r/montypython 3d ago

Python introduction

So grateful to my dad for having such a great sense of humor. Way back in 1975 we would watch the flying circus on PBS in Los Angeles. In 1975 he took us to the drive in to see the holy grail. I was 11. Such a great dad! Really miss him!

64 Upvotes

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9

u/son_of_yacketycat 3d ago

That is quality parenting!

When I was a pretty young kid in the mid-'80s, I came downstairs from playing in my room and Live at the Hollywood Bowl was on Showtime (we'd just recently gotten cable so the tv was always on even when nobody was watching it, lol). It was specifically the Crunchy Frog sketch. The thing I remember most vividly was thinking they said "lox vomit" instead of "lark's vomit." Made no sense to me, but the absurdity of the whole rest of the show was enough to hook a kid who was maybe six years old at the time.

Around that same time, our local PBS station would sometimes run Flying Circus episodes in the time slot before SNL was on NBC, so Saturday nights were heaven to me.

My parents weren't big fans of Flying Circus, but my dad loved Life of Brian, so when video stores started renting out VCRs, he got one for a night so we could do a double feature of Brian and Holy Grail. I thought the opening credits of Holy Grail and the final number of Life of Brian were the funniest things I'd ever seen in my life.

Every kid should be that lucky!

11

u/WillyVlautinRules 3d ago

I went to that Hollywood Bowl show!

My Python story: In 1973-74 my last year of high school, my best friend had been to England the previous summer and brought back the Python record that had the Mary Queen of Scots skit on it (can't remember off hand which one this was). She fell asleep at one point and I listened to the whole album!

Then I went home and described the Mary skit to my brother. And when PBS started showing Python, you bet I watched it!

Sometimes over the years I've rewatched Flying Circus episodes and it's so funny how these totally hold up to this day.

5

u/ChickenDreams-4188 3d ago

šŸŽ¶Sit on my face and tell me that you love me! šŸŽ¶

I went to that show too!

3

u/son_of_yacketycat 3d ago

Have you watched it to see if you're in the film? That must have been glorious.

4

u/ChickenDreams-4188 3d ago

We didn’t get a chance to sit in the box seats up front, but we were in the section just behind - so we had good seats but just beyond the cameras. When Mr. Smoketoomuch (Eric Idle) was walking through the audience during the ā€œHolidayā€ sketch he did walk right in front of us, as did John Cleese selling his ā€œAlbatross!ā€ but it didn’t make it to the final film. They were there for 4 nights, and the movie was a combination of the best skits over all 4 shows.

It still ranks as one of my favorite concerts I’ve been to! 🄳

1

u/WillyVlautinRules 2d ago

We were way in the back so I'm sure we aren't in the film. I haven't seen it in years. One thing I remember from the show is John Cleese walking through the audience up front and spying someone smoking weed and making a comment about that. It was a funny ad lib. The show was great and I am so glad I went to this show. Among the top 10 live shows I've been to and I've been to quite a few.

3

u/son_of_yacketycat 3d ago

I love this!

When I have more time, I'm planning to post my story about going to England with my dad while I was a teenager, and sneaking out while he was asleep with jet lag and walking around London with a map and a convincing accent to find as many Python spots as I could. šŸ˜‚ I'm envious that you got to see them live!

1

u/WillyVlautinRules 2d ago

Aren't there plaques on some of their filming sites in London?

5

u/WillyVlautinRules 3d ago

I went to that Hollywood Bowl show!

My Python story: In 1973-74 my last year of high school, my best friend had been to England the previous summer and brought back the Python record that had the Mary Queen of Scots skit on it (can't remember off hand which one this was). She fell asleep at one point and I listened to the whole album!

Then I went home and described the Mary skit to my brother. And when PBS started showing Python, you bet I watched it!

Sometimes over the years I've rewatched Flying Circus episodes and it's so funny how these totally hold up to this day.

8

u/superdupermensch 3d ago

I found a review of Holy Grail in my brother's Playboy magazine. Oddly enough, it was showing at the UA mall theatre in North Little Rock, Arkansas. I was 12 and don't remember anyone else in the saturday afternoon showing. Didn't know what "oral sex" was, but I was hooked on Python ever after.

6

u/1Bobafett11 3d ago

We are the Dads who take our Sons to see Python! Ni! Ni! Ni! (My dad took me to see Life of Brian, not exactly sure how old I was but laughed my ass off :))

8

u/pakrat1967 3d ago

Imagine someone in charge of content for PBS suggesting adding something like Monty Python in this day and age. They'd probably get fired on the spot.

PBS and UHF stations were much more relaxed with late night content back in the 70's and 80's. I remember a UHF station in the DC area that would air uncensored Benny Hill.

5

u/claisen33 3d ago

My dad didn’t watch it regularly, but he did happen to be watching when they did the skit in the soccer pitch where one of them scored a goal, and they they celebrated in slow motion with increasingly gay embraces and then kissing. I was mortified.

6

u/CrouchingGinger 3d ago

I have my father to thank for the introduction too. Unfortunately it was one of the very few good memories with him, aside from him turning me on to NPR.

He and my grandfather had great senses of humor. I think my grandfather would’ve loved MP too but I don’t know as he ever saw it. My grandmother was a little elitist when it came to things she considered low brow.

Of course I’ll be showing TFC episodes to my grandkids when they’re a bit older. It’ll be very silly.

3

u/son_of_yacketycat 3d ago

I see that this thread is full of stories of dads who were absolutely legion, whether they were good dads or not. I salute them all for these contributions.

5

u/KindaKrayz222 3d ago

PBS, thank you for showing me Sesame Street & later some Monty Python.

4

u/KindaKrayz222 3d ago

PBS, thank you for showing me Sesame Street & later some Monty Python. šŸ˜…

4

u/InformationNo733 3d ago

When I was a kid my father would beat me with a bag of shattered glass before I had to vacuum the lake.

3

u/Santeeoldman 3d ago

But we we’re happy

2

u/Cassedaway 2d ago

My Mom was a big PBS fan in the 70's. She recommended Python to me after reading about it in a article. So the family sat down to watch together. It was the "Dirty Vicar Sketch" episode. My Dad and I were in tears. Mom not so much.

1

u/Santeeoldman 2d ago

My mom did not think it was funny at all. Most women don’t…..

2

u/Frobozz160 2d ago

My dad and I bonded over Monty Python PBS episodes on Sunday nights in the 1970s. It was on relatively late, and my mom typically had already gone to bed, but she'd get up sometimes when we started laughing hysterically. She didn't get the show at all and would typically stand there for a few seconds and then go back to bed, mildly annoyed.

1

u/Santeeoldman 1d ago

Same with my mom. She would say they are not funny and leave the room. I did not know of any moms that liked it.

2

u/ReplacementBest5082 1d ago

Dad took us kids to see Burt Reynold's "W W and the Dixie Dance Kings". Sold out. What's the playing next door? " Monty Python and the Holy Grail". What the Heck is that? Oh well, we're here now. NEVER LOOKED BACK

1

u/Santeeoldman 1d ago

Glad Burt was sold out!!