This version is not the same joke, but the same idea as the parrot sketch was used in Hancock's Half Hour, a popular 1950's BBC radio show, where pompous Tony Hancock returns his tortoise, which hasn't moved since he bought it, to conman Sid James (of Carry-On fame). THe same aguament takes place. It wont touch its lettuce, Sid says it's hibernating etc etc. Eventually Hancock points out that when he examined the shell carefully, he discovered it was empty. I think Sid suggests it went for a walk.
The Python boys must have listened to Hancock as it was the most popular (as well as being clever) comedies of the 50's - when they were boys. It's not easily found on Google which presumably explains why I've never heard it mentioned on those legion of python documentories.
Bill
Slashdot Mirror
This version is not the same joke, but the same idea as the parrot sketch was used in Hancock's Half Hour, a popular 1950's BBC radio show, where pompous Tony Hancock returns his tortoise, which hasn't moved since he bought it, to conman Sid James (of Carry-On fame). THe same aguament takes place. It wont touch its lettuce, Sid says it's hibernating etc etc. Eventually Hancock points out that when he examined the shell carefully, he discovered it was empty. I think Sid suggests it went for a walk. The Python boys must have listened to Hancock as it was the most popular (as well as being clever) comedies of the 50's - when they were boys. It's not easily found on Google which presumably explains why I've never heard it mentioned on those legion of python documentories. Bill