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Argument Clinic
"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.
After the episode's end credits have scrolled, the BBC 1 mirror globe appears on screen, while a continuity announcer (Eric Idle) introduces "five more minutes of Monty Python's Flying Circus". In the ensuing sketch, an unnamed man (Michael Palin) approaches a receptionist (Rita Davies) and says that he would like to have an argument. She directs him to a Mr. Barnard who occupies an office along the corridor. The customer enters an office in which an unnamed office worker (Graham Chapman) hurls angry insults at him. The customer says that he came into the room for an argument, causing the office worker to apologize and clarify that his office is dedicated to "abuse"; "argument" is next door. He politely sends the customer on his way before calling him a "stupid git" out of earshot.
The customer enters the next office, where Mr. Barnard (John Cleese) is seated. The customer asks if he is in the right office for an argument, to which Barnard responds that he has already told him he is. The customer disputes this, and the men begin an argumentative back-and-forth exchange. Their exchange is a very shallow one, consisting mostly of petty and contradictory "is/isn't" responses, to the point that the customer feels that he is not getting what he paid for. They then argue over the very definition of an argument until Barnard rings a bell and announces that the customer's paid time has concluded.
The customer is dissatisfied and tries to argue with Barnard over whether he really got as much time as he paid for, but he insists that he is not allowed to argue unless he is paid for another session. The man finally relents and pays more money for additional arguing time, but Barnard continues to insist that he has not paid, and another argument breaks out over that issue. He believes that he has caught Barnard in a contradiction—arguing without being paid—but Barnard counters that he could be arguing in his spare time. Frustrated, the customer storms out of the room.
He proceeds to explore other rooms in the clinic; he enters a room marked "Complaints" hoping to lodge a complaint, only to find that it is a complaint clinic in which the man in charge (Idle) is complaining about his shoes. The next office contains another man, Spreaders (Terry Jones), offering "being-hit-on-the-head lessons", which the customer finds a stupid concept. At that point a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Fox "of the Light Entertainment Police, Comedy Division, Special Flying Squad" (Chapman) intervenes and declares the two men under arrest for participating in a confusing sketch. However, a second officer, Inspector Thompson's Gazelle "of the Programme Planning Police, Light Entertainment Division, Special Flying Squad" (Idle) comes in and charges the three for "self-conscious behaviour", saying "It's so and so of the Yard" every time the police appear, and for ending a sketch by having a police officer intervene.
As he realizes that he is a part of the skit's absurdity, another policeman (Cleese) enters the room to stop Thompson's Gazelle, followed by a hairy hand stopping him, and the sketch ends. Afterwards, the globe ident appears on screen while the announcer introduces "one more minute of Monty Python's Flying Circus".
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. The sketch was typical for Cleese and Chapman's writing at the time, as it relied on verbal comedy. 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.
One line in the middle of the sketch, "An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a definite proposition" was taken almost verbatim from the Oxford English Dictionary.
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Argument Clinic
"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.
After the episode's end credits have scrolled, the BBC 1 mirror globe appears on screen, while a continuity announcer (Eric Idle) introduces "five more minutes of Monty Python's Flying Circus". In the ensuing sketch, an unnamed man (Michael Palin) approaches a receptionist (Rita Davies) and says that he would like to have an argument. She directs him to a Mr. Barnard who occupies an office along the corridor. The customer enters an office in which an unnamed office worker (Graham Chapman) hurls angry insults at him. The customer says that he came into the room for an argument, causing the office worker to apologize and clarify that his office is dedicated to "abuse"; "argument" is next door. He politely sends the customer on his way before calling him a "stupid git" out of earshot.
The customer enters the next office, where Mr. Barnard (John Cleese) is seated. The customer asks if he is in the right office for an argument, to which Barnard responds that he has already told him he is. The customer disputes this, and the men begin an argumentative back-and-forth exchange. Their exchange is a very shallow one, consisting mostly of petty and contradictory "is/isn't" responses, to the point that the customer feels that he is not getting what he paid for. They then argue over the very definition of an argument until Barnard rings a bell and announces that the customer's paid time has concluded.
The customer is dissatisfied and tries to argue with Barnard over whether he really got as much time as he paid for, but he insists that he is not allowed to argue unless he is paid for another session. The man finally relents and pays more money for additional arguing time, but Barnard continues to insist that he has not paid, and another argument breaks out over that issue. He believes that he has caught Barnard in a contradiction—arguing without being paid—but Barnard counters that he could be arguing in his spare time. Frustrated, the customer storms out of the room.
He proceeds to explore other rooms in the clinic; he enters a room marked "Complaints" hoping to lodge a complaint, only to find that it is a complaint clinic in which the man in charge (Idle) is complaining about his shoes. The next office contains another man, Spreaders (Terry Jones), offering "being-hit-on-the-head lessons", which the customer finds a stupid concept. At that point a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Fox "of the Light Entertainment Police, Comedy Division, Special Flying Squad" (Chapman) intervenes and declares the two men under arrest for participating in a confusing sketch. However, a second officer, Inspector Thompson's Gazelle "of the Programme Planning Police, Light Entertainment Division, Special Flying Squad" (Idle) comes in and charges the three for "self-conscious behaviour", saying "It's so and so of the Yard" every time the police appear, and for ending a sketch by having a police officer intervene.
As he realizes that he is a part of the skit's absurdity, another policeman (Cleese) enters the room to stop Thompson's Gazelle, followed by a hairy hand stopping him, and the sketch ends. Afterwards, the globe ident appears on screen while the announcer introduces "one more minute of Monty Python's Flying Circus".
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. The sketch was typical for Cleese and Chapman's writing at the time, as it relied on verbal comedy. 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.
One line in the middle of the sketch, "An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a definite proposition" was taken almost verbatim from the Oxford English Dictionary.