[J‘J‘]
[ANNOUNCER 1] In the ﬁfth century,
as the once-mighty Roman Empire crumbled,
the soft underbelly of Western Europe
la y inviting/y exposed
to the barbarian hordes to the east.
Alaric the Visigoth,
Gaiseric the Vandal,
and Theodoric the Ostrogoth in turn swept westward
in a reign of terror.
But none surpassed in power and cruelty
the mighty Attila the Hun.
[ANNOUNCER 2] Ladies and gentlemen, it's The Attila the Hun Show.
[TONY ROMEO'S "JUST A LITTLE LOVE" PLAYING]
J‘ With a little love Just a little love J‘
J‘ Open you heart J‘
J‘ And see where it's needed I
J‘ Feel it in your heart When you've succeeded J‘
J‘ Making all the sounds Of love I
J‘ Getting some sun And you're alive J‘
J‘ Making all the clouds Roll away J‘
J‘ Letting some sun In your life J‘
J‘ And you can light J‘
J‘ Light up The gloomiest night I
J‘ Color the gloomiest day J‘
J‘ Chase all your cares away J‘
J‘ With a little love Just a little love J‘
J‘ With a little love J‘ J‘ Just a little love I
J‘ With a little love J‘
[ANNOUNCER 1] In the second quarter of the fifth century,
the Huns became a byword for merciless savagery.
Their khan was the mighty warrior Attila.
With his devastating armies, he swept across Central Europe.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Oh, darling, I'm home.
Hello, darling. Have a busy day at the office?
Not at all bad.
Another merciless sweep across Central Europe.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Well...| won't say I'm glad to see you,
but, boy, am I glad to see you.
[CANNED APPLAUSE]
Hi, Daddy.
Hi, Jenny. Hi, Robby.
[CANNED APPLAUSE]
Hey, I've got a present for you two kids
in that bag.
I want you kids to get ahead.
[CANNED LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE]
Here you are, Mr. Hun!
Hi, Uncle Tom.
There's a whole horde of them
marauding Visigoths to see y'all.
[J‘J‘]
And now for something completely different.
It's...
[ANNOUNCER] Monty Python's Flying Circus.
[ANNOUNCER 1] Yes, it’s Attila the Nun.
[CRASH]
[ANNOUNCER 2] A simple country girl
who took a vow of eternal brutality.
[ALL GRUNTING]
Nurse.
Hello, Miss Norris. How are you?
Not too bad, thank you, doctor.
Yes, well, I think I'd better examine you.
Um, what are they doing here?
[DOCTOR] Uh, i-it's all right,
they're students. Um...
Light, please, nurse.
Oh, and, uh, music too.
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKER]
Breathe in...
out.
In...
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you, thank you.
Charles Crompton, the stripping doctor.
And next, gentlemen and ladies,
here at the Peephole Club, for the very first time,
a very big welcome, please,
for the secretary of state for commonwealth affairs.
Good evening.
Tonight, I'd like to restate our position
on agricultural subsidies
and their effect on our commonwealth relationships.
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]
Now, although we believe theoretically
in ending guaranteed farm prices,
we also believe in the need
for the corresponding, uh, import levy
to maintain consumer prices at a realistic, uh, level.
But this would have the effect
of consolidating our gains
of the previous fiscal year prior to the entry.
But I pledge that, should we join the Common Market,
even maintaining the present position on subsidies,
we will neverjeopardize, we will never compromise
our unique relationship
with the commonwealth countries.
A prices structure related to any, uh, import charges
will be systematically adjusted
uh, to the particular requirements
of our commonwealth partners,
so that, together,
we will maintain a positive
and mutually beneficial alliance
in world trade and for world peace.
Thank you and good night.
[APPLAUSE]
Wasn't he marvelous?
The secretary of state for commonwealth affairs.
And now, gentlemen and ladies,
a very big welcome, please,
for the minister of pensions
and social security!
[ARABIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[J‘J‘]
[ANNOUNCER] Yes, today in Britain,
there is a new wave of interest in politics and politicians.
Well, we're in it for the lobbying, you know.
We just love lobbying.
And the debates. You know, a good debate is just fabulous.
Well, I've been going with ministers
for five years now,
and, uh, you know, I think they're wonderful.
Oh, yes. I like civil servants.
- Oh, yes, they're nice. - Yeah.
- |-- I like the Speaker. - Oh, yeah.
I like Black Rod.
[ANNOU NCER] What do their parents think?
Well, she's broken our hearts, the little bastard.
She's been nothing but trouble,
and if she comes round here again,
l'll kick her teeth in.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Have you been talking to television again, dear?
Yes, | bloody told them.
What about?
Oh, ldon't know.
Oh, was it Reginald Bosanquet?
No, no, no.
Did he have his head all bandaged?
No, it wasn't like that.
They had lights and cameras and tape recorders, all that sort of thing.
Oh, that'll be Ray Baxter,
and the boys and girls from Tomorrow’s World.
Oh, I prefer Reginald Bosanquet. There's not so many of them.
- Hm. - [DOORBELL RINGS]
Oh, that'll be the ratcatcher.
Hello. Mr. and Mrs. Concrete?
- Yes. - Yes.
Well, well, well, well, well,
well, well, well, well, well, well,
how very nice.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I am Leslie Ames,
the chairman of the Test Selection Committee.
And I'm very pleased to be able to tell you
that your flat has been chosen
as the venue for the third test against the West Indies.
Really?
No, it wasjust a little joke.
I'm the council ratcatcher.
Oh, yes, we've been expecting you.
Oh. I gather you've got a little rodental problem.
Oh, blimey, you'd think he was awake all the night,
scrabbling down by the wainscoting.
Mm. that's an interesting word, isn't it?
What?
Sounds like a little Dorset village.
Wainscoting.
We've been mentioned on telly!
Uh, where is it worst?
Well, uh, down here,
- you can usually hear them. - Ah. Shh.
Sh. Sh. Sh.
Sh.
[SHEEP BLEATING]
No, that's sheep you've got there.
No, that's definitely sheep.
- Bit of a puzzle, really. - Is it?
Yeah, well, I mean, it's A,
not gonna respond to a nice piece of cheese,
and B, it isn't gonna fit into a trap.
Whoa. What you gonna do?
Well, we'll have to look for the hole.
Oh, yeah.
Mm. Oh.
Oi. There's one here.
[LESLIE] No, no, no. No, that's mice.
Oh. This is what we're after.
Move that.
Yup.
[MAN] Oh, yeah.
E-excuse me, is the third test in here?
No, no, that was a joke. It was a joke.
It was a joke.
Right. Well, I'm going in the wainscoting.
They said it again!
Lay down some sheep poison.
Ooh.
[SHEEP BLEATING]
[BANG]
[GROANING]
It's got a gun.
Oh. Blimey.
Now, normally, a sheep is a placid, timid creature,
but you've got a killer.
It's an entirely new strain ofsheep.
A killer sheep that can not only hold a rifle,
but is also a first-class shot.
But where are they coming from, professor?
That I don't know.
| just don't know.
I really just don't know.
I'm afraid I really just don't know.
I'm afraid even I really just don't know.
l have to tell you I'm afraid even I really just don't know.
I'm afraid I have to tell you that--
Thank you.
I don't know.
Our only clue is this portion of wolf's clothing,
which the killer sheep--
Was wearing.
--in yesterday's raid on Selfridges.
l'll carry out tests on it straightaway, professor.
[WEST-INDIAN ACCENT] Hello, is the third test in here, please, man?
Professor, there are some cricketers in the laboratory.
This may be even more serious
than even I had at first been imagining.
What a strange, strange line.
There's no time to waste.
Get me the commissioner of police.
Yes, sir.
No, no, on the phone!
Look of fear!
Another strange line.
Look out, Miss Garter Oil!
Professor, what is it? What have you seen?
Look, it's there, in the doorway.
[SCREAMS]
Arthur X, leader of the Pennine Gang.
Don't nobody move.
We're reverting to putting Plan A into operation.
Mugsy, Louie, Luau.
[GUNSHOTS]
[TIRES SCREECH]
Next, Basil. You and the kid. Move.
[GUNSHOTS]
Okay, boys, this time we go for the heavy stuff.
[BANJO MUSIC PLAYING]
But soon the killer sheep began to infect other animals
with its startling intelligence.
Pussycats began to arrange mortgages.
Cocker spaniels began to design supermarkets.
And parrots started to announce television programs.
It's 8:00, and time for the news.
Good evening. Here is the news for parrots.
No parrots were involved in an accident on the M1 today
when a lorry carrying high-octane fuel
was in collision with a bollard.
That is a bollard and not a parrot.
A spokesman for parrots said he was glad
no parrots were involved.
The minister of technology today met the three Russian leaders
to discuss a £4 million airliner deal.
None of them went in the cage
or swung on the little wooden trapeze,
or ate any of the nice millet seed.
Yum, yum.
That's the end of the news.
Now our programs for parrots continue
with part three of A Tale of Two Cities,
specially adapted for parrots by Joey Boy.
The story so far:
Dr. Manette is in England after 18 years in the Bastille.
His daughter, Lu-- Lucie,
awaits her lover, Charles Darnay,
whom we just learnt is, in fact, the nephew
of the Marquis de St. Evremond,
whose cruelty had placed Manette in the Bastille.
Darnay arrives to ﬁnd Lucie tending her aged father.
[HIGH-PITCHED SQUAWK] Hello. Hello.
- Hello. - Hello, hello, hello.
- Who's a pretty boy, then? - Hello, hello.
- Who's a pretty boy? - Ooh.
- Hello, hello. - Ooh.
Hello, hello.
- I'm a pretty parrot. - Hello, hello.
And while that's going on, here is the news for gibbons.
No gibbons were involved in...
[ANNOUNCER] While that's going on,
here from Westminster
is a parliamentary report for humans.
In the debate, a spokesman accused
the government of being silly
and doing not-at—aII-good things.
The member accepted this in a spirit of healthy criticism,
but denied that he'd ever been naughty with a choirboy.
Angry shouts of "What about the watermelon, then?"
were ordered by the Speaker stricken from the record
and put into a brown paper bag in the Iavvy.
Any further interruptions would be cut off
and distributed amongst the poor.
For the government, a front-bench spokesman said
the agricultural tariff would have to be raised,
and he fancied a bit.
Furthermore, he argued,
this would give a large boost to farmers
and a lot of fun to him, his friend
and Miss Moist of Knightsbridge.
From the back benches
there were opposition shouts of "Postcards for sale"
and a healthy cry of "Who likes a sailor, then?"
from the minister without portfolio.
Replying, the shadow minister said
he could no longer deny the rumors,
but he and the dachshund were very happy.
And in any case, he argued, rhubarb was cheap,
and what was the harm in a sauna bath?
--were not involved.
The minister of technology met the three Russian leaders today
to discuss a £4 million airliner deal.
None of them were indigenous to Australia,
carried their babies in pouches,
or ate any of those yummy eucalyptus leaves.
Yum, yum.
That's the news for wombats, And now, Attila the Bun.
[BUN YELLING]
Well, that's all for Attila the Bun.
And now...idiots.
[J‘J‘]
[ANNOU NCER] Arthur Figgis is an idiot.
A village idiot.
Well, | feel very keenly
that the idiot is a part
of the old village system,
and as such has a vital role to play
in the modern rural society.
Because, you see--
[BLITHERING]
And the birds fly nightly on the-- Thank you, vicar.
Because there is this very real need in society
for someone whom almost anyone
can look down on and--
And ridicule.
And this is the role that--
Nightly ramble...
Oogly—oogly—oogly—ooh!
Thank you, Mrs. Thompson.
This is the role that l and members of my family
have fulfilled in this village
for the past 400 years.
Ah, good morning, Mr. Jenkins.
ICI have increased their half-yearly dividend, | see.
Yes, splendid.
That's Mr. Jenkins. He's another idiot.
And so, you see, the--
The idiot does provide a vital psychosocial service
for this community.
Oh, excuse me,
uh, a coach party's just arrived.
I shall have to fall off the wall, I'm afraid.
[GLASS BREAKS]
[ANNOUNCER] Arthur takes idioting seriously.
He is up at 6:00 every morning
working on special training equipment
designed to keep him silly.
And, of course, he takes great pride in his appearance.
Like the doctor,
- the blacksmith, the carpenter... - Ah!
...Mr. Figgis is an important ﬁgure in this village.
And like them, he uses the local bank.
Yes, we have quite a number of idiots banking here.
[ANNOUNCER] What kind of money is there in idioting?
Well, nowadays, a really blithering idiot
can make anything up to £10,000 a year,
if he's the head of some big industrial combine.
But of course, the more old-fashioned idiot
still refuses to take money.
He takes bits of string, wood,
dead budgerigars, sparrows, anything,
But it does make the cashier's job very difﬁcult.
Of course, they're fools to themselves.
The rate of interest over 10 years
on a piece of moss or a dead vole is almost negligible.
- Mr. Brando. - Yes?
Hollywood on the phone.
Uh, I'll take it in the office.
[ANNOUNCER] But Mr. Figgis is no ordinary idiot.
He is a lecturer in idiocy
at the University of East Anglia.
Here he is taking a class of third-year students.
[ALL BLITHERING]
[ANNOU NCER] After three years of study
these apprentice idiots receive a diploma of idiocy,
a handful of mud
and a kick on the head.
But some of the older idiots resent the graduate idiot.
I'm a completely self-taught idiot.
I mean, "Ooh-ah, roo-ah, roo-ah, roo-ah!"
Nobody does that anymore.
Anybody who did that around here
would be laughed off the street.
No, uh, nowadays, people want something wittier.
[ANNOUNCER] Kevin O'Nassis works largely with walls.
Whoa!
[KEVIN] Well, you gotta know what you're doing.
I mean, some people think I'm mad.
Villagers say I'm mad, tourists say I'm mad.
Well, I am mad. But I'm naturally mad.
I don 't use any chemicals.
[ANNOUNCER] But what of the idiot’s private life?
How about his relationship with women?
Well, I may be an idiot, but I'm no fool.
[J‘J‘]
[ANNOUNCER] But the village idiot's dirty smock
and wall-falling are a far cry
- from the modern world of the urban idiot. - Hey!
What kinds of backgrounds do these city idiots come from?
[NASAL AC CENT]
Woo!
[LAUGHING]
Uh! Uh!
[POSH ACCENT]
Uh...
[HIGH-PITCHED ACCENT] Well, uh...
[POMPOUS ACCENT] Well, uh...
The headquarters of these urban idiots
is here in St. John's Wood.
Inside, they can enjoy the company of other idiots
and watch special performances of ritual idioting.
[LIGHT APPLAUSE]
Well left.
Well played.
Well, well.
Well-bred.
[GROANING]
[JIM] Good afternoon and welcome to Lord's
on the second day of the first test.
So far today, we've had five hours batting from England,
and already, they're naught for naught.
Uh, Cowdrey is not out naught and Naughton is not in.
Knott is in and is not not out.
Naughton of Northants got a nasty knock
on the nut in the nets last night,
but it's nothing of note.
Uh, next in is Nat Newton of Notts.
Not Nutting, Nutting's at 9.
Nutting knocked neatie nightie knock knock nar nar...
Anyway, um,
England have played extremely well for nothing,
not a sausage,
in reply to Iceland's first innings total
of 722 for 2 declared,
uh, scored yesterday
disappointingly fast in only 21 overs,
with lots of wild slogging and boundaries and--
And all sorts of rubbishy things.
But the main thing is that England have made
an absolutely outstanding start so far.
[GROANS SHARPLY, THEN INHALES SHARPLY]]
Peter?
Uh, splendid. Just listen to those thighs.
And now it's the Northeast's turn with the samba.
- Brian. - Uh, rather.
l'm reminded of the story of Gubby Allen in '32--
Oh, shut up, or we'll Close the bar.
And now Bo Wildeburg is running up
to bowl to Cowdrey.
He runs up, he bowls to Cowdrey,
and no shot at all.
Extremely well-not—played there.
Yes, beautifully not-done-anything-about.
A superb shot of no kind whatsoever.
I well remember Plum Warner
leaving a very similar ball alone in 1732.
Oh, shut up, long-nose.
And now it's Bo Wildeburg,
running in again to bowl to Cowdrey.
He runs in. He bowls to Cowdrey.
And no shot at all.
A superb display of inertia there.
And that's the end of the over. And drinks.
Gin and tonic, please.
No, no, the players are having drinks.
And now, uh, what's happening?
I think Cowdrey's being taken--
Yes, Cowdrey is being carried off.
Well, I never.
Now, who's in next?
It should be number three, Natt Newton of Notts.
Get your hand off my thigh, West.
Uh, no, I don't think it is. I think it's, uh...
It's a sofa. No, it's a Chesterfield!
The green Chesterfield is coming in at number three
to take guard now.
I well remember a similar divan being brought on
at Headingley in 9 BC. against the darkies.
Oh, shut up, elephant-snout.
And now, the green, uh, Chesterfield has taken guard.
And, uh... Ah, Iceland are putting on
their spin-dryer to bowl.
The spin-dryer moving back to its mark.
It runs up to the wicket,
bowls to the table...
A little bit short, but it's coming in a bit there,
and it's hit him on the pad!
There's an appeal. And the table is out, leg before wicket.
That is England naught for one.
[ANNOUNCER] And now we leave Lord's and go over to Epsom for the 3:00.
[COMMENTATOR] Well, here at Epsom, we take up the running,
50 yards of this mile-and-a-half race to go.
It's the wash basin in the lead from WC pedestal.
Tucked in nicely there is the sofa,
going well with Joanna Southcott's box
making a good run from hat stand on the rails.
And Standard lamp is fading fast.
Wash basin taking up the running, strongly pressed.
At the post, it's the wash basin from WC
then sofa, hat stand, Standard lamp,
and lastly, Joanna Southcott's box.
[IN UNISON] Open the box! Open the box!
Open the box! Open the box!
Can we have the next contender, please?
[CHUCKLING]
[CONTINUES CHUCKLING]
Good evening, madam. And your name is...?
Yes, yes.
- Ha-ha. And what's your name? - I go to Church regularly. Mm.
Jolly good. I see.
And which prize do you have particular eyes on this evening?
The blow on the head.
- Just there. - Jolly good.
- Well, your first question... - Mm.
...for the blow on the head this evening is:
What great opponent of Cartesian dualism
resists the reduction of psychological phenomena
to physical states?
I don't know that!
Well, have a guess.
Oh.
Uh, Henri Bergson.
Is the correct answer!
That was lucky. I never even heard of him.
- Jolly good. - I don't like darkies.
[LAUGHING]
Who does?
[LAUGHING]
And now, your second quesﬁon
for the blow on the head is:
What is the main food that penguins eat?
Pork luncheon meat.
No.
- Spam? - No, no, no, no.
What do penguins eat? Penguins.
- Penguins? - Yes.
- They eat penguins? - No, no, no.
- They eat themselves? - No, no, what do penguins eat?
Horses! Armchairs!
No, no. What do penguins eat?
- Oh, penguins. - Penguins.
- Cannelloni. - No.
Lasagna, moussaka, lobster thermidor,
escalopes de veau a l’estragon
avec endives gratinéed with cheese.
[LAUGHING] No. I'll give you a clue.
Oh.
Brian Close.
[LAUGHING] No, no.
- Brian Inglis? Brian Johnson? Bryan Forbes? - No, no, no.
- Nanette Newman. - No.
What swims in the sea and gets caught in nets?
- Henri Bergson. - No!
Goats. UndenNater goats, with snorkels and flippers.
- No. - A buffalo with an aqualung.
- No. - Oh, Reginald Maudling.
Yes, that's near enough. I'll give you that.
Right. Now. Uh, Mrs. Scum, you have won your prize.
Do you still want the blow on the head?
Yes, yes.
I'll offer you a poke in the eye.
No, I want the blow on the head.
- A punch in the throat? - No.
All right, then, a kick in the kneecap.
- No. - Mrs. Scum,
I'm offering you a boot in the teeth
and a dagger up the strap.
Oh.
- Hm. - [WOMAN 1] Blow on the head!
[WOMAN 2] Take the blow on the head!
Oh. Oh, o-okay. I'll take the blow on the head.
Very well, then, Mrs. Scum.
You have won tonight's star prize:
the blow on the head!
— [LAUGHING] — [DING]
- [SCREAMS] — [LAUGHS]
[J‘J‘]
[FART]