Argument Clinic

Argument Clinic

A scene from the sketch

A scene from the original television broadcast
Writers John Cleese
Graham Chapman
Actors Michael Palin
John Cleese
Graham Chapman
Eric Idle
Terry Jones
Rita Davies
Carol Cleveland
Dawn French
Chris Langham
First appearance "The Money Programme" (2 November 1972)[1]

Argument Clinic is a sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman. The sketch was originally broadcast as part of the television series and has subsequently been performed live by the group. It relies heavily on wordplay and dialogue, and has been used as an example of how language works.

Plot

Michael Palin pays a receptionist (played by Rita Davies) to have a five-minute argument. The receptionist directs him to Chapman's room, but when he walks in, Chapman hurls abuse at him. Palin interrupts, saying he wants an argument, not abuse, and Chapman apologises, directing him to another room. As Palin leaves, Chapman calls him a "stupid git".[2]

Palin then enters Cleese's room, where Cleese immediately starts an argument, claiming that Palin has already been told that it is the right room. The argument is petty, and consists primarily of the two men contradicting each other. Eventually, Cleese rings a bell signifying the end of the argument, and after Palin pays for another five minutes, Cleese claims that he hasn't. Palin leaves in frustration.[2]

Palin enters another room to file a complaint, but the man inside the room (Eric Idle) instead complains to Palin about his shoes, his hurt back, the weather, the pointlessness of complaining and how he's "sick and tired of this office". Next, Palin enters yet another room where another man (Terry Jones) hits Palin on the head with a large mallet. When Palin tells Jones to stop hitting him, Jones explains that this is the room for "being-hit-on-the-head lessons", to which Palin responds, "What a stupid concept."

The sketch is interrupted by Inspector Flying Fox of the Yard (Chapman), who charges the two men for violating "Section 21 of the Strange Sketch Act" and hits both of them on the head with his truncheon. Inspector Thomson's Gazelle (Idle) then enters and hits all three men on the head with his truncheon. Gazelle announces that he is arresting the entire show on three counts: violating the "Not In Front of the Children Act", actors saying "It's so-and-so of the Yard" every time the "fuzz" arrives, and violating the "Getting Out of Sketches Without Using a Proper Punchline Act" by ending every sketch simply with the arrival of a policeman. Just as Gazelle finishes reading the charges, he realizes that he's contributing to ending the sketch without a proper punchline, prompting another Inspector (Cleese) to arrive and arrest him. Yet another Inspector appears to arrest this third Inspector and the sketch ends with a smash cut to a "The End" title card.

Writing

The sketch parodies modern consumer culture, implying that anything can be purchased, even absurd things such as arguing, abuse, or being hit over the head.[3] The sketch was typical for Cleese and Chapman's writing at the time, as it relied on verbal comedy.[4] Python author Darl Larsen believes the sketch was influenced by music hall and radio comedy, particularly that of the Goons, and notes that there is little camera movement during the original television recording.[3]

One line in the middle of the sketch, "An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition" was taken almost verbatim from the Oxford English Dictionary.[3]

Performances

The sketch originally appeared in the 29th episode of the original television series, entitled "The Money Programme",[5] and was released (in audio only) on the LP Monty Python's Previous Record, on Charisma Records in 1972.[6]

The sketch was subsequently performed live at the Hollywood Bowl in September 1980, which was filmed and released as Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl.[7] The sketch features the discussion with the receptionist (played here by Carol Cleveland), the abuse from Chapman, and most of the argument between Cleese and Palin. It is then ended abruptly by the entrance of Terry Gilliam, on wires, singing "I've Got Two Legs".[8] A further live performance occurred in 1989 at the Secret Policeman's Ball, where Cleveland and Chapman's roles were replaced by Dawn French and Chris Langham. This performance was subsequently released on DVD.[9] The sketch was performed again in July 2014 during Monty Python Live (Mostly), with Terry Jones filling in for Chapman's role and Gilliam reprising "I've Got Two Legs".[10]

Cultural references

The sketch has been frequently used as an example of how not to argue, because, as Palin's character notes, it contains little more than ad hominem attacks and contradiction,[11] and does not contribute to critical thinking.[12] It has also been described as a "classical case in point" of dialogue where two parties are unwilling to co-operate,[13] and as an example of flawed logic, since Palin is attempting to argue that Cleese is not arguing with him.[14]

The text of the argument has been presented as a good example of the workings of English grammar, where sentences can be reduced to simple subject/verb pairs.[15] It has been included as an example of analysing English in school textbooks.[1] The sketch has become popular with philosophy students, who note that arguing is "all we are good at", and wonder about the intellectual exercise one could get from paying for a professional quality debate.[16]

See also

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 Mullany, Louise; Stockwell, Peter (2010). Introducing English Language: A Resource Book for Students. Routledge. p. 175. ISBN 9780203858110.
  2. 1 2 Monty Python (1989). The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: All the Words, Volume 2. Pantheon Books. p. 86. ISBN 9780679726487.
  3. 1 2 3 Larsen 2008, p. 376.
  4. ↑ Berman, Garry (2011). Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to The Office. Taylor Trade Publications. p. 18. ISBN 9781589795662.
  5. ↑ Brighouse 2013, p. 50.
  6. ↑ McCall, Douglas. Monty Python: a chronological listing of the troupe's creative output, and articles and reviews about them, 1969-1989. McFarland. p. 60. ISBN 9780899505596.
  7. ↑ Canby, Vincent (25 June 1982). "'Python' in Hollywood". New York Times. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  8. ↑ McCall, Douglas (2013). Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969-2012. McFarland. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-786-47811-8.
  9. ↑ "The Secret Policemens Balls". Read Express. The Washington Post Company. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  10. ↑ Cavendish, Dominic (2 July 2014). "The (almost) definitive guide to Monty Python Live (Mostly)". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  11. ↑ Polski, Margaret (2008). Wired for Survival: The Rational (and Irrational) Choices We Make, from the Gas Pump to Terrorism. FT Press. p. 50. ISBN 9780138140595.
  12. ↑ Staley, Constance; Staley, Steve (2011). FOCUS on College and Career Success. Cengage Learning. pp. 109–110. ISBN 9781439083901.
  13. ↑ Beun, Robbert-Jan; Baker, Michael; Reiner, Miriam, eds. (1995). Dialogue and Instruction: Modelling Interaction in Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Springer. p. 22. ISBN 9783540588344.
  14. ↑ Falzon, Christopher (2007). Philosophy Goes to the Movies: An Introduction to Philosophy. Routledge. p. 218. ISBN 9780415357258.
  15. ↑ Fontaine, Lise (2012). Analysing English Grammar: A Systemic Functional Introduction. Cambridge University Press. p. 115. ISBN 9780521190664.
  16. ↑ Brighouse 2013, p. 52.
Sources

External links

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