and repetitive pretty quickly. This is a odd statement. As the XKCD strip linked above mentions, the Pythons were “loved for their mastery of shock, the unexpected, and defiance of convention”, they were surreal and umpredictable. Now… if you were talking about the fans who speak in Pythonisms ad nauseum within their daily lives, that I’d agree with.😃 40-something Canadian Male Alot of people are exposed to Python in college or University so there might be a strong correlation between higher education and Python fandom. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/70 "2012-03-30T00:42:49Z")
Comic geniuses. 53 years old. Citizen of USA. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/71 "2012-03-30T00:55:30Z")
Fifities, female, British. Voted for “Really Funny”. At their best comic geniuses. I actually think their stuff has aged surprisingly well. However I am aware that younger people are probably not aware of the kind of dire telly programmes that are being satirised in some sketches. I’m thinking of the boring pundits sat on chairs in a boring set talking about the arts or religion. Back when we only had three channels if it wasn’t game shows, drama or sport we used to get far too much of this. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/72 "2012-03-30T01:35:06Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Fifities, female, British. Voted for “Really Funny”. At their best comic geniuses. I actually think their stuff has aged surprisingly well. However I am aware that younger people are probably not aware of the kind of dire telly programmes that are being satirised in some sketches. I’m thinking of the **boring pundits sat on chairs in a boring set talking about the arts or religion.** Back when we only had three channels if it wasn’t game shows, drama or sport we used to get far too much of this. Like [this?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfxWOzUHZE) ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/73 "2012-03-30T02:00:44Z")
I voted absolute comic geniuses. I’m 41 and am from the US. _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ was and remains one of the funniest movies I have ever seen, ditto for _Life of Brian_. _The Meaning of Life_ and their sketch comedy show were both a bit more hit and miss but contained much that was absolutely brilliant - and much that was just bizarre or incomprehensible. Lemon Curry?!?! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/74 "2012-03-30T02:03:24Z")
Comic geniuses. Male/39/U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/75 "2012-03-30T02:20:48Z")
I voted “hit or miss.” Nobody has ever done funnier absurd comedy, but when it’s bad it’s so, so bad. Male/30/USA ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/76 "2012-03-30T02:45:46Z")
1. Hit or Miss. Love the Holy Grail movie. Not very amused by anything else they’ve done except for a skit here or there. ---
**Author:** ![vislor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vislor/32/5933_2.png) [@vislor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vislor)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/77 "2012-03-30T14:41:19Z")
Male, 39, USA I voted geniuses. I first saw them in the late 70s on PBS here in IA and it has shaped my sense of humor. I’m the guy that does quote them but would watch old episodes to quote the lesser known stuff and then get the strange stares as I’m laughing. Or I quote something from their known sketches but a lesser line. “Dinsdale!” “Oh, nothing happens in my boring life as an accountant.” “You release the man eating tiger which not only takes care of the assailants but also disarms them by eating the raspberries.” “And here’s a picture of the front of the house but you can also see the side of the house.” Just thinking of their sketches listed in the thread here has me laughing! What I find even more interesting is the insights I get years later when I find out what they were mocking or talking about. It breaths new life into it for me. So, the cat license sketch about TV over there. Or a particular news/host show they are mocking. Thanks to youtube and other documentaries that let me learn this! vislor ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/78 "2012-03-30T16:31:56Z")
I’m 63 and an Englishman. I watched it from the very first although I’d stopped watching it long before it petered out in the fourth season. I’d seen many of the performers in earlier shows so I knew it would be funny (At Last the 1948 Show, Do Not Adjust Your Set) but I thought it very hit and miss: great pieces mixed with good, mediocre and bad. Some of the sketches have worn well, some haven’t. The movies were excellent. Not comic geniuses but at their best they approach that territory. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/79 "2012-03-30T17:23:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Like [this?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfxWOzUHZE) Whereas [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__nHqyLfeFE)was intended quite seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104/80 "2012-03-30T17:25:41Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Male, 45, US > I voted that their comedy hasn’t aged well, but I think they suffer from the fact that a certain type of Monty fan thinks it is funny to endlessly repeat parts of their skits verbatim and that this has diminished the brand over the decades. It’s hard to remember how weirdly wonderful the dead parrot skit was when I’ve had it repeated to me a thousand times by nerds. Word. They suffer from the same fate as Rush and _Princess Bride_. Their cache is completely ruined by dimwits who think that their language has to be peppered with references to their works. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-funny-to-you-are-monty-python/617104.md?page=5)