Graham Chapman Cleanup (Python and Klein)

April 28, 2013 2:34 PM

A classic spontaneous Monty Python tribute to 'King Arthur' Yes, I'm sure this video has never, ever been seen before at MetaFilter. The way it is handled is remarkable, with Cleese calmly discussing how comedy works, and then... Klein's reaction to the chaos near the end is hilarious.

The addition of captions is a nice feature.

On the outside chance that some MeFi readers are unfamiliar, see here for no further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_python

posted by PixelPiper (26 comments total)

The way the laughter just cascades and builds is infectious.
posted by DigDoug at 2:44 PM on April 28, 2013

Did you mean to post the same video twice?
posted by starvingartist at 2:44 PM on April 28, 2013

C.f. Michael Palin, 1981.
posted by vers at 2:51 PM on April 28, 2013

Does anyone know what was actually in the urn? It has to be something funny like the contents of Cleese's vacuum or something.
posted by DecemberBoy at 3:17 PM on April 28, 2013

If I remember right the joke is that Graham Chapman had died, thus couldn't make it to the Python reunion, and those were his ashes.
posted by sy at 3:32 PM on April 28, 2013 [3 favorites]

It was supposed to be Graham Chapman's ashes.
posted by Max Power at 3:33 PM on April 28, 2013

It's only funny *because* it's Graham Chapman's ashes. That's the only joke in the clip. Pretty good one though!
posted by dash_slot- at 4:12 PM on April 28, 2013

Remember that ashes are very important to the British people.
posted by benito.strauss at 4:14 PM on April 28, 2013 [2 favorites]

John Cleese eulogizes Graham Chapman ...
posted by philip-random at 4:16 PM on April 28, 2013 [11 favorites]

also, woody vs tinny
posted by philip-random at 4:17 PM on April 28, 2013 [2 favorites]

Well I guess he was a burner and a dumper
posted by edgeways at 4:24 PM on April 28, 2013 [4 favorites]

It's not actually Graham Chapman's ashes, though. What was it really? That's what I meant.
posted by DecemberBoy at 4:45 PM on April 28, 2013

Well I guess he was a burner and a dumper

I heard the other Pythons ate him then, feeling guilty, threw-up into a coffin.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 4:47 PM on April 28, 2013 [4 favorites]

Thanks for this, I was trying to explain Monty Python to a Romanian friend the other day and this will be useful.
posted by arcticseal at 5:29 PM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]

In the early days of the internet everyone now only knew who Monty Python were but quoted them, endlessly, at the drop of a hat, to the extent that it got kind of tiresome. We have now gone far enough in the other direction I think, and it's time to start with it again ad nauseum.
posted by JHarris at 6:19 PM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]

According to Wikipedia, Chapman's ashes were spread on Snowdon in North Wales by his partner, David Sherlock.

I love Cleese's eulogy to Chapman:

"Graham Chapman, co-author of the "Parrot Sketch", is no more. He has ceased to be. Bereft of life, he rests in peace. He's kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed his last, and gone to meet the great Head of Light Entertainment in the sky. And I guess that we're all thinking how sad it is that a man of such talent, of such capability for kindness, of such unusual intelligence, should now so suddenly be spirited away at the age of only forty-eight, before he'd achieved many of the things of which he was capable, and before he'd had enough fun.
Well, I feel that I should say: nonsense. Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard, I hope he fries. And the reason I feel I should say this is he would never forgive me if I didn't, if I threw away this glorious opportunity to shock you all on his behalf. Anything for him, but mindless good taste. ..."
posted by disclaimer at 6:31 PM on April 28, 2013 [4 favorites]

It's not actually Graham Chapman's ashes, though. What was it really? That's what I meant.

I can't see how it being anything in particular would make the joke funnier, though. Can you?

I heard the other Pythons ate him then, feeling guilty, threw-up into a coffin.

'Feeling guilty' is the indispensable comic element there.
posted by Sebmojo at 6:37 PM on April 28, 2013

Oh, and found in the related videos is this clip of Cleese defending Life of Brian against a tiresome old man.

I can't see how it being anything in particular would make the joke funnier, though. Can you?

Maybe sneezing powder.
posted by JHarris at 6:39 PM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]

We no longer quote them because then we have to explain them.
posted by hal9k at 6:58 PM on April 28, 2013

We no longer quote them because then we have to explain them.

Structural Engineering!
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:40 PM on April 28, 2013

We no longer quote them because then we have to explain them.

splunge?

And there's no need to explain vicious gangs of KEEP LEFT signs.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:49 PM on April 28, 2013

... this clip of Cleese defending Life of Brian against a tiresome old man.

That clip is just one small part of a completely fascinating TV program (previously), which itself then was satirized on a British TV sketch about 'Python Worshipers' and turned into the BBC-TV movie Holy Flying Circus.
posted by LeLiLo at 10:53 PM on April 28, 2013 [5 favorites]

Holy Flying Circus was a really wonderful film.
posted by dng at 6:25 AM on April 29, 2013

I know I heard about this at the time, but had never seen video of it until now. Wonderful.
posted by jocelmeow at 10:38 AM on April 29, 2013

In the early days of the internet everyone now only knew who Monty Python were but quoted them, endlessly, at the drop of a hat, to the extent that it got kind of tiresome.

*wistful* Ah, yes, the first meme.
posted by dhartung at 2:15 AM on April 30, 2013

Just watched Holy Flying Circus (it's on Amazon if anyone is interested). It's a bit uneven, some parts are really funny and some long stretches are just not. But worth the time I'd say.
posted by edgeways at 2:14 PM on April 30, 2013