# The Vicar!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 17, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762 "2004-09-17T00:43:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/1 "2004-09-17T00:43:39Z")

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There was a segment on a British TV show that parodied 1970s crime dramas. _The Vicar_ portrayed a tough vicar who was tough on crime. He’d stride around accompanied by a couple of assistants, and IIRC would smite people with his staff. Was that _Monty Python_? If so, which episode? Or was it _Dave Allen at Large_?

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**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/2 "2004-09-17T00:47:35Z")

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Monty Python, but it was “The Bishop.” And I’m sure a bigger nerd will be along shortly to tell you what episode it’s from.

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**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:** [September 17, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/3 "2004-09-17T00:51:16Z")

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**Suburban Plankton** says it’s Monty Python. He’s checking it out in his book “All the Words” Vol. One…

Ok, the title of the sketch is _[The Bishop](http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/thebish.htm)_.

The Bishop is accompanied by two Vicars.

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**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:** [September 17, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/4 "2004-09-17T00:51:53Z")

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Meant to add, it’s Episode 17.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/5 "2004-09-17T00:52:51Z")

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Thanks!

Now… When will _Dave Allen at Large_ be released on DVD? 😃

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/6 "2004-09-17T02:02:24Z")

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God, I loved Dave Allen. Does anyone else remember his skit about an historic meeting between the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury? Things go bad and they challenge each other.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/7 "2004-09-18T13:29:49Z")

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The one I remember best is a bit of his ecclesiastical humour. He goes into his office (or whatever they’re called in churches) and the phone is ringing.

“Hello?” He removes his hat and kneels. “It’s Himself!”

Voiceover: “Let long distance bring you closer to someone _you_ love.”

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**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-vicar/264762/8 "2004-09-18T14:46:31Z")

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[http://www.bbc.tv/h2g2/guide/A306893](http://www.bbc.tv/h2g2/guide/A306893)

A nice little bio of Dave Allen, who is semi-retired & just short of 70 years old.