15 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’

4. About that Title

It began with “Circus”. After seeing the six-strong comedic troop prowling the studio halls, execs insisted that any show anchored around them include the word “circus” for obvious reasons. “Flying” came from the squadron of planes who backed the Red Baron, “the Flying Circus”. And Monty Python …

5. More On That Title

“Python” was suggested by John Cleese as something slithery and slimy. “Monty” was suggested by Eric Idle for its fast and loose connotations. Monty Python was a fake name chosen because it sounded like a sleazy, second-rate theatrical agent (aka, the exact kind of hack who would have brought the members of Monty Python together).

6. The Anti-Punchline

When they were developing the series, the group (obviously) looked to popular sketch shows of the day. While they revered their predecessors, they still wanted to overcome a perceived flaw of the format: the need for a finishing punchline. So, rather than try to build to a crescendo, the troop simply stopped writing a scene when they ran out of jokes. Then, one of their heroes — Spike Milligan — beat them to the punch, and the anti-punchline needed renovation.