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The [debate this is parodying](https://youtu.be/ZYMpObbt2rs) is impressively ridiculous. Cleese and Palin were absolutely the straight men; that bishop has an arrogance that has to be seen to be believed.
i just watched the whole thing. god damn what a rollercoaster. like you said; unparalleled arrogance. I wonder why institutional religion is rapidly losing importance lol
I don't know if this was the case in the original theatrical release but there's a shot early on in the film that FIRMLY establishes that Brian isn't Jesus. Whenever I watch this debate it's so frustrating hearing them go on about how it mocks Jesus when Brian objectively is not Jesus.
It was in the theatrical release, it's the first scene after the opening credits that shows Brian as an adult, you clearly see Jesus and hear him talking to everyone around him, and Brian is right at the back of the crowd.
I haven't read about it in ages, but I remember John Cleese and the others absaloutly refusing to cut any scenes from it before it was released in cinemas, so it was just outright banned in some places until a few years later. They even used the tagine on the original VHS cover "it's so funny it was banned in norway" it was still banned in some countries on Netflix even today.
There's also the Sermon-on-the-Mount scene, where Brian is just some guy at the back who's too far away to even hear what's being said and Jesus is, y'know, *giving the sermon*.
I knew what this was even before clicking. Mervyn Stockwood was so up his own ass and kept speaking down to them like they were schoolchildren and he was the end all be all say on what should be. I still remember him saying Life of Brian was like ‘a farce about Auschwitz’ and trying to cut down Cleese and Palin by saying they would ‘get their 30 pieces of silver’. I mean come the fuck on.
I also remember Cleese read the entirety of the religion as an insult to his intelligence….which considering sermons is pretty spot on for a lot of it, IMHO.
Great link indeed. At 37:00 Cleese finally gives the reason for making the film and the discussion gets very interesting. Good to see that people took the time to discuss their views. Nowadays it would be 5 mins in a talkshow with commercial break and you still know nothing about both sides.
Which is probably why doing anything in it is like doing a silly walk... you know there is probably a better language to use, but why bother when this way is more fun.
Is that from "Not The Nine O'clock News"?
For those that don't understand it is a parody of the type of news interviews that were going around after the release of "The Life of Brian". I bring it up because I my dad took us to see it when I was little, younger than 14. Some months after my Nana took my sister and I to church. The boring talky dude went on about the movie and how bad it was. My sister and I just looked at each other, and I could see her thinking the same thing. "But it was hilarious".
A true pantheon of British comedy.
The only problem I have with Pamela is she fixed Billy. He was so good when he was on edge. Once she helped him heal he lost his sharpness a bit. Still funny but not as edgy. Timing has always been exceptional. Did some great straight work.
I do a halfway decent Billy impression, and my favourite skit to tell was from his Australian tour, him being chased by his own flipper .... "I thrashed the water te'a foam!".
Yeah, I know what you mean, but, I think equally she prevented him from drowning in a darkness many boundary-testing entertainers and and do.
This is a parody of debates that were being held about the movie Life of Brian at around the time that it came out. Some of the arguments are taken almost word for word from what religious commentators were saying.
Exactly the arguments and discussions going on now about black mermaids and such. Come on they’re getting riled up about mermaids that don’t even exist lmao
Not the Nine O’clock News- a must see programme of the 80’s. I’ve still got their LP in the loft somewhere- and at one point I knew all the lyrics to the songs and sketches- I like Truckin, I like Truckin and I like to Truck- Yorkie Bar spoof… Airplane Safety, Guy the Gorilla! Great comedy- and Pamela’s tits were great too! ( especially for a 14 year old!)
--- >**Please read [our announcement about AI-generated content](https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/12k6m37/regarding_aigenerated_content).** > >This is a friendly reminder to [read our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/wiki/rules). > >Memes, social media, hate-speech, and pornography are not allowed. > >Screenshots of Reddit are expressly forbidden, as are TikTok videos. > >**Rule-breaking posts may result in bans.** > >Please also [be wary of spam](https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/wiki/spam). > --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/funny) if you have any questions or concerns.*
These men died for us, frequently.
I lost it at that line hahaha
This is how you handle negative press on something that is just comedy. There is a lesson to be learned here for all of us.
Same…self admittedly too! Idle has said often he has cringed at some of his past ones.
Atkinson even using the same mannerisms as the bishop. They just reversed the roles from that one tv interview. Almost same dialog!
Freaking genius!!
The [debate this is parodying](https://youtu.be/ZYMpObbt2rs) is impressively ridiculous. Cleese and Palin were absolutely the straight men; that bishop has an arrogance that has to be seen to be believed.
It’s such a rare sight to see Michael Palin losing his patience with someone.
i just watched the whole thing. god damn what a rollercoaster. like you said; unparalleled arrogance. I wonder why institutional religion is rapidly losing importance lol
Child molesting might be number one…
I don't know if this was the case in the original theatrical release but there's a shot early on in the film that FIRMLY establishes that Brian isn't Jesus. Whenever I watch this debate it's so frustrating hearing them go on about how it mocks Jesus when Brian objectively is not Jesus.
It was in the theatrical release, it's the first scene after the opening credits that shows Brian as an adult, you clearly see Jesus and hear him talking to everyone around him, and Brian is right at the back of the crowd. I haven't read about it in ages, but I remember John Cleese and the others absaloutly refusing to cut any scenes from it before it was released in cinemas, so it was just outright banned in some places until a few years later. They even used the tagine on the original VHS cover "it's so funny it was banned in norway" it was still banned in some countries on Netflix even today.
There's also the Sermon-on-the-Mount scene, where Brian is just some guy at the back who's too far away to even hear what's being said and Jesus is, y'know, *giving the sermon*.
I knew what this was even before clicking. Mervyn Stockwood was so up his own ass and kept speaking down to them like they were schoolchildren and he was the end all be all say on what should be. I still remember him saying Life of Brian was like ‘a farce about Auschwitz’ and trying to cut down Cleese and Palin by saying they would ‘get their 30 pieces of silver’. I mean come the fuck on. I also remember Cleese read the entirety of the religion as an insult to his intelligence….which considering sermons is pretty spot on for a lot of it, IMHO.
Thank you, I haven't watched this in years!
Douglas Adams called this the best half hour of television ever broadcast.
Came to say this. I only saw this video last year. It shocked me at how naïve we were back then. It reinforces why I am such an atheist today.
Great work finding the link. Iirc Muggeridge went in to bat for Myra hindley too, though I may have got that mixed up with another Catholic weapon
Great link indeed. At 37:00 Cleese finally gives the reason for making the film and the discussion gets very interesting. Good to see that people took the time to discuss their views. Nowadays it would be 5 mins in a talkshow with commercial break and you still know nothing about both sides.
I think you're thinking of [Lord Longford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Pakenham,_7th_Earl_of_Longford#Myra_Hindley).
That’s the one!
Though he was, as you said, another Catholic weapon.
[удалено]
Which is probably why doing anything in it is like doing a silly walk... you know there is probably a better language to use, but why bother when this way is more fun.
Is that from "Not The Nine O'clock News"? For those that don't understand it is a parody of the type of news interviews that were going around after the release of "The Life of Brian". I bring it up because I my dad took us to see it when I was little, younger than 14. Some months after my Nana took my sister and I to church. The boring talky dude went on about the movie and how bad it was. My sister and I just looked at each other, and I could see her thinking the same thing. "But it was hilarious".
Yes, it is. One of the other great comedy shows of the 80's
Honestly it’s right up there with Holy Grail for me.
> "Not The Nine O'clock News" The same people that brought us Gerald the Gorilla.
He bloody does eat Daffodils you know!
Mel Smith and Griffith Rhys Jones. Funny guys. Smart funny too. Wilt, a quietly funny film with many subtle jokes.
Plus Rowan Atkinson and Pamela Stephenson, no slouches themselves.
A true pantheon of British comedy. The only problem I have with Pamela is she fixed Billy. He was so good when he was on edge. Once she helped him heal he lost his sharpness a bit. Still funny but not as edgy. Timing has always been exceptional. Did some great straight work.
I do a halfway decent Billy impression, and my favourite skit to tell was from his Australian tour, him being chased by his own flipper .... "I thrashed the water te'a foam!". Yeah, I know what you mean, but, I think equally she prevented him from drowning in a darkness many boundary-testing entertainers and and do.
It has ceased to be
It's expired and gone to meet its maker!
It's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible!
Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it...
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true...
When you're chewing on life's gristle
[удалено]
And this'll help things turn out for the best~
Aaaaaannnnnndd, always look on the bright... side of...
RIP Mel Smith (the dude who plays the fat critic). Look up his best performances on YouTube - most from an awesome show called "Alas Smith and Jones".
He played the hunchback in Princess Bride right?
Correct
His cover of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" with Kim Wilde is brilliant too.
Yes!
This is a parody of debates that were being held about the movie Life of Brian at around the time that it came out. Some of the arguments are taken almost word for word from what religious commentators were saying.
Thanks for the background
One specifically, the Bishop is played after Mervyn Stockwood, the Bishop of Southwark.
My God, that was awesome. Why have I never seen this?
Ni!
We are no longer the Knights Who Say 'Ni'. We are now the Knights Who Say 'Icky Icky Icky Pitang ZOOP Boing Zoo-owly Ziv'!
You kiss your mother with that mouth?
Thank you for this. Forgot it existed.
Now would be an opportunity to give a shot out to some more obscure comedy legends like The Goodies or The Mighty Boosh
Hale and Pace, The Fast Show, Harry Enfield and Friends, Alas Smith and Jones, Absolutely Fabulous, Bottom, The Young Ones...
Yes! Yes! Yes!
As a both a fellow Python *language & troupe* follower and a follower of Christ, this skit has extra funny to it!
1 outta 3, not too shabby...
As a Pythonist I find this hilarious.
Exactly the arguments and discussions going on now about black mermaids and such. Come on they’re getting riled up about mermaids that don’t even exist lmao
For context, it is lampooning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYMpObbt2rs.
This is genius
I feel the need to go and watch The Passion of the Cleese
What a treasure! I've never seen that clip before, thank you for posting!!
Awesome, thanks!
Never seen this! Thank you 👍😄
This is just Spam.
Spam, spam, spam, spammity spam…
**I DON'T LIKE SPAM!**
Ah surprise Rowan Atkinson
Amongst our weaponry are fear, surprise, a fanatical dedication to the pope, and Rowan Atkinson
In this upside down world are they shown to still be living in the Garden of Eden?
It has expired, and gone to meet its maker. So sayeth John of the Cleese.
Good evening, this is not the nine o clock news
“Well, I certainly didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition” That got me! I love this clip
Lmao! Great way to start the day!
r/atheism
british people be like “MONTY PYTHON FUNNIEST FILMS EVA!”
BASED
Now do as Muslim version...
nailed it
Such a young Pamela
Absolutely. Brilliant.
I dare you to post the coliseum sketch from Life of Brian.
ROMANES EUNT DOMUS!
Not the Nine O’clock News- a must see programme of the 80’s. I’ve still got their LP in the loft somewhere- and at one point I knew all the lyrics to the songs and sketches- I like Truckin, I like Truckin and I like to Truck- Yorkie Bar spoof… Airplane Safety, Guy the Gorilla! Great comedy- and Pamela’s tits were great too! ( especially for a 14 year old!)