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I'm living proof that a child can be both spoiled and warped by the same family. ;)
I'm the youngest of three kids; my brother is 8 years older, my sister is 7 years older. As a result, I got exposed at a young age to many things that I probably would have missed if I'd been the oldest. Music, for example: my brother was into Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Boston, Kansas, Suptertramp. My sister was in love with Elton John (I dug his Beethoven costume, myself).
Of course, I wanted to go everywhere they went; I thought this place called "school" that they went off to everyday must be the coolest thing ever!
The influence wasn't all positive, unfortunately -- on many a night, they kept me up past my bedtime watching strange yet fascinating TV programs. (Another thing about being the youngest: my parents didn't have much energy left for the 'strict disciplinarian' thing!) I really wanted to see this Mr. Bill sketch that they were talking about, but try as I might, I was always sound asleep on the couch by the end of Saturday Night Live.
Monty Python came on earlier, though. :D
As you've probably heard, a new documentary about the British comedy troupe premieres this weekend. I doubt anyone here needs an explain or introduction to the topic, and while I know plenty of lines of dialogue, I would definitely lose in a competition.
Hearing about the 40th anniversary of the group made me all nostalgic, though. Herewith, then, is a brief selection of What I Learned From Watching Monty Python as a Kid (For Better or Worse):
- On British TV shows, the lighting is drastically different during outdoor scenes compared to indoor scenes. The difference is not as striking on American TV.
- Monty Python was PBS pledge-drive catnip! I remember most of a campaign being organized around saving it when supposedly they were going to have to drop it for budget reasons.
- When a middle-aged man dresses in really bad old-lady drag, pretty much anything he does from there will be funny.
- Especially if he has an English accent.
- In fact, for some reason, many things that a person can say or do are funnier if the person has an English accent.
- English women aren't all that funny, evidently; they mostly stand around in bouffant hairdos and outfits that emphasize their boobs.
- Um, what does 'oral sex?' mean?
Back then, I thought the Pythons' humor was simply absurdist. It's only in the hindsight of adulthood that I saw the subversion in how they mocked English culture and class structure. One of my favorite sketches is the one where a father complains that his son wants to be a coal miner, instead of following his footsteps as a playwright.
I'm sure glad that funny women have gotten better um, exposure in other contexts, though. ;)
Here are today's selections from the Ministry of Top Comments!
From rfall:
This comment from liberalis, in reference to the John Stewart segment in which John Oliver referred to CNN as "goat f**kers", is spot on. The relevant part of the thread starts here.
From sardonyx:
adios finds some statements by John Shadegg hard to argue with.
In today's Morning Feature: Why We (Should) Argue by NCrissieB, in a thread started by gulfgal98 on arguing at work, Caractacus points out that we don't train people to work as team leaders rather than as dictatorial bosses. Continue down the thread for more good reading.
From earicicle:
In Scott Cobb's diary on Rick Perry's death penalty "oops" and subsequent cover-up of offing an innocent man, Dallasdoc kills two birds (or should I say vultures?) with one Top Comment.
From JanF:
In this morning's recommended diary by NCrissieB titled Morning Feature: Why We (Should) Argue, DBunn points out how realizing our commonality would be bad news for the "cynical opponents of reform".
From yours truly, virgomusic:
Big Tex's comment goes to show that here on Daily Kos, when you ask a serious question, you get a silly answer. Or several, as the thread continues. (See upthread for the setup.)
GrimReefa explains the rationale behind an incomprehensible decision by a Louisiana Justice of the Peace.
Top Mojo using the patented csk/sardonyx recipe:
Top 30 (plus ties) Comments excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first comments, Mojo Friday and C&J:
1) Glad to see her fighting hard by Eric Stetson — 123
2) it's Mike, but that is OK by Mike Stark — 115
3) Rick Perry is the monster by beltane — 110
4) And the GOP is trying to get Jennings fired by Kitty — 108
5) Virginia Foxx is a hate filled bigot by Jeff Y — 94
6) If Rick Perry is for the death penalty by Dallasdoc — 94
7) Maybe if you were waving a tea bag by RickMassimo — 93
8) Oddly, I've sometimes found otherwise by Mike Stark — 82
9) This has been a pet peeve of mine forever by Quackerz — 79
10) Good job. n/t by Meteor Blades — 78
11) What to do by Gov Howard Dean MD — 77
12) dishearted by Gov Howard Dean MD — 74
13) I was bullied as a little girl by slinkerwink — 72
14) Thanks for doing this for us, Mike! by hyperrreal — 71
15) Obama shows class...the big difference between by darthstar — 68
16) The fact that they first dowsed him with rubbing by Great Lakes Gal — 66
17) The kids were teenagers by mariachi mama — 64
18) opt-out by Gov Howard Dean MD — 63
19) She's now understanding why it's important by slinkerwink — 63
20) I think the editor is wrong... by Scott Cobb — 62
21) why tell us to wait for slink's diary? by Cedwyn — 62
22) . by buhdydharma — 62
23) Way to go Nancy! I wish Reid were half the woman by MinistryOfTruth — 61
24) US as Trustee by Ojibwa — 60
25) fuck praying by GlowNZ — 60
26) No bird song on Guam by Uncle Moji — 59
27) sausage by Gov Howard Dean MD — 59
28) "Family Values" Right Wingers consistently oppose by teachme2night — 59
29) Snakes destroyed Guam's ecosystem by dcrolg — 58
30) Except the Judge's actions ..... by emsprater — 58
Top 30 comments with no exclusions:
1) Tip Jar by Mike Stark — 585
2) Tip Jar by Vita Brevis — 485
3) Tip Jar by the girl — 473
4) Tip Jar by Dartagnan — 384
5) Tip Jar by Ojibwa — 368
6) Pretty cool! by henry porter — 341
7) Tip Jar by Scott Cobb — 332
8) Tips for Whistleblowers, the Guardian & Bloggers by FishOutofWater — 327
9) We are in the fight of our lives! by buhdydharma — 281
10) Tip Jar by Muzikal203 — 260
11) Tip Jar by Keith930 — 259
12) Tip Jar by math4barack — 233
13) Tip Jar by Jesselyn Radack — 220
14) Peace and blessings by gchaucer2 — 216
15) Tip Jar by mahakali overdrive — 182
16) Tip Jar by slinkerwink — 139
17) Glad to see her fighting hard by Eric Stetson — 123
18) it's Mike, but that is OK by Mike Stark — 115
19) Rick Perry is the monster by beltane — 110
20) And the GOP is trying to get Jennings fired by Kitty — 108
21) Tip jar by it really is that important — 107
22) You're Next, Moonies by JekyllnHyde — 102
23) Virginia Foxx is a hate filled bigot by Jeff Y — 94
24) If Rick Perry is for the death penalty by Dallasdoc — 94
25) Maybe if you were waving a tea bag by RickMassimo — 93
26) Tip Jar by stef — 88
27) Oddly, I've sometimes found otherwise by Mike Stark — 82
28) This has been a pet peeve of mine forever by Quackerz — 79
29) Tip Jar by LaurenMonica — 79
30) Good job. n/t by Meteor Blades — 78
31) Bless all who come to honor these men tonight by SisTwo — 78