He ain't dead.
He's pining for the Labyrinth.
Posted on 11/15/2008 7:27:16 AM PST by sionnsar
t's long been held that the old jokes are the best jokes - and Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch is no different.
A classic scholar has proved the point, by unearthing a Greek version of the world-famous piece that is some 1,600 years old.
A comedy duo called Hierocles and Philagrius told the original version, only rather than a parrot they used a slave.
It concerns a man who complains to his friend that he was sold a slave who dies in his service.
His companion replies: "When he was with me, he never did any such thing!"
The joke was discovered in a collection of 265 jokes called Philogelos: The Laugh Addict, which dates from the fourth century AD.
Hierocles had gone to meet his maker, and Philagrius had certainly ceased to be, long before John Cleese and Michael Palin reinvented the yarn in 1969.
Their version featured Cleese as an exasperated customer trying to get his money back from Palin's stubborn pet salesman.
Cleese's character becomes increasingly frustrated as he fails to convince the shopkeeper that the 'Norwegian Blue' is dead.
The manuscripts from the Greek joke book have now been published in an online book, featuring former Bullseye presenter and comic Jim Bowen presenting them to a modern audience.
Mr Bowen said: "One or two of them are jokes I've seen in people's acts nowadays, slightly updated.
...
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
GGG ping
“Mate, this slave wouldn’t “Voom” if you put 4 million volts through him!”
He ain't dead.
He's pining for the Labyrinth.
..he’s not dead, he’s just resting
I love that sketch.
“He’s just exhausted from a prolonged squawk.”
Attention John Edwards: You can now sue John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin (and the other Pythons) for theft of intellectual property.
We need a video.
LOL
was originally spoken by a consort to the Roman Senate who originally said: "Is that a scroll under your toga or are you just glad to see me?"
I have a theory that all sitcom comedy gags can be traced back to episodes of “I Love Lucy”.
A troop of galley slaves are rowing a Greek trireme. The overseer, whip in hand, comes down to make an announcement. “Allright,” he says, “listen up! I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that you’re all getting extra rations!”
“Hurrah!” come the cries from the galley slaves.
“And the bad news is,” he continues, “is that the Captain wants to go water-skiing!”
[insert previous FReeper's VOOM statement]
He's bleeding demised.
He's pining.....
He's not pining -- he's passed on. This slave is no more. He has cased to be. He's expired and gone to meet his maker. This is a late slave. He's a stiff. Bereft of life, he rests in peace. If you hadn't nailed him to the perch, he'd be pushing up the daisies. He's run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an EX-SLAVE.
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