Saturday 17 February 2007

List of things referred to in the works of Monty Python

Calling Python fans everywhere

I need your help!

I've added a page on Wikipedia - List of things referred to in the works of Monty Python - that I think we Python fans are all going to love contributing to - so I need your help to expand it.

The existence of such a list has never been possible before now, now that Wikipedia includes listings on almost everything!

It is essentially a 3-column table (but in bullet-point form) with the first column being the 'thing' that is mentioned or referred to in a TV sketch, movie, song, book etc plus a link to its own Wikipedia entry; the second column is a brief reminder of its useage; and the last column gives the source i.e. the specific sketch, book, record etc that it came from.

All I need you to do is to think of a 'thing' from anywhere in Monty Python (not already listed) which you particularly like or know well (there's plenty to choose from such as Kierkegaard, wainscoting, herring, shrubbery...). Then go into the above Wikipedia page, click Edit this page, then add your item to the list in the correct place, alphabetically, then click 'Save page'.

To show you how to write it in correct Wikipedia language, here is an example of a line already appearing in the article:

* '''[[Parrot]]'''; Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, ain't it, hey? Beautiful plumage; [[Dead Parrot]], [[List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes|TV Series]] 1, Episode 8

and it appears like this:
Please note, the second column does not have to be a quote. It could just as well be a brief description of how or where the item was used. And regarding the source in the third column, you are very likely to find within Wikipedia's enties on Monty Python, everything you need to know regarding where the item came from.

This exercise will produce a long eclectic mix of references which will end up becoming the 'Enclopedia according to Monty Python'! i.e. an encyclopedia within an encyclopedia, thus providing yet another dimension of humour in this material for ardent Python fans the world over.

Hope you have fun doing this and thank you for your help! If you get stuck on any Python or Wikipedia matters, just send me a comment.


That's me with Terry Gilliam in '91. I should have gone to Specsavers!