Books Film/TV

Everything I Ever Needed to Know About ______* I Learned From Monty Python by Brian Cogan, Ph.D. & Jeff Massey, Ph.D. (St. Martin’s Press, $29.99)

monty

 

By Andreas Kessaris for Curtains Up!

“Significantly, no matter how seemingly esoteric Python’s subject matter may have initially appeared to viewers, [Monty Python’s Flying Circus] always mixed an underlying erudition with surrealistic but ultimately accessible comedy, thus appealing to a legion of fans who – to this day – strive to ‘get’ Python’s myriad references.”

-Brian Cogan & Jeff Massey

I have been a fan of Monty Python since first seeing their late-night re-runs on the CBC.  When I was young I enjoyed the silly, slap-stick elements, with the more intellectual references going over my head.  As I became older and more educated, I started to appreciate MP on  a whole new level, which is the premise of Everything I Ever Needed to Know About ______* I Learned From Monty Python by Brian Cogan, Ph.D. & Jeff Massey, Ph.D.

Many years ago I heard about a series of books edited or co-edited by William Irwin, featuring essays by academics analyzing and dissecting various popular television shows.  I immediately purchased Seinfeld and Philosophy:  A Book About Everything and Nothing and The Simpsons and Philosophy:  The D’oh! of Homer, (I guess you figured out by now each book title was the name of the show with “and philosophy” added, and a subtitle based on something recognizable, like a catch-phrase, from the original program in question).  While both aforementioned volumes made for interesting reading, keep in mind the authors are professors of philosophy, not exactly the most engaging of individuals.  The writing was often dry and witless, and not in an ironically funny way.  But what disappointed me the most was that the writers made no effort to be humorous like the shows they wrote about, playing it straight when it was really more of a time to loosen up and have some yuks.

That was why at first I was reluctant to pick up a copy of Everything I Ever Needed to Know About ______* I Learned From Monty Python, fearing the same fate.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that was not the case; this time the authors got it!  And what’s more they write in a style that’s quite Pythonesque, (although many of Cogan and Massey’s jokes land with a thud…only Python could be Python, after all), an effort I greatly appreciate.   They understood who would be keen on buying a book like theirs and catered to their potential audience, (drawing not only from Flying Circus, but also from Monty Python’s movies, album recordings and stage show for material), with in-jokes and references only a real fan would get, (“wink-wink, nudge-nudge”).  Even the book’s artwork is based on Terry Gilliam’s signature style of animation.

With numerous footnotes, (I little too numerous for my taste; there are several on every page, sometimes fun, sometimes annoying), as well as asides and digressions, (in the form of what is called in the book a “Factoid Box”), the authors attempt to explain what makes the U.K’s greatest comedy export so hilarious on so many levels.  I for one enjoy scrutinizing jokes; discovering why they work or fall flat; one reason the book worked for me.  Another reason is the effort is packed full of fascinating facts, figures and lessons about history, philosophy and literature; I felt like I was back in school again, attending one of those interesting classes taught by the cool teacher who holds sessions outside on nice spring days, (there is even a quiz at the end to make the nostalgic experience complete).

While the main strength of Everything I Ever Needed to Know About ______* I Learned From Monty Python is how true it is to MP, it is also its main fault; it would be of limited appeal to anyone not a genuine enthusiast of the iconic British troupe.  So if you are, enjoy.  And if not, you should perhaps try “something completely different,” as it were, I say, yes, very good.

 

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