Monty Python: Comedy pioneers who influenced a generation

The modern comedy landscape owes a huge debt to the innovative and groundbreaking work of celebrated British comedy group Monty Python.

It’s hard to imagine that what now has morphed into a huge comedy empire across many different platforms started out as a sketch show on British television in the late 1960s which many critics did not know what to make of.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus ripped up the comedy rulebook in a number of ways. For a start, it was a sketch show in which sketches didn’t always have the formulaic set-up and punchline. It was also noteworthy in that its writers were also its main performers, something not widely practised at the time.

Original Python members Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Eric Idle both attended Cambridge University while Michael Palin and Terry Jones were at Oxford. The fifth member was American Terry Gilliam whose most conspicuous contribution to Flying Circus were his anarchic animations.

Despite initial uncertainty by TV executives, Flying Circus was hugely popular with viewers, but only ran for four seasons, with a total of 45 episodes produced.

The Pythons started to branch out into films and live shows, with movies such as the Life of Brian and The Holy Grail and stage show Live at the Hollywood Bowl among their most famous works.

Despite all branching into individual projects over the years, the Pythons will always be remembered as one the most influential comedians of all time.

As well as TV shows and movies, they have produced a stream of music albums and books and are heavily involved in the hit musical Spamalot.

Read some rib-tickling comedy books by checking out www.wantate.com.

Hilarious Podcasts You Should Listen to in 2019

Here are three hilarious podcasts that are well worth incorporating into your playlist.

WTF Podcast With Marc Maron. Marc Maron is everywhere these days, especially since his stellar work on GLOW, but he’s nothing new. His podcast has been running for nearly a decade now, and with over 1000 episodes under his belt there’s much to catch up on. His brand of comedy can be obscene at times, but it’s intellectual comedy at its best, and well worth exploring.

That’s How I Remember It. Have you ever told a story but forgot some of the details? Have you ever done the same thing with a movie plot? Well, that’s exactly what happens when a group of four improv artists get together and to their best to recount the storylines from classic movies. Their efforts are seldom accurate, but always hilarious.

My Dad Wrote a Porno. You’ll perhaps cut your family some slack and feel a little less embarrassed by your parents after a few episodes of My Dad Wrote a Porno. Some time ago host Jamie Morton found out his dad wrote a collection of erotic novels, so he did what anyone who values their sanity would do, he read them. With the help of his best friends Alice Levine and Adam Cooper, and the occasional use of sultry British accents, Morton reads one chapter each week to his insatiable audience.

Looking for some comedic content? Visit our online library at www.wantate.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.