# Monty Python, Hitchhiker's Guide, Illuminatus Trilogy, Tolkien... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2000, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406 "2000-10-02T22:04:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/1 "2000-10-02T22:04:03Z")
…These all seem to be sources of inspiration for Dopers, both in their thinking and their names. What part of popular culture was your biggest influence? ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/2 "2000-10-02T22:12:03Z")
Monty Python all the way, baby. Ref: sig. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/3 "2000-10-02T22:15:30Z")
The Simpsons ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/4 "2000-10-02T22:41:31Z")
In chronological order: [li]Warner Brothers cartoons[/li][li]The Three Stooges[/li][li]The Marx Brothers[/li][li]WC Fields[/li][li]Perry Mason[/li][li]Tolkien[/li][li]Julia Child[/li][li]Firesign Theater[/li][li]Monty Python’s[/li][li]The Simpsons[/li][li]Jaques Pepin[/li][li]Futurama[/li]Chef! ---
**Author:** ![relic\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/50afbb/32.png) [@relic\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/relic_11)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/5 "2000-10-02T23:06:42Z")
The biggest influences on my life have been Douglas Adams and Kurt Vonnegut. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/6 "2000-10-03T00:20:05Z")
Monty Python. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2000, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/7 "2000-10-03T00:28:49Z")
Warner Brother’s cartoons Monty Python Marx Brothers Spider-Man comic books The Beatles Star Wars ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/8 "2000-10-03T00:32:16Z")
“It’s just a scratch!” or “In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move.” It was a tough call, but after having read that last one once more in black on white: it HAS to be Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/9 "2000-10-03T00:43:55Z")
So many hits in so little time! Thought that title would drag you folks in! I don’t know whether you’ve really considered the advantages of owning a really fine set of modern encyclopaedias. You know, they can really do you wonders. 😉 I realize that one of my biggest influences was Maynard G. Krebs on “Dobie Gillis.” Like, the clincher is how I talk, man. Grew up wanting to be a beatnik. ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/10 "2000-10-03T00:44:44Z")
\ Don’t make me chooooooooooooooooooose! Seriously, though, I think that full responsibility for my present self can be placed on The Simpsons, Douglas Adams, Monty Python, and, of course, Deadpool comic books. Though, I’m sure nobody’s heard of Deadpool before. Just think really twisted Spiderman, and go beyond that. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2000, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/11 "2000-10-03T00:50:05Z")
I collect Deadpool as well as Spider-Man, but didn’t list him as in influence, cuz I’ve been collecting Spidey since I was 7 and Deadpool has only had his own title the last couple years. BTW - I wouldn’t compare Deadpool to Spidey. I think of him best as “What if Groucho Marx was a contract killer and had a healing factor like Wolverine” ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/12 "2000-10-03T00:54:35Z")
Point taken, Frogo de Crunch. I guess I was thinking more of the costume style when I said Deadpool. Anyway, at the risk of turning this into a major comic geek thread, I’ve just gotta know, do you still collect them? I stopped after the whole Mercedes thing, since I sort of fell of comics in general. If so, anything new happen of note? I think I’ll end this hijack with my favorite deadpool line of all time, though: “The chicken…said…peep!” [/hijack] ---
**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:** [October 3, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/13 "2000-10-03T01:09:27Z")
I still collect them, hoping they’ll be worth money one day, and if not I’m having fun reading them. My favorite line was when he was a little delusional and in a lot of trouble and said to himself, "This isn’t happening. It’s not real. Somewhere there’s a man at a typewriter making this all up . . . " ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/14 "2000-10-03T01:44:15Z")
_The Goon Show Monty Python’s Flying Circus Black Adder The Young Ones Sesame Street (see sig) Danger Mouse & Count Duckula_ and a weird show called _Tom Foolery_ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/15 "2000-10-03T01:48:10Z")
Oh, and also British comic books like: _Krazy Buster Whizzer and Chips Topper_ and of course _2000AD (featuring Judge Dredd)_ ---
**Author:** ![L714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dec6dc/32.png) [@L714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/L714)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/16 "2000-10-03T01:56:09Z")
R. Crumb, Hesse, Tolkien … all that 60’s drug culture stuff, Carlos Castaneda, to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/17 "2000-10-03T02:01:45Z")
Monty Python. Who else would write a song about how nice it is to have a penis? Or the joys of sitting on faces? Though Douglas Adams comes in a close second for his general oddity, ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/18 "2000-10-03T02:28:53Z")
Ooooo…Deadpool. **Jester** , are you saying you’ve missed the whole apartment-sharing fiasco? Mine (in no particular order - some real people, some fictional characters): Douglas Adams, X-Men, Bugs Bunny, Batman, Robin Hood, David Letterman, The Dragonriders of Pern, Woody Woodpecker, Tennessee Tuxedo, the Banana Splits, Tarzan, the Lone Ranger, Robert Louis Stevenson, Puss the Magic Dragon, Benji. Some others I can’t think of right now. ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/19 "2000-10-03T02:32:10Z")
Read my sig! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406/20 "2000-10-03T02:34:59Z")
Douglas Adams- only author on the planet who could successfully write a five book trilogy. I am also prone to occasional fits of Monty Python-induced inspiration, usually involving the Spanish Inquisition. I think I need to re-read the _Illuminatus_ trilogy sometime soon. I remember the first time through, I read the firs two books, then was afraid to read the third book. I was afraid that it would be either depressingly anti-climactic or so mind-blowing that it would lead to a complete cerebral meltdown, causing permanent damage to my fragile psyche. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-python-hitchhikers-guide-illuminatus-trilogy-tolkien/35406.md?page=2)