Monty Python, RAF Banter

Season 4, Episode 42

[@dodgyb2001]

The Germans had Enigma, we had Banter... And not even we could crack the banter....

[@darkridge]

Maybe if he said it slower.

[@netzahuacoyotl]

darkridge What, slower banter?

[@darkridge]

I know, I know. It's not the same slower.

[@Thoran666]

Sausage squad up the blue end!

[@darkridge]

Thoran666 . . . No, still don't follow you. Give us it slower.

[@Goldberg1337]

I found this via Google search: Bally = intensifier Jerry = German Pranged his kite = crashed his plane How's your father = rear Hairy blighter = Reference to caveman like hair; stupid person Dicky birdied = Dicky = injured, so reference to manoeuvre that looks like an injured bird; probably a corkscrew Feathered back on his sammy = slowed down his engine Took a waspy = got shot (stung) Flipped over on his Betty Harper's = turned upside-down Caught his can in the Bertie: Plane sunk in the sea

[@kalman_farkas]

awesome, thanks, old horse!

[@unitednationsrep.lipton2470]

Good job he’s a real chip off he old block this one is yes !

[@mogshade66]

You could say Bally instead of Bloody 😊

[@michaelbauers8800]

How's your father also means sex, so I am told. So interesting if it also means rear.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

Most of it is based on cockney-rhyming slang.

[@XenoTechnian]

"Get me the prime minister!" "Sir!" "NOT THAT QUICKLY!" My favorite joke of the whole skit

[@AURON2401]

Jolly good my chap!

[@Fistmybeer]

🤣😂🤣

[@tomservo75]

"We're going to SHOW these CHINESE..." Python really was about 50 years ahead of its time.

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

This was the one to crack me too!! After ALL these years. Blimey!

[@ThePlumAbides]

Don't let this distract you from the fact that one of the cross beams has gone out of skew on the treadle

[@BollocksUtwat]

Cabbage Crates coming over the Briny was about as obvious as you could get!

[@AudieHolland]

Sausage squad was completely clear to me!

[@rbeck3200tb40]

Of course it perfectly ordinary banter Squiffy

[@wavezone5353]

that one made me laugh out loud

[@theresametcalf7066]

Cabbage crates is the Sour Krauts. Briny is the brine water or salt water. Germans coming over the Channel. Im not a Brit. Did I get that right?

[@mogshade66]

Theresa Metcalf Fighter planes coming over the ocean 😊 German bombers = Cabbage crates x German bomber squads = Sausage squads 😊

[@planetary109]

I can't believe the audience didn't react at all when the woman stood up from under the desk at 6:01

[@SuperChuckRaney]

+Plato Smith her uniform was blue also. weird, just like Monica's dress.

[@Guitareben]

Didn't even see that!!! Funny shit!!

[@sugarnads]

Chuck.Raney Raney she was a WAAF. They were notoriously promiscuous.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

it was the 60s. if anyone knwe then, they would hides it.

[@Yora21]

It was the 60s. That was just a weak joke.

[@wayfaerer320]

The Monty Python RAF Banter skit is probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I come back to watch it every now and then and to this day it still makes me laugh so hard it hurts my chest. God is it good...And I'm American.

[@28th_St_Air]

@6:00 “thank you Shirley”. This was so subtle it could be easily missed. That is “Shirley” emerging from under the desk😂😂😂.

[@teecog101gaming]

That bit and the following eight seconds has me in tears 🤣

[@Bigglesworthicus]

The consequences of operating in different banter paradigms to one's chums

[@sojkovec]

Bigglesworthicus Lemon Curry?

[@Bollthorn]

Get me the Prime Minister! Sir! NOT THAT QUICKLY!! Sir!! Lose it there every time

[@folkblues4u]

Bollthorn same here! That is my favorite part!

[@kalloused]

"Where going to show these Chinese!" "...Germans" "These Germans"

[@deletesoon70]

"QUIET, CRITIC!!"

[@mogshade66]

Me too x 😊

[@327legoman]

Top hole. Bally Jerry pranged his kite right in the how's your father. Hairy blighter, dicky-birdied, feathered back on his Sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harper's and caught his can in the Bertie.

[@Sangth123]

Monty Python was always so strangely aware of "Britishness" and was quick to poke fun at it.

[@jwadaow]

You see the same in American comedy now they have entered into the cycle of decline.

[@mobiusklein9140]

We Brits are not afraid to poke fun at ourselves, Monty Python is a good example but one of the best is "Dad's Army"

[@SeventeenPointFive]

"Lets get the bacon delivered" that was hilarious!!

[@Ghargr18]

It was 'dropping in the custard' that got me!

[@LittleB2007]

Graham Chapman looks ridiculously good in any kind of military-ish uniforms and caps...

[@johnsingac1892]

It's the pipe mate

[@525Lines]

The last thing I saw him do was a promo during a live MTV News segment where he put on some kind of uniform and half a mustache and said his line. Can't remember what it was for.

[@kevinmills2534]

So much influential stuff here, from the quick show-and-tell cuts later used by The Day Today, to Blackadder's co-opting of 'Shirley' for Captain Darling.

[@tomh.2405]

I love the way the squadron leader has completely lost all conviction in his own bantering abilities by the end of his third recitation.

[@user-yp9nz6bs9q]

Discipline from his subordinates?

[@mqbitsko25]

My favorite Monty Python sketch intro EVER: "There have been many stirring tales told of the Sea! And also some fairly uninteresting ones only marginally connected with it. Like this one....."

[@00bikeboy]

Michael Palin makes everything better.

[@Bartonovich52]

He’s got nothing on Graham Chapman, though.

[@timcarpenter2441]

The WRAF officer getting up from under the desk went unremarked

[@thomaskurzy1869]

That was very subtle and hilarious at the same time.

[@derekmills5394]

he said "Thank you, Shirley"

[@timcarpenter2441]

@@derekmills5394 by the audience

[@murielsartre]

I love this. It's like Bertie Wooster fighting in WWII with everyone from the Drones Club, and no Jeeves.

[@robertlehnert4148]

A few years ago, my work supervisor was a transplanted Brit, and when he one day arrived at work and asked me how I was doing, I pulled this perfectly ordinary flight banter on him...

[@CancerMage]

This is what made Monty Python so great, running jokes throughout several sketches and the ability to be consistently funny. Great Post!

[@lindsaydrewe8219]

I understood the gist of this sketch the 1st time I saw it 50 years ago, must've been all those war films I watched as a kid!! And my dad was fond of slang😊

[@MacheteSeason]

Hah too true. Came back to this after many years of WW2 flicks/Docs and now I don't understand what the problem is.

[@525Lines]

You can always count on the BBC for authentic RAF costumes.

[@eduarddoornbos2409]

This was the very first scene I saw of Monty Python on TV, I couldnt stop laughing while my parents were surprised I understood the joke as a dutch 8-9 yo kid. MP instantly became my favorite show! ;)

[@NicholasGuccione]

hartstikke leuk! :)

[@jeffreybarton1297]

I caught the Python bug at about that age. Me and my mates used to narrate bits of the sketches at each other. Favourites were the arguement sketch and the Cheese Shop sketch.

[@workisfun...2438]

​@@jeffreybarton1297a couple of the best for sure!

[@shaunkelly9860]

The best comedy group in the world - every. Nobody has ever even got close.

[@WorldPeace-AdamNeira]

There are more segues and plot twists in the first three and half minutes of this skit than a movie trailer on speed. 🤣I love the first 80 seconds. Classic Monty Python silliness. Just wonderful comedy.

[@michaellavery4899]

It's a wonder we won the war. That was perfectly good banter. We owe so much to the joke that was deadly in the field. ✌

[@spencerraney4979]

I can’t believe they were confused by “sausage squad up the blue end”. Clearly it means “Bosche up in the billows.”

[@pauledwards3055]

Either way, it clearly was a wizard prang

[@antique7391]

Good show! Bloody Good Show!!

[@dinahkyle3196]

Hear hear

[@Iknowtoomuchable]

The phrase "From an idea by LORD CARRINGTON" almost singlehandedly justifies the existence of nobility.

[@martinhughes2549]

Lord Carrington was a senior Conservative party figure and cabinet minister in Heath's 1970-74 Govt. And again under Mrs Thatcher 1979-82.

[@tryharder75]

The first three minutes are very sophisticated comedy. Hard to believe it was so very very long ago.

[@patricksmith4424]

Entertainment used to be vastly more sophisticated.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

​@@patricksmith4424It's just not funny any more to most people as millennial will struggle to understand it.

[@diverguy3556]

​@@PreservationEnthusiastMillenials won't understand this as the cultural references are at least 30 years old.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

@@diverguy3556 John Cleese said that he could not do a show like Python in the new millennium as he didn't understand modern culture to the extent that he could make fun of it.

[@diverguy3556]

@@PreservationEnthusiast Good for him. At least he has the sense to rest on his laurels, and not keep pumping out increasingly unfunny stuff like other comedians past their prime. Edit: Just remembered he's doing a reboot of Fawlty Towers, which will be set in the carribean. 😐

[@DayBeforeTomorrow]

I've never seen this before! It's something completely different!

[@user-sm4sf4ff2i]

Cheer~~~~the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.

[@adelarsen9776]

Another classic documentary.

[@paddymourinho]

"We're gonna show these Chinese" "Germans Sir" "These Germans"

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

SHUT UP CRITICS!

[@johnross1947]

Hilarious line, heard it many times and it gets me every time.

[@SundaeExpress]

It's incredible how fresh MP still seems now. It just hasn't aged and it's still utterly hilarious 😍🍿🍿

[@tomservo75]

True, and yet they'd still be "canceled" today by the politically-correct woke crowd. This takes me back to the days when hows were actually allowed to be funny and if someone was offended that was on them.

[@SundaeExpress]

@@tomservo75 No, sorry - I'm not on board with your reactionary "waah waah woke brigade" nonsense, mate. And if you think I am, you've misunderstood my post.

[@mooglancashire424]

@@tomservo75I always see a hundred times more people complaining about the “woke brigade” and how “they wouldn’t get away with this now because too many people would be offended” than I ever do people actually offended…

[@CriticoolHit]

@@tomservo75 You losers are insufferable. This isn't even true and you're just looking for outrage because it's obvious your team is not only losing now but is going to get absolutely creamed in what comes next.

[@michaeltoje9172]

@mooglancashire424 It's almost as if it's projection all along...

[@tonygumbrell22]

There's been a confusion of the tongues, hard cheese on those blighters.

[@harmonyjones8035]

By gum, old bean.

[@BlueberryDragon13]

The into is my attention span when trying to study

[@donaldbadowski290]

I don't see what's so hard to understand about "Sausage squad up the blue end." Wouldn't that be "German bombers overhead" ?

[@MrLookitspam]

Our generation was so lucky Monty python and oodles of great music!

[@markh.6687]

"Grab your keyboards and start prattling! Floppy disks on the ceiling!" Entire Internet: "...No.....not getting it at all...."

[@Kyburo]

Palin is just so good.

[@CosmicCompassionQuest]

Idle's not bad either. Best banter I think :)

[@fredbloggs8072]

I strongly suspect that this sketch inspired the Armstrong & Miller RAF pilots. "Isn't it. Isn't it though"

[@EasyTiger.01343]

Ah yes! Back when British High Streets still had shops 👍🏻💪🏻🇬🇧

[@stem50]

funny

[@Xormac2]

Douglas Adams as the surgeon at 1:21

[@Xormac2]

No he is really him

[@roguishpaladin]

Are you sure that's not just banter?

[@djay6651]

"QUIET, critic!!"

[@BEN14680]

python the legends of comedy never gets old just gets better

[@lochvids108]

sir digby chicken caesar

[@kael13]

I was just thinking that! And Miller and Armstrong had a riff on the RAF banter

[@oldschoolcaddilac]

This episode is definitely my favorite non-cleese episode

[@christschinwon]

Charlie chopper's chucking a handful doesn't require too much imagination!

[@BenHughes81]

I've come to the conclusion that this sketch is the pre-internet era equivalent of trying to understand what some people post in KZbin and Facebook comment sections.

[@DieFlabbergast]

Like this one? Sorry, old boy: couldn't understand a word.

[@johannesandersson9477]

Shits fire no cap fam

[@sojkovec]

Weird, but I actually understand him, should I have a psych evaluation?

[@BeowulfNorther]

A German got hit in the tail, so he pulled back on the throttle to spin around and crashed in the water is my best understanding of it but idk if the Harry blighter is his wingman or still the same German

[@anthonydennis8863]

British comedy is brilliant, no wonder Norman Lear based his American sitcoms on British ones!

[@luisreyes1963]

Pity he didn't pick up that Sitcom with the homeless couple. 🤭

[@BoyKagome]

Christopher Nolan took this sketch to heart.

[@qwargy]

Brilliant.

[@suspicioususer]

How Brits sound to Americans

[@robertbloom4424]

And to other Brits, apparently.

[@Goldberg1337]

"Cabbage crates coming over the Briney" could be a reference to German bomber planes (cabbage crates) coming over the English Channel (the "briney deep") to attack. However, we soon find out that the Germans are indeed using cabbages "instead of decent bombs."

[@ChristophTungersleben]

Bally them all by German Kraut

[@okayillgonow]

Michael Palin = Best Narrator in History

[@cotteredwards3498]

I'm fairly sure the pavement they're walking up at the beginning is Cowick Street (B3212) in Exeter, near Cecil Rd

[@leddyzee247]

And Southernhay W, when we first see the Rear Admiral

[@dixonpinfold2582]

I love the way there's so much activity in that forlorn-looking little quonset hut.

[@steveg8322]

The look Idle gives Gilliam when he’s not understood 😂

[@RIPJoeRogan69]

I'm glad I have a laptop so I can watch this on the toilet.

[@satchice9102]

I don't know which of the Monty Python team wrote this RAF banter sketch, but I wonder if they were inspired from reading the 'Biggles' series of adventure story books. I think it may have been Terry Jones and Michael Palin because they went on to write the brilliant 'Ripping Yarns' TV series, that also parodied boys-own adventure genre of stories.

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

they like biggles, remember cardinal biggles from the inquisition

[@satchice9102]

@@dont-want-no-wrench Well remembered. Played by Terry Jones wearing Cardinal garb and a leather flying helmet.

[@peghead]

"Where the hell was Biggles when you need him last Saturday. . ." Jethro Tull, "Thick As A Brick"

[@PaulWilliams66]

And next week; Biggles Flies Undone… There were not many of their/my generation in the UK and Commonwealth who weren’t inspired’ by Biggles I’d have thought.

[@Leon_der_Luftige]

You British had some pretty clean streets when they filmed this. Not bad.

[@diamonddog257]

...That was sooooo good: As a Canadian that spent [too much] time in England.......-that 'banter' made more sense than what I encountered around London and Black Country'......... even when you understood it..-it was gibberish anyways..... thx: CS

[@thefunpolice]

"Sausage squad up the blue end."

[@paulcrisp9861]

Jolly good show old boys, keep your end up for England, tally ho 😅🤣🤪😀 👍😎👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 jul twenty three 🇬🇧

[@ardentdesir5796]

Missed this for some reason - wonderful!

[@madi1420]

Everytime i watch this i can’t help but think abt the Polish and Czech volunteer RAF squadrons back in the day, going from not speaking english to full immersion in Bally Jolly Rightio Old Chap language

[@alanjones6359]

Jolly good British stuff!!!!

[@janwitts2688]

Maybe it's because I was an airman.. but I really enjoyed the banter

[@Darthcaboose87]

Get me the Prime Minister... Sir!!! NOT THAT QUICKLY!!!! Sir!!! Hilarious...

[@SuperSeriouSam]

An unknown fact about The Battle of Britain, is. When our plans run out of bullets , our brave pilots just shot gerry down with humor.

[@estoy1001]

They also had their Killing Jokes ready.

[@u.v.s.5583]

@@estoy1001 My dog has no nose.

[@estoy1001]

@@u.v.s.5583 How does he smell?

[@u.v.s.5583]

@@estoy1001 Awesome... Blimey, awful!

[@southerncomfort7490]

Why miss the 'e' out of 'planes' and the 'u' out of 'humour.' No wonder you had a problem understanding the banter.

[@firstlast5350]

Classic brilliance

[@Shyguyredshell]

" Not taking the war seriously "😂

[@juskahusk2247]

Still just as relateable today.

[@WreckingWood]

Before "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" there was "Up Your Pavement."

[@lindsaydrewe8219]

I love Cabbage crates over the briny😂❤

[@ozzie-sk9dh]

Thank you Shirley! 😂

[@AsboJunior]

+Tom Robinson It's the Dambusters theme

[@GrahamChapman]

It comes naturally to me, ol' chap. ^^ I'm a loony, you see. *manical laughter*

[@ianherd569]

The dead moth brigade strikes again

[@scopex2749]

I first heard this when i was about 12 never forgot "cabbage crates over the briny"

[@NGS712]

Hey, what a coincidence! My Uncle, who's co-workers close friend, Robert Sands once worked as a waiter for a restaurant owned by the actor Thomas Hawkes, who's third cousin Dorothy Wright once bought a car from a man who got his milk delivered by the great-nephew of a man who attended one of Rev. Hyper Squawk-Smith's sermons! ;)

[@GuillemotWatcher]

I so glad that I live in a nation that's unafraid to take the piss out of it's heroes.

[@frankshailes3205]

Affectionate ribbing. Aka banter.

[@theChrisCroft]

Cabbage crates over the briny

[@kentleytaggart5816]

God I LOVE THE OLD CARS.

[@chatham43]

...Rover 2000...Austin A40...Austin 1100...😊

[@freeindeed7]

very funny. it's like the gibberish sketch, but with straight men making it even more funny. love Eric (and Michael) in this!

[@dexterccf2]

i just love how the wraf bird was totally ignored

[@phlaminngoo]

Good Lord! How did our chaps react?! Well, they were jolly interested, sir.

[@kepstein8888]

By half-way through the sketch, we still don't know who it's about, but fortunately, by the last quarter, we still don't.

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

Thank you Shirley.

[@CaptainWatson234]

Brilliantly said.

[@joannewatts9892]

Oh God , they still make me laugh 💗😂😌soooo much 🐺💌

[@janbonsema5888]

Super Squawk, the cleft palated chaplain

[@scoob2007]

This was one of the 3 or 4 episodes where John Cleese did not appear. Oddly enough they were the some of the most hillarious episodes. I say this because Mr. Cleese is my favorite member of the group and I don't want to be a Cleese grater!! Get it!! huh??!!!? Get it???

[@chatham43]

.....I finally got it...☺

[@darganx]

LOL!! Steptoe and Son pisstake at the strart!

[@chegeny]

The bants were good. 🇬🇧