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Monty Python Turns 30
sumana writes "Today in history: On this day in 1969, "Monty Python's Flying Circus" made its debut on BBC Television. (according to the New York Times's online "Learning" section, free registration required, yada yada spam spam spam) " As Eric Idle says: "And to celebrate, we're doing nothing!"
The BBC is running a special report here
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I think its funny. "Why" is a philosophical question. (I've often thought there deserved a fourth 'division' of philosophy---epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and comedy/drollery.) I answer with this: I can hardly remember truly laughing in response to comedic writing for a sitcom, serial troop, stand-up act, or for many film comedies. I've laughed so enthusiastically at the work of Monty Python that it's bordered on vomiting.
Monty Python has often been credited as the first popular media 'intellectual comedy'. They dared to be actually critical in uncompromising satire that might matter to an audience television programming at the time would not risk flattering. Some of their work in the Flying Circus, such as the "Epilogue: A Question of Belief" where a humanist theological philosopher (atheist) and a Catholic bishop elect to take the evenings debate into the wrestling ring, have been routinely censored in re-broadcast in the United States. (Ironic: the humanist body slams the hellfire out of the vicar immediately and without pause. The show is quickly cut out ie. censored in the skit itself. The announcer later lies about the outcome in a voice-over during the credits.)
I don't believe in rights-of-passage or geekdom. I noticed only recently my father, an old attorney, has the complete video library bootlegged when not commercially available, and the two script compendiums. He doesn't own even a CD player. My job in the computer industry is incidental.