—'The Daily Collegian Wednesday, Feb. 14,1879
Python society offers "getting hit
on the head lessons" to Penguins
By DENISE LAFFAN
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
When Jerry Skurla and Ron Frame decided to found a Monty
Python Society here on campus, they were ready for
something completely different.
Their story began last fall in their management class, a
class they found rather boring. Being two out of 955 students,
Skurla and Frame received little individual attention which
allowed them to talk about their favorite subject, Monty
Python, and therefore alleviate their boredom.
One day, Skurla and Frame decided to form a society to “see
if there were any other crazies,” as Skurla said.
After placing a notice in the Collegian notes, they found
there were 25 other crazies and thus the Monty Python
Society was born.
The membership has now grown to 50 people, with Skurla as
president and Frame as secretary. On Jan. 17, Associated
Student Activities approved the Monty Python constitution
which officially made the society a provisional club. The
organization will be evaluated near the end of Spring Term,
and, if ASA feels the group shows enough advancement, it will
become a full-fledged club. •>
Just what is this Monty Python that unites these “crazies”
and makes it worthwhile to them to form a group?
Quite simply, Monty Python is a group of British comedians
who use satire and farce to entertain.
Phil Klass, professor of science fiction and faculty advisor to
the Monty Python club, said the humor used by Monty Python
is third generation in the line of British humor.
Monty Python is descended from two lines of humor, Klass
said. One line that influenced both Monty Python and the
current craze film, “Rocky Horror'Picture Show,” is parodic,
satiric, crazy humor.
“At the same time, Monty Python is descended from a rich
tradition of utterly farcical and knock-about comedy,” Klass
said.
Python humor is famous for poking fun at all aspects of
society. No one person or organization is safe from its satire.
Klass said this is an essential element to satire,
“Good satirists try to take a swing at everyone, otherwise
some group .is going to feel they’re being persecuted,” he
added. “Satirists should try to swing at the most powerful. If
they take off after the weakest it’s not satire, that’s hounding.”
Most students do not take Klass’s intellectual approach to
Monty Python. They usually find Python humor either wildly
funny or incredibly strange. The Python society hopes to in
troduce more students to Python humor and is planning
several programs aimed at “bringing humor to this dull and
dreary campus,” Skurla said.
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One project involves a “Silly Things to do For the Day”
column which the club would like to see printed in The Daily
Collegian.
The club also wants to perform Monty Python skits at Gentle
Thursday. The society seems to have a fair chance of getting
a spot. “We’re looking at anything right now and we will
consider the Monty Python sketch,” Pam Winterhalter,
coordinator for Gentle Thursday, said.
Skurla said he believes the group’s chances of being able to
perform are “100 percent.” If the group is allowed to perform,
suggestions for skits are numerous.
Members are willing to do everything from selling
albatrosses to dressing up like monks and bonking themselves
on the head, imitating the scene from “The Search for the Holy
Grail.”
The most ambitious project planned is an actual quest for
the Holy Grail. This would give the Python group not only a
chance to be silly but some needed publicity as well.
“We’ll parade through campus instead of Iranians for a
change,” Skurla said. “And we’ll yell ‘Bring out your dead’
instead of ‘Death to the Shah.’ ”
The Monty Python society has many smaller projects
planned as well. They hope to bring in both movies and TY
shows done by Monty Python.
What the student reaction will be to this onslaught of British
humor is anyone’s guess. Skurla admits Python humor is not
for everyone', but he said he believes the zaniness will appeal to
many college students.
Klass is a bit more unsure about Python’s appeal.
“It’s not something that can be popular like the Marx
Brothers. It’s too intellectual and too British," Klass said.
Klass qualified his statement, though, by saying many
students will accept Monty Python because they “take
whatever comes most easdy and readily.”
Klass himself is very enthusiastic about Monty Python
humor and about the club. As a faculty advisor, Klass said his
job is to “prevent something illegal from going on.” Klass also
said, “An adviser ought to provide extra depth and try to show
what all of this comes from.”
But the Python society seems most concerned with having
fun. “The purpose of this organization is not to be serious,” co
founder Frame said.
The next meeting for the Monty Python society will be
Thursday, Feb. 15,7 p.m. in 174 Willard.
Skurla encourages anyone who is interested to come
because, in his opinion, “it’s the most fun that you can have
with your clothes on.”
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UNIVERSITY CALENDAR
SPECIAL EVENTS
Wednesday, Feb. 14
Sigma Delta Epsilon luncheon meeting, noon, Room 101 A Kern. Katie Perry,
graduate student, horticulture, on “Increasing the Effectiveness of
Sprinkling lor Frost Protection.”
Valentine's Day Candlelight Dinner, 4:45-6:45 p.m., HUB Terrace Room.
5 O’clock Playwrights’ Theatre, Howard Molyl, Other People, 5:30 p.m., The
Pavilion Theatre.
Shakespeare film, Rigg, Midsummer Night’s Dream, 6:30 p.m., Room 101
Chambers. Free. . \
Commonsplace Theatre, Fantastic Animation Festival, 7 and 9 p.m./ttoom 112
Kern. , 1 '
Dept of French Black Studies Program,, award winning film; Mandabi,
written and filmed by Senegal’s Ousmane Sembene, 7:30 p.m., Robeson
Cultural Center, Walnut.
Artists Series film, Lars Magnus Lindgren, 1966, Dear John, 8 p.m., Schwab.
University Readers, Henry Miller, The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder, 8 p.m.,
Room 102 Kern. •'
University Theatre,ll.i\l.S. Pinafore, 8 p.m., The Playhouse. ,
Sports: men’s basketball, vs Pittsburgh, 8:10 p.m.
Phi Mu Alpha Percussion Ensemble, 8:20 p.m., Music Bldg. Recital Hall.
Meetings:
Students for PennPIRG, 7 p.m.. Room 316 Boucke.
Ag. Mech. Club, 7:30 p.m., Room 124 Ag. Engineering Bldg.
Alliance Christian Fellowship, 7:30 p.m., Room 304 HUB.
Dairy Science Club, 7:30 p.m., Room 201 Borland.
Episcopal Student Assn., 7:30 p.m., Room 317 Boucke.
Froth, 7:30p.m., Room 314 Boucke. ‘
Nittany Grotto, 7:30 p.m., Room 309 Willard.
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