An excellent example of the difference between US and Canadian culture. We not only get British humour up here, we worship it. I'd bet that most of the Canadian posters here can give you a few lines of the Parrot sketch and will smirk if somebody says, "Ladies and gentlemen, the larch." A lot of us have either had or toyed with the idea of putting a penguin on top of our televisions. More than a couple of us have sat in a bar have in-depth discussions about the UFO scene in "Life of Brian" (okay, maybe that was just me and Zen, but the waitress appeared to be listening as she waited for her money).
Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
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An excellent example of the difference between US and Canadian culture. We not only get British humour up here, we worship it. I'd bet that most of the Canadian posters here can give you a few lines of the Parrot sketch and will smirk if somebody says, "Ladies and gentlemen, the larch." A lot of us have either had or toyed with the idea of putting a penguin on top of our televisions. More than a couple of us have sat in a bar have in-depth discussions about the UFO scene in "Life of Brian" (okay, maybe that was just me and Zen, but the waitress appeared to be listening as she waited for her money).
[TOTALLY OFF-TOPIC]
The Pet Shop Sketch
from
"And Now For Something Completely Different"
A customer enters a pet shop.
Customer: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.
(The owner does not respond.)
C: 'Ello, Miss?
Owner: What do you mean "miss"?
C: <pause> I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!
O: We're closin' for lunch.
C: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
O: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?
C: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's
wrong with it!
O: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.
C: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
O: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!
C: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.
O: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
C: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!
(shouting at the cage)
'Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you show...(owner hits the cage)
O: There, he moved!
C: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!
O: I never!!
C: Yes, you did!
O: I never, never did anything...
C: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!!
Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!
(Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)
C: Now that's what I call a dead parrot.
O: No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!
C: STUNNED?!?
O: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.
C: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this.
That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.
O: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.
C: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why
did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?
O: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!
C: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the first place was that it had been NAILED there.
(pause)
O: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
C: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!
O: No no! 'E's pining!
C: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
(pause)
O: Well, I'd better replace it, then.
(he takes a quick peek behind the counter)
O: Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots.
C: I see. I see, I get the picture.
O: <pause> I got a slug.
(pause)
C: (sweet as sugar) Pray, does it talk?
O: Nnnnot really.
C: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?
O: N-no, I guess not. (gets ashamed, looks at his feet)
C: Well.
(pause)
O: (quietly) D'you.... d'you want to come back to my place?
C: (looks around) Yeah, all right, sure.
********************************************************************
Check here at
[/TOTALLY OFF-TOPIC]
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
By Douglas Adams (R.I.P.)
Original BBC Radio Broadcast MP3s
The first 26 episodes available free as MP3 Downloads should be available again in two days.
The Pet Shop Sketch
from
"And Now For Something Completely Different"
A customer enters a pet shop.
Customer: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.
(The owner does not respond.)
C: 'Ello, Miss?
Owner: What do you mean "miss"?
C: <pause> I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!
O: We're closin' for lunch.
C: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
O: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?
C: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's
wrong with it!
O: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.
C: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
O: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!
C: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.
O: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
C: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!
(shouting at the cage)
'Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you show...(owner hits the cage)
O: There, he moved!
C: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!
O: I never!!
C: Yes, you did!
O: I never, never did anything...
C: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!!
Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!
(Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)
C: Now that's what I call a dead parrot.
O: No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!
C: STUNNED?!?
O: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.
C: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this.
That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.
O: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.
C: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why
did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?
O: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!
C: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the first place was that it had been NAILED there.
(pause)
O: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
C: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!
O: No no! 'E's pining!
C: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
(pause)
O: Well, I'd better replace it, then.
(he takes a quick peek behind the counter)
O: Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots.
C: I see. I see, I get the picture.
O: <pause> I got a slug.
(pause)
C: (sweet as sugar) Pray, does it talk?
O: Nnnnot really.
C: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?
O: N-no, I guess not. (gets ashamed, looks at his feet)
C: Well.
(pause)
O: (quietly) D'you.... d'you want to come back to my place?
C: (looks around) Yeah, all right, sure.
********************************************************************
Check here at
[/TOTALLY OFF-TOPIC]
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
By Douglas Adams (R.I.P.)
Original BBC Radio Broadcast MP3s
The first 26 episodes available free as MP3 Downloads should be available again in two days.
Reverend Blair said:
Why? You send us all your good comedians - Jim Carrey, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Howie Mandel, Martin Short, Mike Myers,
etc. You have great comedians of your own. I guarantee none of these comedians are doing any English comedy films/we make our own comedy ... yep, I know some of it is lousy. But, some is pretty good.
Uncle
RE: Hitch Hikers Guide to
Has anyone seen the original series that aired on the BBC way back in the day? In my opinion, any fan should see this series as well as read the books. It's not as good as the new movie, but it's not without its merit.
Has anyone seen the original series that aired on the BBC way back in the day? In my opinion, any fan should see this series as well as read the books. It's not as good as the new movie, but it's not without its merit.
unclepercy said:
did you read the books? one of my fave british humours. alas... RIP douglas adams.
really, the humour is very british. which some people just don't like. i can understand why ther are people who sit on both sides of the fence on this movie.
even for me, i enjoyed it but it took awhile for me to get into. perhaps because i was a bit of a critic, what being such a big fan of the books.
i think i will enjoy it more so after seeing it the 2nd time.
unclepercy said:
i suppose it's just two different kinds of humour. and canadians have a bit of british humour and a bit of american humour.
saying whichever one is better is a bit subjective. it's really whatever floats one's boat.
having said that... i'm not a big huge jim carrey fan. i actually like him better when he's playing a semi-serious role and doesn't try so hard.
Re: RE: Hitch Hikers Guide to
actually monty python is a classic. and is up there on great humour. i agree that it's not for everyone but most definitely... saying it is awful would be extremely a subjective and personal stance.
a lot of people liked monty python. including americans.
unclepercy said:
actually monty python is a classic. and is up there on great humour. i agree that it's not for everyone but most definitely... saying it is awful would be extremely a subjective and personal stance.
a lot of people liked monty python. including americans.
RE: Hitch Hikers Guide to
I watched an episode just last night on BBC America, followed by 2 episodes of Fawlty Towers. I grew up watching Monty Python on PBS as a kid... my dad was totally into the show so the whole family watched. Mom wasn't big into Python but loved Benny Hill and Are You Being Served?... she liked Fawlty Towers too.
So I've been a fan of British comedy for almost as long as I can remember.
I watched an episode just last night on BBC America, followed by 2 episodes of Fawlty Towers. I grew up watching Monty Python on PBS as a kid... my dad was totally into the show so the whole family watched. Mom wasn't big into Python but loved Benny Hill and Are You Being Served?... she liked Fawlty Towers too.
So I've been a fan of British comedy for almost as long as I can remember.