And Now for Something Completely Different

Also a catch phrase from the television show Monty Python's Flying Circus. (Contrary to the implication in the writeup above, the name of the comedy troupe responsible for said show was "Monty Python", however this only came about after the name of the show)

Although there was no universal pattern to the shows, and the phrase was certainly used in other contexts, the most common instance would be an opening sketch, at the end of which the camera would cut or pan over to John Cleese sitting at a desk (usually in a rather unusual location). He would speak the line, the camera would cut to Michael Palin, dressed as a castaway (Thanks, AndieX), who would say "It's...", and the opening credits would roll.

"And Now for Something Completely Different" was as JohnnyComeLately simply stated: "a movie by Monty Python in 1971", recorded after the second season. It was an attempt by the troupe to obtain exposure in America. Unfortunately, it flopped much like the dead parrot onto the animal boutique's counter. American (merkin) interest would not surface until a few years later when the show appeared on a Dallas, TX PBS station.

"And Now for Something Completely Different" is to the Pythons what moonshine is to hillbillies; it contains the most hilarious (sometimes just goofy) sketches the Pythons' could concoct. They are the sketches known around the world; the sketches college students perform to the delight of sometimes dozens. Among them are: The Lumberjack Song, the pet shop (dead parrot) sketch, twit of the year, and John Cleese in a bikini.

The director, Victor Lownes, demanded that his name be in the beginning of the film, in Terry Gilliam's animation. This, and the fact that the pure randomness of the film was his doing, irritated the troupe. During one interview, the troupe considered it "just a bunch of men sitting behind desks." Quite true, 12 of the 27 sketches are just that.

It was also the cheapest Python Film, at approximately 80,000 pounds. It makes sense as most of the indoor shots were done in an old milk factory.

Although a flop in 1971, It would be safe to assume that every true Python fan has a copy, or at least a bootleg, making it a true success in the end.

Quick salute to http://www.pythonet.org/pyth-faq.html for some info, the DVD for the rest.

On the BBC TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus the phrase "And Now for Something Completely Different" was more than just a snappy catch phrase, it was, and still is, one of the finest examples of segue humor (no, not a joke about the Segway human transporter). John Cleese's deadpan delivery was absolutely crucial, including his perfectly straight face and the slight pause between "something" and "completely". One can easily find sound clips on the web of John Cleese saying this famous line.

Needless to say, the phrase itself is the exact antithesis to a good segue, serving only to highlight a (deliberately) incoherent juncture, rather than hiding it or smoothing it over. Many contemporary attempts at segue humor do not even come close to the sheer simplicity of this single phrase. For example, around 1998 Conan O'Brien had a sketch involving a guy named Segue Sam on his Late Night show. Segue Sam would help Conan bridge the most ridiculous transitions between topics (and usually die in the process). However, the Segue Sam skits were long and arguably at most moderately funny, and while the intrinsic humor of the phrase "And Now for Something Completely Different" is debatable, at least it had the merits of succinctness and simplicity. By now, many North American standup comedians seem to have no concept of a comedic segue at all, except perhaps for "Hey, did you guys ever notice how", which isn't even intended to be humorous.