The Secret Policeman's Balls: Parrot Sketch

[HowlMagic95]

Now that's what I call a dead parrot. XD

[vigo894]

There's a version, in which Palin concedes it's dead, and refunds John Cleese's money. Then, the sketch ends.

[OnkelPeters]

Thirteen people purchased dead parrots from that very boutique.

[rollercoasterdude96]

It's in-doo-bi-tab-lee...extinct!

[DEADLEY6224]

Sheer class



[TeknoXIII]

I just noticed the parrot is red

Overall the sketch is brilliant

[vulpixfairy]

oh goosh... i got tears in my eyes from laughing so much!

[Idraena]

"This is nothing to laugh at!"

[morwenmur]

*Air! Air! Desperately...need...air!* These guys now owe me for the Lemonade now running down my laptop screen. :'D

[beatlebob101]

i have a feeling they were using the voices on purpose to make eachother laugh:)

[VideoMask93]

@beatlebob101 Don't know about Palin, but Cleese was definitely trying. It shows.

[Werona40]

the best version that I could saw!!

[jakilily101]

This my favourite version of the parrot sketch makes me laugh every time!!

[pughie2k7]

LOL, poor Mike, you can see him trying not to laugh for so long. =]

[fullfist]

i think they were trying to force each other to break character with outrageous pronounciations :)

[10z8935]

It's a rare happening for John Cleese to crack up during a sketch. That proves the true power of Monty Python!

[swordfish1929]

I have done permanent damage to myself from laughing far too hard. Awww Michael you poor poor chap but Cleese cracked too

[acornheart465]

13 people are ex parrots

[DrHojo123]

you know your good at makeing people laugh when the actors cant hold it in

[Swampert384]

13 people were pining for the fjoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ords.

[abacacus]

I lost it so bad I could hardly breathe. Not good at 4:00 AM xD

[eagleyeca99]

You can hear Cleese cracking up at the same time! Great!

[veehag]

heeeeloooo poooolllllyyyyy !!!!!!!!!!

awakey, wakey

this is your nine o`clock alarm call !!!!!!!!!!!

[brittanythebeast]

oh, i love them! and you can hear john cleese start to laugh a little at 3:14

[Avokado34]

But hey, it says on wikipedia that this preformance is different. That they changed some lines to :

Mr Praline: It's dead, that's what's wrong with it. Shopkeeper: So it is. 'Ere's your money back and a couple of holiday vouchers.  (audience goes wild) Mr Praline: (looks completely flabbergasted) Well, you can't say Thatcher hasn't changed some things.

Does anyone know if there is a version that goes like that, and which one?

[sassnsoccer]

@Avokado34 No, that was The Parrot Sketch Revisited. This is the original Amnesty International Concert. It mostly followed the lines of the original. This performance is different but not that different.

[jumpingjimoneez]

This cracks me up every time. I believe it was better than the original. And when Michael looses it, I don't blame him. I probably couldn't hold it together as well as he did.

[rowiian]

1:06

The guy who laughs in the background always gets me XD

[judith326]

I so love when John says "This is nothing to laugh at!"

[ThubtenChokyi]

love it! thank you :)

[bdtyf]

what year is this from?

[calx]

Anyone notice Johns collar being open then closed in different shots.

[nafruito]

This was definitely Cleese's best. He was FANTASTIC in this skit.

[xemily91]

Comedy at it's best! They're both just so in the moment and going for it. I'm going to search high and low for the Secret Policeman's Ball(s)....no pun intended.

and did anyone notice? The Noreigen Blue is not blue?! (;

[marshol]

Norwegian Blue

[xemily91]

@marshol: awh, thanks! I knew i couldnt get that word.

[wotrabbitfish]

well, ye better sign that parrot up fer flying lessons, then

[pablopeich]

Love 3:01

so nicely human

[ZachValkyrie]

Ah, it happens to the best of us every now and again

[reikjo]

LOL one of the best Monty Python skits EVER

[Parklife74]

Stone faced Palin cracking up is my fave bit!!

[victoriaX12]

"This is an ex-parrot!"

loove john cleese!

[Markvdl25]

now that's what I call a dead parrot!

[MissT681]

"This is nothing to laugh at!" rofl

[xbrianmayniacx]

Absolutely incredible! Gotta love them both. :)

[jsabat28]

Is it me or is John Cleese talking higher?

[aeroldoth]

I think when he realized that Mike almost lost it when he raised his voice, he kept doing it for the rest of the skit, to try to make him laugh.

[liontasouou]

@aeroldoth surely on purpose.Michael is laughing his head of

[liontasouou]

@jsabat28 ithink he does it on purpose.When you are acting live on o theater you have to be more expressional and speak louder for the croud

[dragonflychainsaw]

ahhhhh but was he really that sure that polly parrot was dead the shop keeper puts up a very good arguement for reasonable doubt

[00WolfSpirit]

Best Parrot Sketch... if for no other reason... the fact that Mike starts laughing so much lol

[etlcstn]

This version of the Parrott Shop Sketch has to be with out a shadow of a doubt the No. 1 most funniest thing ever posted on youtube, nothing from all the other millions of clips that people call funny even come with in a mile of being as funny as this clip. Its a classic and I cant watch it with out laughing out Loud when I see Michael Palin corpse on stage

[BlackHatGraphics]

Best comedy sketch ever written.

Good and clean, impeccable writing, great actors, and downright hilarious.

I've never laughed so hard in my life as the first time I ever saw this sketch.

[rmfporsche]

I think the funniest part is Palin trying so damn hard not to laugh. And he looked rather shocked around 2:59 when Cleese's voice jumped about eight octaves :]

I would have loved to have seen that live. Damn being born in the 90s.

[HeatherRawriee]

Tell me about it! Although I love being a 90's kid, I would prefer being a 60's teenager instead. Monty Python and the Beatles - I mean come on!

[Shadowhog]

50s kid, so that you're old enough to understand what's going on IN the sixties

[wiggalama]

Good improbe on Cleese's part, Michael almost lost it and he covered by saying "this is nothing to laugh at". Good show

[8CaptainJackSparrow8]

Mike is so cute. lol. He just is. And when he started to laugh it was totally adorable lol.

I count... 3 or 4 times that he started loosing it... the last time as the most. (His cracking up is funnier then the sketch itself i think lol)

[AshLuvsJonnyStew]

OMG this might be even funnier than the one on the show! Olympic parrot bashing from John, as well as some A+ corpsing :)

[Shadowhog]

John Cleese

Wanted by PETA for abuse to Parrots for the past 30+ years

Seriously, fake or not, it got the crap beaten out of it just then =X

[SonaraRuna]

I cracked up so badly when he was screaming, "TESTING! TESTING!"

[SciFiMommy81]

I started laughing so friggin' hard. Nearly wet myself. Michael is so adorable..,and when he starts to crack up...*LoL* Love it love it love it!

[cauchyhtb]

i love it when pallin cracks up and you can hear cleese giggle while talking :) they're brilliant :)

[worldsmostfunrocker]

monty python has given me the best laughs ever *STATMENT, QUOTE, LIFESTYLE AND RELIGION*

[GregStrummer]

Carlsberg don't do humour...

[ihatespamming]

john cleese rocks

[redundantjoker101]

my god, i dont blame palin for cracking up at all. i wouldve been rolling on the stage when john starting yelling at the parrot. how do they keep straight faces? i really wish i knew...

they are so brilliant to me i really love them.

[DjingoRango]

they probably rehearse this so much the jokes aren't as funny anymore... just a suggestion... though anyone can slip a few times

[utar88utar]

@redundantjoker101 yeah, i bet you have to do that sketch like 1000 times before you get slightly used to it :]

cheers

[aerztin13]

gotta love when cleese cracks up too! the all serious man couldn't keep the laughter out of his voice!

[5678mchammer]

pining for the fyoooooooooooooooooooooooords? lol

[Jonnyrules1513]

haha john cleese is the worlds funniest :D

[edlichanimation]

properly the best humor in the world..

[audreey23]

michael palin is so cute i could just cry. those two are so, so, so funny.

[robwatson80]

THIS IS NOTHING TO LAUGH AT

good god these guys are so hilarious they make each other crack up rofl

[ACE0HUNTER]

Notice how it's called the Norweigan Blue yet the actual dead parrot is white and yellow and red all over.

[smbcomix]

It's a Macaw (or however you spell it). But the Pythons were the best. Still are. It's a shame they split.

[ACE0HUNTER]

No it's a Norweigian Blue... listen carefully at 0:55 and 1:17

Palin says the words Norweigan Blue... Twice

[smbcomix]

No, I knew that, lol. I meant that the stuffed toy they used is a Macaw. I agree, would have been better if they'd used a stuffed blue parrot. But I still think they're the best at what they do. Even the fact that the bird is red rather than blue can be looked at as hilarious, by certain people.

[UltraAmbiguousID]

In the original sketch, the parrot WAS blue - a Norwegian Blue. The joke is, that not only did the shopkeeper (Palin) sell the customer (Cleese) a DEAD parrot, but also the wrong parrot ( an inexpensive scarlet Macaw), but which was not what he claimed it was ( a Norwegian Blue)!!! Get it?

So the customer is stupid for having purchased a dead animal and the wrong animal. The MPs upped the sketch doing it live because they knew their fans had the sketch memorized.

[dravarian26]

He accents the words so funnliy

[KestrelDaystar1066]

The fact that Palin can't keep a straight face makes this even more hilarious.

[MissT681]

John is mean! ;-) Just when Michael recovered, he says it again "Pining for the fjoOOOOrds?" lol

[karhill]

LOL! I wonder if they meant to sound Welsh?

[MoriyaMug]

I love that Palin is so amused by Cleese.

[AliceMarx]

ahahahhaha poor palin, can't stop laughing :P

[pjev93]

What is Michael saying from 3:26? ("Remarkable bird...?)

[godsrightbuttcheek]

Yes.

[pjev93]

But what is he continuing with, after that?

[ridexthexwings]

"Remarkable bird, eh, squire? Beautiful plumage."

[pjev93]

Thank you=)

[andy0mara]

The plumage don't enter into it.

[Mytibility]

The best bit is when Mr. Cleese says "Piining for the fjords,"

Graham Chapman is a genious coming up with not just a parrot, but a Norwegian Blue, and Palin's reference to the fjords... One word: Genious

[Menton5646]

Spelled Genius wrong,

:D

[Mytibility]

lol, I must have hit the o, when I hit the i...

That truly is "genius" :P

[godsrightbuttcheek]

I love the way that he just cracks up when John Cleese goes "PINING FOR THE FLORDS?!?"

[ramonesaudibert]

i love it when john cleese enters with the parrot cage and says ''i wish to register a complain" - and the crowd just goes WILD!

[lapislazuli7]

The puch line is missing! Wiki says: In The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball, a benefit for Amnesty International, the sketch opens similarly, but ends very differently:

Mr Praline: "It's dead, that's what's wrong with it."

Shopkeeper: "So it is. 'Ere's your money back and a couple of holiday vouchers." (audience goes wild)

Mr Praline: "Well, you can't say Thatcher hasn't changed some things."

[Parklife74]

That was another year's version though...

[lapislazuli7]

Thank you, I was not aware that they performed the same sketch in different years... very unusual.

[MadMathmoMan]

Apparently the story goes they didn't tell Cleese this in advance, he was just expecting to do the standard sketch. He walked on, said his opening line and that happened...

[pjev93]

Michael's so cute here:)

Ooh, I just love it...

[Nacromantine]

Homg, got tears from laughing in this version xDDD

[cowboy4eva99]

Just great. No matter how often I watch this it still cracks me up every time.

Love the expression on his face as he says "Norwegian Blues stun easily!"... Priceless

[Seattlecarnut]

This is hilarious! This is my favourite version of Dead Parrot. It makes me laugh every time I watch.

[gottalovePython]

I love to see how John continues to use his funny voice, just to see Michael breaking up from 3:00...

It's makes me laugh every time! =D

[EuskaltelEuskadi]

they're both great in this. later on mike tells john that the slug mutters a bit and he loses it too. oh what a laugh!! this version is better than the original!!

[Overage2000]

lol i love John Cleese

[earcandy]

THE MORE I look at this sketch, THE MORE I laugh !!!

[dcbsmt]

I love that double-take that John does. :D

And them cracking up always cracks me up too.

[banditemilyx12]

When Michael started laughing, I completely lost it.

[4kisch]

3:00 to 3:18 and I fell in love with Michael Palin:)))))

[Tareltonlives]

I love how Michael is trying not to crack up. John's just on fire in this one.

[hatgirl09]

3:13 is cute as anything! and 2:44 shows a first sign of weakness in mike.

aaaah... gotta love him :-)

[PiercedDooD]

hhaha fkn love it n__n

[gkspitfire]

This is probably the best version of this sketch

[IntoYourHeaddotcom]

Thanks so much for posting stuff from the Policeman's Balls. I love them.

[Dumblor]

This guy loves policeman's balls. Way the go !

[IntoYourHeaddotcom]

Get a life.

[Dumblor]

get a sense of humor.

[IntoYourHeaddotcom]

I was joking. Oh, the irony.

And I'm viewing a Monty Python channel. I think I have one.

[Darini0u812]

This one... Damn.. If someone does not see the humor in this they are an ex-person.. they have ceased to be.... This one did it.. I inhaled been the first time I saw this one.. and I still think it is beyond funny and peopl that don't get it are probably aliens..

[JWJSSIF]

PINING FOR THE FJOOOOOOORDS!? lol

[nannomar]

Isn't it PINING FOR THE FIELDS?

[kyledugger]

no, it's fjords (Fee-your-ds)

[squishy3000]

It's so cute when Michael cracks up XD

[Myrmelie]

Seen it about a hundred times, already know it word by word, still keeps me cracking up. Such a terrific acting, i just cant get enough from MP!

When Palin looses it it's priceless

[fillip27]

I'd love to have seen john cleese's face when he laughs @ 3:13, such a rarity!

[Dinie09]

I... LOVE... MONTY PYTHON!!! These guys are amazing!

[coasterkid345]

who doesn't!?!?!?!

[IAMINDESPAIR]

is this same guy in fawlty towers?

[dking987]

yes, its john cleese, the reason he is famous is because he is a python

[IAMINDESPAIR]

thanks for telling me ^^

I did see him in spamalot before fawlty towers, but I was unsure whether they were the same ^__^

[deserk]

Pining for the FJOOOOOOOOOOOOORDS?!

[kidragakas]

i would have cracked up too.. poor palin :P

[skidawg22]

In the original Flying Circus, the parrot was indeed blue.

[dapanzy]

I can't understand how Cleese can manage to be so damn funny and always look so serious in all his sketches XD he's hilarious!

[ErichoTTA]

One funny thing you might have missed is that parrots don't live in Norway.

[Konve]

Perhaps it's the colour that's from Norway.

[Wasserschloss]

I love this sketch (obviously I'm for no chance the only one)!

But the speech in this version is very annoying^^ But watching Palin not to keep a straight face is worth to be one's weight in gold.

[TrishGroves]

I bought a book of Python sketches years ago, and the Parrot Sketch was deliberately omitted 'by popular request!!' That made it even funnier. :-)

Roger Graef , who filmed the Secret Policeman's Ball (and the Other Ball) gave a superb Masterclass on documentary film production in Ireland in September 2007, using the Pythons as a case study. Best Masterclass ever!!

[hedgewytche]

Hahaahhaaah, this is one of my favourite Monty Python sketches. I've never seen this stage version before... I love it!!! :-D

[PamelaKopp]

I love how Palin couldn't keep a straight face. [2]

Os Pythons são muito fodas!

Gostaria de poder tê-los visto ao vivo.

Pythons are awesome.

I wish I could have seen them on stage.

[thebeautywithin678]

Yes, the Parrot Sketch is my favorite!

[Mohsin77]

Palin is the funniest out of the Pythons :D

[Cleese comes second lol]

[bo0kw05m]

lol palin couldn't keep a straight face.......well i don't think i could have done better :D

[dlan4327]

I love how Palin couldn't keep a straight face.

I would've cracked up the moment Cleese arrived on stage.

[mikeygberman]

He also smiled a little in his Biggus Dickus speech... but yeah I can't watch Python for ten seconds without smiling...

John Cleese does an amazing job keeping a straight face while being completely ridiculous.

[Spencermx]

man it's funny, has there ever been a show where cleese cracks up

[mikeygberman]

I've never seen it myself... And a search for "John Cleese laughing" turns up virtually nothing...

[leo3010]

However he almost lost it when he saw Palin trying to hold in his laugther, Great skit...shows how skilled they are at comedy

[blindvoyager]

Hey that's not a Norwegian Blue!!!

[ThomasIsTired]

testing testing:P

[yellownanner33]

wow. Palin cracked up. sweet.

[politicalbull1]

wtf

[tarahloveshentai]

Oh my god, no way

[howoddflyingpenguins]

I love the live sketches.

[Luthien196]

haha, palin lost it!

i do so love monty python.

[XRedDaggerX]

That is one dead bird....

[babaoreilly15]

python is sheer brilliance

[MRmagic11111]

awesome

[soozin511]

lol this is like my favorite youtube video ever

[StarongBahd]

Omfg I couldn't stop laughing when Palin started cracking up.

[drovdrov]

Is it just me or do most of the Monty Python sketchs have that "high school" quality about it? Sort of, what you act out while friends were over, and when you showed it to others they wouldn't know what you all were laughing about. But then again most of the time the watcher laughs also, so maybe thats the whole deal.

[AcordeAnita]

JAJAJAJAJA

[xSkitZx]

immense

[ParkParks93]

LOL!

[oneeyedgeek]

One of my most favorite sketches!

I met a 10 yo kid who could recite this word for word. I didn't think younger kids had even heard of Monty Python.

[ZachsMind]

Palin was not corpsing just from Cleese. I think Palin was reacting to the audience. Imagine yourself as Palin in that moment of time. You got the audience practically reciting the dialogue as you're doing it. This makes your current performance only valid to them as it applies to the previous performance as they remember it. That's bound to cause a feedback loop which would make anyone's head explode.

[shinycameras]

it gets even better when Palin starts cracking up

[hunnylove84]

Love this skit...LOL!

[arguapacha]

Simply... amazing