Spam (Monty Python sketch): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:05, 3 December 2021

Revision as of 20:59, 24 May 2022

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{{short description|Monty Python sketch}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=SeptemberMay 20132022}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Spam Song

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The three-and-a-half-minute sketch is set in the fictional Green Midget Cafe in [[Bromley]]. An argument develops between the waitress, who recites a menu in which nearly every dish contains Spam, and Mrs. Bun, who does not like Spam. She asks for a dish without Spam, much to the amazement of her Spam-loving husband. The waitress responds to this request with disgust. Mr. Bun offers to take her Spam instead, and asks for a dish containing a lot of Spam and [[baked beans]]. The waitress says the beans are not available; when Mr. Bun asks for a substitution of Spam, the waitress begins reading out the new dish's name.

At several points, a group of [[VikingVikings]]s in the restaurant interrupt conversations by loudly singing about Spam. The irate waitress orders them to shut up, but they resume singing more loudly. A [[Hungary|Hungarian]] tourist comes to the counter, trying to order by using a wholly inaccurate [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]/[[English language|English]] phrasebook (a reference to a [[Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook|previous sketch]]). He is rapidly escorted away by a [[Police officer|police constable]].

The sketch abruptly cuts to a historian in a [[television studio]] talking about the origin of the Vikings in the café. As he goes on, he begins to increasingly insert the word "Spam" into every sentence, and the backdrop is raised to reveal the restaurant set behind. The historian joins the Vikings in their song, and Mr. and Mrs. Bun are lifted by wires out of the scene while the singing continues. In the original televised performance, the closing credits begin to scroll with the singing still audible in the background.

==Production notes==

The sketch premiered on 15 December 1970 as the final sketch of the 25th show of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'', and the end credits for the episode were changed so every member of the crew has either Spam or some other food item from the menu added to their names. ([[Terry Jones|Spam Terry Jones]], [[Michael Palin|Michael Spam Palin]], [[John Cleese|John Spam John Spam John Spam Cleese]], [[Graham Chapman|Graham Spam Spam Spam Chapman]], [[Eric Idle|Eric Spam Egg and Chips Idle]], [[Terry Gilliam|Terry Spam Sausage Spam Egg Spam Gilliam]], etc.) The "Spam" sketch became immensely popular, and was ranked the fifth favourite Python sketch in a poll.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Dead Parrot voted top Monty Python sketch by UK public |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a583514/the-dead-parrot-voted-top-monty-python-sketch-by-uk-public/ |access-date=23 August 2019 |agencypublisher=Digital Spy}}</ref> The word "Spam" is uttered at least 132 times. The Vikings' Spam song is a parody of "The Viking Song" by [[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor]].

This sketch has also been featured in several Monty Python videos including ''[[Parrot Sketch Not Included -– 20 Years of Monty Python]]''. A [[lead sheet]] for the song appears in ''[[Monty Python's Big Red Book]]''. The DVD release of the episode contains a deliberate subtitling error. When the Hungarian tries to order food, his words are "My lower intestine is full of Spam, Egg, Spam, Bacon, Spam, Tomatoes, Spam." Yet the subtitles read "Your intestine is full of [[Spermatozoon|Sperm]]." This is a continuation of the "[[Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook]]" sketch from the same episode.<ref>All the Words, Volume Two, pp. 27–28.</ref>

The audio version of the sketch excludes the Hungarian and historian, and instead has the Vikings reaching a dramatic [[crescendo]]. The waitress, resigned to these disruptions, mutters "[[Bloody]] Vikings!" In the 2014 version of the sketch performed in ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)]]'', one of the Vikings replies "Racist bastard!" before leading the group into an operatic chorus that includes a sampling of "[[Finland (song)|Finland]]" from the team's ''[[Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album|Contractual Obligation Album]]''.

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*[[Lobster Thermidor]] aux [[Prawn|crevettes]] with a [[Mornay sauce]], garnished with [[truffle]] [[pâté]], [[brandy]] and a [[fried egg]] on top, and Spam. (Television broadcast)

:* (Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, ''served in a [[Provençal dialect|Provençale]] manner with [[Shallot|shallotsshallot]]s and [[Eggplant|aubergines]]'', garnished with truffle pâté, brandy and a fried egg on top and Spam. ([[LP record|vinyl record]])

==Impact==

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[[Spam (food)|Spam]] makers [[Hormel]], while never happy with the use of the word ''spam'' for junk email (which also happens to be derived from the sketch), have been supportive of Monty Python and their sketch. Hormel issued a special tin of Spam for the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] premiere of [[Eric Idle]]'s musical ''[[Spamalot]]'' based on ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]''. The sketch is part of the company's [[Spam Museum]] in [[Austin, Minnesota]], United States, and also mentioned in Spam's on-can advertisements for the product's 70th anniversary in 2007 – although the date of the Python sketch was incorrectly stated to be 1971 instead of 1970.<ref>{{cite news |title=SPAM 70th Low Sodium |url=http://spam.budwin.net/html/066a.html |access-date=23 August 2019 |agency=Budwin.net}}</ref>

In 2007 the company decided that such publicity was part of their corporate image, and sponsored a game where their product is strongly associated with Monty Python,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spamspamspamspam.co.uk |title=SPAM® -– Monty Python's SPAMALOT -– Play this very silly catapult game for fun! |publisher=Spamspamspamspam.co.uk |access-date=5 July 2013}}</ref> featuring a product with "Stinky French Garlic" as part of the promotion of ''Spamalot''. For the company's 75th anniversary in 2012, they introduced Sir Can-A-Lot, a knight character, appearing on the product's packaging with the phrase "Glorious SPAM®!".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spam.com/spam-101/history-of-spam|title=History of SPAM|publisher=www.spam.com|access-date=18 February 2016}}</ref>

==See also==

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{{Monty Python}}

{{Hormel}}

[[Category:Monty Python sketches]]

[[Category:Spam (food)]]