Chris said: “Setting up the tree… decorating the house. I always feel compelled to come up with something new. Not my best work this year, but sufficient enough. Sufficient enough… is that redundant?”

I said: “That’s not only redundant, it’s repetitive too.”

Andrew said: “Both of you report immediately to the Department of Redundancy Department.”

Chris said: “Monty Python. Very cool. I had forgotten about those guys.”

We did some brainstorming and found that we remembered more than… well, more than we expected to find. I’m guessing that you can add to my list…

 12 of My Favorite Monty Pythonisms 

 From Monty Python and the Holy Grail

1.

“You only killed the bride’s father, you know.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

”Didn’t mean to? You put your sword right through his head.”

“Oh dear… is he all right?”

2.

“Please. This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let’s not bicker and argue over who killed who…”

3.

“Stop. Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ‘ere the other side he see.”

 “Ask me the questions, bridge keeper. I am not afraid.”

“What… is your name?”

“My name is Sir Lancelot of Camelot.”

“What… is your quest?”

“To seek the Holy Grail.”

“What… is your favorite color?”

“Blue.”

“Right. Off you go….”

4.

“I soiled my armor, I was so scared!”

 5.

“One day, lad, all this will be yours.”

“What, the curtains?”

6.

And everyone’s favorite: “Tis but a scratch.” 

 

From Monty Python’s Life of Brian

7.

“Alright, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?”

8.

“What did he say?”

“I think it was, ‘blessed are the cheese makers.’”

9.

“We are three wise men.”

“Well, what are you doing creeping around a cow shed at two o’clock in the morning? That doesn’t sound very wise to me.”

10.

“Crucifixion?”

“Ah, no. Freedom. They said I hadn’t done anything, so I can go free and live on an island somewhere.”

“Oh, that’s jolly good. Well, off you go then.”

“Nah, I’m only pulling your leg, it’s crucifixion really!”

 

From Monty Python’sThe Meaning of Life

11.

“The mill’s closed. There’s no more work. We’re destitute. I’ve got no option but to sell you all for scientific experiments.”

12.

“During the night old Perkins had his leg bitten sort of… off.”

 “There’s a lot of it about – probably a virus. Keep warm, plenty of rest, and if you’re playing any football try and favor the other leg.”

 

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“White Christmas,” Irving Berlin’s wistful ode to homesickness, was originally meant to be a parody, according to Jody Rosen, author of White Christmas: The Story of an American Song. Inspiration for the song came during the years that Berlin was working in Hollywood. It amused him to watch people celebrating a traditional winter holiday while sunning themselves poolside. So, tongue in cheek, he opened with this:

The sun is shining, 

The grass is green, 

The orange and palm trees sway. 

I’ve never seen such a day 

In Beverly Hills, LA. 

But it’s December the 24th 

And I am longing to be up North.

When Berlin realized that the song had actually turned out to be a sincere expression of the almost universal emotions that are evoked by the Christmas holiday, he had that opening verse suppressed.

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exultation (noun) 

Exultation (ek-sul-TAY-shun) is a feeling of triumphant elation or jubilation; rejoicing. As used by John Burroughs: “There is something very human in this apparent mirth and mockery of the squirrels. It seems to be a sort of ironical laughter, and implies self-conscious pride and exultation in the laughter.”

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Poems to Learn by Heart by Caroline Kennedy

A collection of several hundred poems illustrated (apparently for children) by Jon J. Muth. I found “Ozymandias” again here and put it to memory, which was a great joy for me.

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