Favorite Michael Palin sketch

What would you say are your main weapons?

 

And women don't get wooly. They get weary. And it's not from stress, it's from wearing a dress. [/bulldurhamjack]

 

Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

 

fish-slapping dance.

 

a compilation of his sketches

 

Closer runner ups to the Spanish Inquisition have to be Dead Parrot and the Lumberjack Song

 

It's not really his sketch at all, but Palin gets The Bishop off to a rousing start.

Sadly, this clip doesn't have the sketch preceding it, which sets Palin's intro up.

 

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day.

Chorus:
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea

Mounties:
He cuts down trees, he eats his lunch
He goes to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays he goes shopping and has buttered scones for tea.

Chorus:
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars.

Mounties:
He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women's clothing and hangs around in bars?!

Chorus:
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I wear high heels
Suspenders and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear Papa!!

Mounties:
I cut down trees, I wear high heels?!
Suspenders...and a bra?!...

Just the Lumberjack:
I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear Papa!!

 

Dead Parrot
Cheese Shop

 

Also, the dead parrot sketch led directly into the lumberjack song, as he says he really didn't want to be a shopkeeper, he wanted to be a lumberjack.

 

Cleese: Not really much of a cheese shop, is it?
Palin: Finest in the district, sir.
Cleese: Really, what leads you to that conclusion?
Palin: It's so clean, sir.
Cleese: Well, it's certainly uncontaminated by cheese.

 

No, that was the barbershop skit with Terry Jones where he starts a tape player instead of cutting the guys hair.