Mother Talkers :: Rants and Raves on Modern Motherhood

Fifty Greatest Comedy Sketches

by Rachel

Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 03:04:12 PM PDT

It's the weekend. I'm feeling giddy. And Nerve.com have put out an article called The 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches of All Time. Complete with clips from various sources. Hooray!

Consider the list - SNL, Monty Python, French & Saunders, Kids in the Hall and treasure the best that Anglo-American comedy can produce. My favorite five on the list, in no particular order of preference:

The Monty Python stuff - Spanish Inquisition, Ministry of Silly Walks, Dead Parrot... can't go wrong; Celebrity Jeopardy, SNL. Darryl Hammond's Sean Connery imitation? Priceless! "Then I'm cock of the walk!"

I'm a bit miffed that there's not more stuff from Gilda Radner's SNL period - the lady was a comic genius. But all in all, not bad. So ladies, what are your top five favorite comedy sketches? Any that this article missed? Enjoy a good belly laugh and happy weekend!

Tags: humor, comedy shows, Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, French and Saunders, SNL, laugh out loud (all tags)

fun (0 / 0)
I'm a longtime SNL watcher (yes, I STILL watch!). This list had some great ones. Some of my faves:
1. Chris Farley auditions to be a Chippendale's dancer
1. I'm Rick James, bitch! (Chapelle's Show)
1. hhmmm...this is a toss-up between "Eddie Murphy goes undercover as a white man" and "Prose and Cons", in which Eddie Murphy played a prisoner reciting a dramatic poem he wrote. I was just a kid, but I remember being in hysterics at Murphy's deadpan delivery.
by Erika on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 03:25:53 PM PDT
- Chris Farley, yes!! (0 / 0)
  
  Isn't that the one with Patrick Swazye? God yes, that's so damn funny! And Swazye had this great coming timing where he was totally "omg, this guy is so sexy", right?
  
  The Race Draft from the Chapelle Show was really funny too. I haven't seen the Chapelle Show (damn these itnernational moves.) Asians claim Wu Tang Clan - "kunichewa, b*tches!"
  
  by Rachel on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 03:53:42 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
  - yup, Swayze's there (0 / 0)
    
    Rocking a mean mullet. And Farley shows some serious butt crack. Priceless!
    
    by Erika on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:09:30 PM PDT
    
    [ Parent ]
    - I remember - the physical comedy was unbelievable (0 / 0)
      
      Swayze all ripped and executing a perfect pirouette, Farley and his perfectly round, saggy belly rocking it out. OMG.
      
      by Rachel on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:14:12 PM PDT
      
      [ Parent ]
- Alec Baldwin (0 / 0)
  
  on SNL doing the "schwetty weiners" and "schwetty balls"
  
  Also the "Jeopardy" skits.
  
  by tjb22 on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:24:04 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
  - never understood (0 / 0)
    
    why it took so long for networks to understand that the man has great comedy. Why has he never been given a comedic movie role?
    
    by Rachel on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:27:41 PM PDT
    
    [ Parent ]
    - Have you watched 30 Rock? (0 / 0)
      
      Baldwin is a comedic genius.
      
      by Erika on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:33:34 PM PDT
      
      [ Parent ]
      - we've just started getting them (0 / 0)
        
        in Oz - and god, he's funny!
        
        by Rachel on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:02:00 PM PDT
        
        [ Parent ]
      - How about the time... (0 / 0)
        
        he came out on Saturday Night Live and was carpooling with Kristin Wiig.
        
        "Bobby McFarren raped my grandmother..."
        
        by gloria on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 06:58:48 PM PDT
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        I LOVE that one (0 / 0)
        
        and wish NBC would put the video of it online.
        
        Another of my Alec Baldwin favorites is with Adam Sandler -- Canteen Boy and the Scoutmaster. That's what I think of every time I see grown men in Scout uniforms....
        
        by Lisa in Austin on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 04:55:00 AM PDT
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        Celine Dion saved my life! (0 / 0)
        
        by Erika on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 08:18:38 AM PDT
        
        [ Parent ]
All those are good, Erika (0 / 0)

And my favorite ... of all time ... is Gilda Radner. Most specifically, Emily Litella. It REALLY makes me mad that SNL won't allow it on the internet! Just one. Grrrrrr.

And Eddie Murphy, as Mr. Rogers. Too funny.

by Shell on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 03:47:50 PM PDT
- and Eddie Murphy as James Brown... (0 / 0)
  
  He was brilliant back then, no matter what he did!
  
  by Erika on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:10:16 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
  - Hot Tub! (0 / 0)
    
    Hysterical!
    
    by Shell on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:31:59 PM PDT
    
    [ Parent ]
    - Ow! (0 / 0)
      
      Too hot in the hot tub!
      
      by sangfroid on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 07:12:06 PM PDT
      
      [ Parent ]
- Rosanna Rosanna Danna (0 / 0)
  
  Just goes to show you, its always something!
  
  by tjb22 on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:25:04 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
- Yes!! (0 / 0)
  
  I LOVE Emily Litella. "Oooohh...well that's different. Never mind."
  
  by gloria on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 06:51:29 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
there were a few entries from Dave Chapelle (0 / 0)

But where, oh where, was the blind KKK speaker who'd never been told he was black? Or Eddie Murphy's brother plays basketball against Prince?

More Cowbell gets me every time. But I was surprised to not see the Bass-O-Matic.

by lyn on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:07:00 PM PDT
- Pssst... (0 / 0)
  
  (Bass-O-Matic is #13. :)
  
  by Annora on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 10:47:27 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
ok, I may be (0 / 0)

dating myself here, but Johnny Carson had some of the most hilarious moments in television. I have the best of Johnny Carson on DVDs and they are priceless. The one where the marmoset crawled up on Johnny's head while his guest was that famous animal handler - Joan somebody; or the tomahawk being thrown and landing square in the crotch on the illustrated outline of a man was way too funny. I guess technically they weren't "comedy sketches" that were just spontaneous comedic moments -- I need to watch those again. He was one in way more than a million.

karen

by karen m on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:12:48 PM PDT
The dead parrot is a classic (0 / 0)

and one of my favorites.

karen

by karen m on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:22:18 PM PDT
This is why I like MTers (0 / 0)

You share my superb taste in comedy. Schwetty Balls, Cowbells, Rick James, bitch. Good stuff.

"Is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a bitch?"

Thanks, Rachel!

by coobert on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 06:44:51 PM PDT
How about... (0 / 0)

"Dick in a Box" with Andy Samburg and Justin Timberlake. Classic.

by gloria on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 06:59:12 PM PDT
- Oh!! (0 / 0)
  
  and Natalie Portman's gangsta rap!! Another classic.
  
  Guys: "We love you Natalie!"
  Natalie: "I wanna f*ck you too!!"
  
  by gloria on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 07:00:17 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
  - Digital shorts are great (0 / 0)
    
    I love the Chronicles of Narnia rap, "Lazy Sunday."
    
    Or Andy Samburg's twisted love song to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, "Iran So Far Away." I think I might have shed a tear over that one.
    
    by sangfroid on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 07:17:10 PM PDT
    
    [ Parent ]
- So wrong (0 / 0)
  
  and yet, so funny.
  
  by coobert on Sun Apr 13, 2008 at 11:53:44 AM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
#10 baby (0 / 0)

"Synchronized Swimming"

Martin Short and Harry Shearer in the prototypical Christopher Guest-type mockumentary. It's not often you remember where you were when you saw a sketch, but I remember being with my best friend, in her living room, eating peanut butter and saltines, and drinking that new fangled soda, Diet Coke. I laughed so hard it came out my nose.

by sangfroid on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 07:23:50 PM PDT
- Ah yes!!! (0 / 0)
  
  I remember that one!
  
  Chris Guess: "We dig a hole...that's ok, wear knee pads next time."
  
  Martin Short: "I'm not that strong a swimmer."
  
  Great!
  
  by gloria on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 07:32:13 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
kids in the hall (0 / 0)

-girl drink drunk.
-"i'm crushing your head!"
-many many more which escape me, it's been so long since they've been on

by stellasmomma on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 05:18:15 AM PDT
Rachel, thanks for sharing this! (0 / 0)

Such a wonderful way to burn some time! I've been going to the site on and off since last night.

by mkkendrick on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 06:19:21 AM PDT
Wow! (0 / 0)

Those just about cover it! I'm a huge fan of Dave Chappelle's. He can say just about anything and I'll be laughing. Same with David Cross... I still watch old Mr. Show episodes when they are on HBO.

I grew up watching Monty Python, so anything of theirs is high on my list. I love their movies... The Meaning of Life and The Life of Brian are two of my faves.

American Son ~ Wes Clark

by 1plain1peanut on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 06:28:11 AM PDT
- My father (0 / 0)
  
  ... who died 7 years ago, and would be 100 today, if alive, LOVED Monty Python. He watched it all the time. (And he wasn't senile either! Hahaha)
  
  by Shell on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 11:40:36 AM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
  - Mine too... (0 / 0)
    
    both my mom and dad loved Python. We watched it on PBS when we were kids. Good stuff!
    
    American Son ~ Wes Clark
    
    by 1plain1peanut on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 04:52:00 PM PDT
    
    [ Parent ]
- he's not the Messiah (0 / 0)
  
  he's a very cheeky boy!
  
  by Rachel on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 03:17:16 PM PDT
  
  [ Parent ]
  - Cheer up, Brian. (0 / 0)
    
    You know what they say: some things in live are bad. They can really make you mad. Other things just make you swear and curse. When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble; give a whistle, and this'll help things turn out for the best. And... always look on the bright side of life...
    
    American Son ~ Wes Clark
    
    by 1plain1peanut on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 04:51:05 PM PDT
    
    [ Parent ]
    - We are all individuals! (0 / 0)
      
      (I'm not!)
      
      Katherine
      
      by pat of butter in a sea of grits on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 11:20:49 AM PDT
      
      [ Parent ]

Permalink | 36 comments

Fifty Greatest Comedy Sketches

by Rachel

Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 03:04:12 PM PDT

Daily Kos Help

fun (0 / 0)

Chris Farley, yes!! (0 / 0)

yup, Swayze's there (0 / 0)

I remember - the physical comedy was unbelievable (0 / 0)

Alec Baldwin (0 / 0)

never understood (0 / 0)

Have you watched 30 Rock? (0 / 0)

we've just started getting them (0 / 0)

How about the time... (0 / 0)

I LOVE that one (0 / 0)

Celine Dion saved my life! (0 / 0)

All those are good, Erika (0 / 0)

and Eddie Murphy as James Brown... (0 / 0)

Hot Tub! (0 / 0)

Ow! (0 / 0)

Rosanna Rosanna Danna (0 / 0)

Yes!! (0 / 0)

there were a few entries from Dave Chapelle (0 / 0)

Pssst... (0 / 0)

ok, I may be (0 / 0)

The dead parrot is a classic (0 / 0)

This is why I like MTers (0 / 0)

How about... (0 / 0)

Oh!! (0 / 0)

Digital shorts are great (0 / 0)

So wrong (0 / 0)

#10 baby (0 / 0)

Ah yes!!! (0 / 0)

kids in the hall (0 / 0)

Rachel, thanks for sharing this! (0 / 0)

Wow! (0 / 0)

My father (0 / 0)

Mine too... (0 / 0)

he's not the Messiah (0 / 0)

Cheer up, Brian. (0 / 0)

We are all individuals! (0 / 0)

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