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I have an embarrassing confession to make. I absolutely hate Monty Python and don't find them funny almost at all. The jokes are childish, obscure and lazy from

I have an embarrassing confession to make. I absolutely hate Monty Python and don't find them funny almost at all. The jokes are childish, obscure and lazy from my Gen X point of view. People have told me "you need to like British humor to enjoy it" but I've seen a lot of funny jokes in British movies... And I know many funny people from the UK. So, PLEASE... Could anyone tell me what's funny about Monty Python?

lordfrito 2y ago
Not trying to oversimplify the appeal, but I personally found their juxtaposition between the absurd and highly intelligent social commentary endlessly entertaining because deep down it felt like they were saying something is really really wrong with society and existence in general. They wrapped it up in comedy, because what else can you do in the face of an existential crisis but laugh at it? They always felt like a group of very angry young men trying to disrupt the stuffy old system from within. Very subversive stuff, especially for it's time. It really resonated with me as an angry/angsty (and relatively intelligent) adolescent male. Go watch Brazil and tell me that Gilliam isn't furious with humanity and the state of things in the world.
nancyminusone 2y ago
Silly Walks isn't just funny because it's a grown man flopping his legs around like a kid, but also because there's apparently a department of the government to manage such activity. That's absurd.
comeondude 2y ago
Nothing to be embarrassed about, different strokes for different folks. However, Monty Python was far from lazy, they cleverly deconstructed a repressive British culture at the time, they mocked class and authority, uptight education institutions, pointless bureaucracies, religious hypocrisy, and violent glorification of British history. Their humor can be pretty crass by today’s standards, but if you approach their work as an absurdist, subversive satire, they’re one of the best that have ever done it. I’ve always found their underlying message to be “don’t take things too seriously and enjoy life.” As for what’s funny, they’re just absurd. A flying bunny that rips knights head off, an accidental messiah who just points out basic common sense which is interpreted by the masses as direct edict from God, brilliant deconstruction of bullshit bureaucracy in form of ministry of silly walks. Things like that. But if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, that’s okay too.
snovymgodym 2y ago
Well the simple answer is that humor is subjective and that the things which were considered novel, topical, subversive humor in 1970s might not hit the same for everyone today. I'm not even sure the "British Humor" aspect has that much to do with it, since I think Monty Python has a bigger following in the US than in the UK. It might just not be your brand of humor. That being said, the good sketches from their show are still funny and memorable today. But as with any sketch show, there's a mixture of quality. Holy Grail has its intergenerational staying power among nerds and theatre kids for a reason, even if the quoting and references to it have become pretty trite in my view. Life of Brian is probably the best thing they've done, and is definitely one of my favorite comedies ever.

lordfrito 2y ago

Not trying to oversimplify the appeal, but I personally found their juxtaposition between the absurd and highly intelligent social commentary endlessly entertaining because deep down it felt like they were saying something is really really wrong with society and existence in general. They wrapped it up in comedy, because what else can you do in the face of an existential crisis but laugh at it? They always felt like a group of very angry young men trying to disrupt the stuffy old system from within. Very subversive stuff, especially for it's time. It really resonated with me as an angry/angsty (and relatively intelligent) adolescent male. Go watch Brazil and tell me that Gilliam isn't furious with humanity and the state of things in the world.

nancyminusone 2y ago

Silly Walks isn't just funny because it's a grown man flopping his legs around like a kid, but also because there's apparently a department of the government to manage such activity. That's absurd.

comeondude 2y ago

Nothing to be embarrassed about, different strokes for different folks. However, Monty Python was far from lazy, they cleverly deconstructed a repressive British culture at the time, they mocked class and authority, uptight education institutions, pointless bureaucracies, religious hypocrisy, and violent glorification of British history. Their humor can be pretty crass by today’s standards, but if you approach their work as an absurdist, subversive satire, they’re one of the best that have ever done it. I’ve always found their underlying message to be “don’t take things too seriously and enjoy life.” As for what’s funny, they’re just absurd. A flying bunny that rips knights head off, an accidental messiah who just points out basic common sense which is interpreted by the masses as direct edict from God, brilliant deconstruction of bullshit bureaucracy in form of ministry of silly walks. Things like that. But if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, that’s okay too.

snovymgodym 2y ago

Well the simple answer is that humor is subjective and that the things which were considered novel, topical, subversive humor in 1970s might not hit the same for everyone today. I'm not even sure the "British Humor" aspect has that much to do with it, since I think Monty Python has a bigger following in the US than in the UK. It might just not be your brand of humor. That being said, the good sketches from their show are still funny and memorable today. But as with any sketch show, there's a mixture of quality. Holy Grail has its intergenerational staying power among nerds and theatre kids for a reason, even if the quoting and references to it have become pretty trite in my view. Life of Brian is probably the best thing they've done, and is definitely one of my favorite comedies ever.