Parrot Sketch Included: TT's Top 20 Comedy Sketches

[Daikaiju]

Or hardly anything past the last two decades.

 

[karzac]

No Kids in the Hall either.

 

[jpfriction]

Yeah it’s a tough list to get consensus on because it is so broad. Looking forward to reading through everyone’s submissions.

 

[Issun]

#1
SPIDEY N BADMAN CLAP THEM THIGHS
(YOUTUBE)

200 Points, 8 Votes, Highest Vote: Robin (#1)
​

Truly, no sketch has ever defined the art of comedy so succinctly. This unknown child actor is an exceptional straight man, as his excitement at having superheroes at his birthday party visibly turns to concern, then severe discomfort (and as we've seen on this very list, some of the best sketches use the humor of discomfort, though none as sharply as this one) as they do very un-superhero like things and it slowly dawns on this child that his special day is ruined. Sir Ian McKellan proves his comedic chops as Twerking Iron Man.

 

[pudik]

i do laugh every time i see that video. the blown out bass, the way iron man bends over, batman's smile, "can yall do the stanky leg for the birthday boy". it's art

 

[Issun]

#1
DEAD PARROT
(MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS)

125 Points, 4 Votes, Highest Vote: Adrenaline & Kirin (#1)
​

The premise of Dead Parrot is nothing special: Pet shop employee gaslights customer to avoid giving a refund (possibly, it could be that the employee is just argumentative) for a very deceased bird. This one is all in the execution, with both Michael Palin and John Cleese getting in some great lines. It never really goes anywhere, either, as part of the genius of Monty Python was that they were willing to run a sketch exactly until they felt it had reached its limit, then immediately jump to the next (as we see the segue to The Lumberjack Song at the end of this one). Shows like Robot Chicken and I Think You Should leave have used that template to varying success, but these Brits were the masters of nonsense, and every sketch but one on this list owes a debt to this troupe.

Norwegian Blues stun easily.

 

[Mogri]

I don't know if "pining for the fjords" is a household expression where you live, but it is for us.

 

[Adrenaline]

I prefer the original version of the sketch from Flying Circus, but it's still a classic.

 

[zonetrope]

I think Cheese Shop is my preferred variation on this particular Python dynamic (and it even features Cleese and Palin in the same back-and-forth). But that's splitting hairs, this is a classic for a reason.

 

[Issun]

I just want to thank everyone who participated in this thread. I love sketch comedy, and it was fun to revisit old favorites as well as see some I hadn't seen before.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite Pocket Manz in Kirin and Mogri's thread!

 

[jpfriction]

Great stuff. Here's my list. I knew my favorite sketch show wasn't going to get much love so I overloaded on it (if you haven't seen Kroll show before and have Paramount Plus, please check it out). Surprised at the relative lack of SNL, though.

Spoiler: Lot's of Kroll Show

Rank	Show	Title, click through for video		Comments
1	Kroll Show	Too much tuna- No children		I laughed so hard at John Mulaney's delivery of "do you have fucking memento disease" the first time I saw this that my wife was concerned. Can't really top that for a recommendation.
2	I think you should leave	Channel surfing / Has this ever happened to you?		You knew you were in for something special when this kicked off the first episode of this crazy show. You aren't part of the turbo team!
3	Saturday Night Live	Celebrity Jeopardy with Sean Connery, Burt Reynolds and French Stewart		First celebrity jeopardy I remember seeing and still my favorite. Norm's delivery kills it.
4	Kroll Show	Very much reluctant gigolos		Kroll show is generally a parody of reality TV but the way the sketches keep spinning off of each other is very unique. Way more continuity than you'd expect with a sketch show. Bobby Bottleservice and his adventures in the Gigolo house start here. Worth the journey.
5	Key and Peele	Substitute Teacher		Guy pronounces names funny. S' good
6	Kids in the Hall	Until proven guilty		Look at that baby faced Dave Foley! "I'd never lie under oath, not to God" is an all time great line.
7	Saturday Night Live	Lazy Sunday		First digital short? First one I remember seeing anyway. They good, everyone knows that.
8	Kroll Show	Wheels Ontario (Mikey's Sexual Education)		Top 10 are going to be Kroll show heavy. I love this show so much. This repeating sketch is a love letter to degrassi because why not.
9	I think you should leave	Baby cries		Let's make these steaks sloppy!
10	Saturday Night Live	Late night with David Letterman		Uhhh, ya got any gum? Good old Norm.
11	Kroll Show	Dead Girl town		My wife was super into shows like this. We called them all dead girl town after this sketch came out. Just a perfect title.
12	The Simpsons	Steamed Hams		I'm calling it a sketch, damn it.
13	Saturday Night Live	Sinatra group		Phil Hartman was a god damn treasure.
14	Sesame Street	Kermit and Cookie Monster and the mystery box		Silly frog, what did you think was going to happen here?
15	Saturday Night Live	Haunted Elevator		Its just a refined version of a very similar sketch in a Larry David episode a bit earlier but everyone loved it for a reason.
16	In Living Color	White White Baby		What's your real name? Robert van winkle. Why did you change it? Nothin rhymes with Winkle
17	Inside Amy Schumer	Compliments		Your tits make Katy Perry's look like the holocaust.
18	Key and Peele	The valets love Liam Neesons		I wish I loved anything as much as these valets love movie stars
19	Saturday Night Live	Sassy's Sassiest Boys		Sprechen sie sassy?
20	Portlandia	Put a bird on it		You really only need the soundbite from this one. Gets a reliable chuckle from me every time I see a bird on something.
21	Saturday Night Live	Its a date		Had to include something with Bill Hader being a sociopath game show host. Bonus points for bringing back the dick in the box guys. Best use of Justin Timberlake in media.
22	Auntie Donna's House of fun	Relatable		These guys are weird. I like them.
23	Saturday Night Live	Do it on my twin bed		So specific and accurate.
24	Saturday Night Live	Graveyard Song (Jim Carrey)		This whole episode was extremely good. That Jim Carrey kid is going places.
25	Saturday Night Live	Totino's		Just two gal pals making some pizza rolls for their boys

 

[pudik]

i didn't participate, but I do want to post what probably would have been my number one:

or the equally great

 

[Violentvixen]

This was a fun one, and very glad Monty Python made an appearance! Anyway mine:

1	SNL	Meet your Second Wife
2	Kids in the Hall	Sarcastic Guy
3	Monty Python	Silly Walks
4	SNL	Googly Eyes Gardener
5	Key &Peele	East West College Bowl
6	SNL	Thanksgiving Miracle
7	SNL	Oops I crapped my Pants
8	Monty Python	Lumberjack Song
9	SNL	Weekend Update
10	ProZD	Non-white name
11	Sarah Haskins	Yogurt
12	Monty Python	Raymond Luxury Yacht
13	Key &Peele	Anger Translator
14	Strong Bad	Techno
15	Monty Python	Argument Clinic
16	SNL	Jurassic Park Auditions
17	SNL	Ambiguously Gay Duo: Fortress of Privacy
18	SNL	Close Encounter
19	Monty Python	Fish Slapping Dance
20	ProZD	Anime character ages
21	SNL	Mary Katherine Gallagher Gang
22	IGN	First person shooter disease
23	SNL	Rise
24	SNL	Brian Fellow's Safari Planet
25	Abbott and Costello	Whos on First

 

[Torzelbaum]

16

In Living Color

White White Baby

What's your real name? Robert van winkle. Why did you change it? Nothin rhymes with Winkle

I also had this in my list at #19.

ProZD

I also had some different ProZD skits on my list.

Jordan Peele's turn to becoming possibly the best horror film maker of our time was a bit more left field

Key & Peele often mined the horror genre for comedy so I wonder how much of that was fully from Peele.

 

[Adrenaline]

Along those lines, this was my #2.

 

[Daikaiju]

And here's my list, dust in the wind...

1. Who's On First (Abbot & Costello)
2. The Dead Parrot Sketch (Monty Python)
3. Boot to the Head (The Frantics)
4. Tale Of Sir Galahad (MP & The Holy Grail)
5. How to not be Seen (Monty Python)
6. More Cowbell (SNL)
7. Mom Liked You Best! (Smothers Brothers)
8. The Dentist (Carol Burnett Show)
9. Grover the Waiter (Sesame Street)
10. The Bunny Wabbits Is Coming! (US Acres)
11. The Viper (G.I. Joe ARH)
12. Krusty Krab Training Video (Spongebob Squarepants)
13. Out of Reach (Star Wars:Blips)
14. The Final LeBlanc Sketch (Jack Benny)
15. Sleeping Beauty (Fractured Fairy Tales)
16. Tomorrow (Muppet Show)
17. Everyday French with Pierre Escargot (All That)
18. Oldest Man in the World (Mel Brooks & Carl Reiner)

 

[JBear]

I'm going to resist the urge to embed all of mine, because I know they'd get more views that way, but I don't want to spam the thread. I'm happy to see both Amy Schumer and Youtube-original content on the lists above, as both featured on mine:

1. Gravy Boat Lighthouse (Conan O'Brian)
2. Gun Genie (Picnicface)
3. It's not Jackie Chan (Tim & Eric)
4. Adventure Call (Limmy's Show) - This is a link to a playlist, and I highly recommend the whole thing. It's a series of sketches from a Scottish comedian about a paid call-in show where callers are playing a choose-your-own-adventure fantasy game hosted by a costumed GM. "Ye cannae get the troll."
5. Rise to the Challenge (Human Giant) - A self-help video intended only for CEOs who already have the power to levitate by screaming. Fuck I wish I could link this one*.
6. The Green Clarinet (Mitchell & Webb) - My fave M&W sketch is about a magic clarinet that forces people to share secrets. It goes places.
7. Osama Bin Diesel (Human Giant) - A very unapologetically stupid Human Giant sketch about the actor Vin Diesel being bitten by a radioactive Osama Bin Laden and then explaining this ludicrous premise, at length, over and over.
8. Are we the Baddies? (Mitchell & Webb)
9. What Going Back to the 90s Would Actually Be Like (CollegeHumor) - I don't want to spoil this one, but suffice to say that a fun premise takes a turn.
10. Drugs, Drugs, Drugs (LoadingReadyRun) - A fun sketch about a police officer giving a deranged version of the drug talk to a high school class.
11. Football Town Nights (Inside Amy Schumer) - This was the sketch that first put Amy Schumer's sketch show on the map for me, a send-up of Friday Night Lights that deals with sexual violence in football.
12. Substitute Teacher (Key & Peele)
13. Balloon Cops (Human Giant) - Another unapologetically stupid Human Giant sketch, this time about police officers the ineffectually pursue criminals in a hot-air balloon driven by an over-the-top carnival barker.
14. Say "Fine" to the Shirt (Inside Amy Schumer) - Another hilarious parody of a TV show, this time it's Say Yes to the Dress, but it's women choosing T-shirts for their terrible disinterested boyfriends.
15. The Problem with Jeggings (CollegeHumor) - A school teacher tries to enforce the school dress code in the face of an escalating series of increasingly improbably revealing outfits.
16. The Missionary 2 (LoadingReadyRun) - If you click on only on entry in my list, make it this one, because it's only 20 seconds long, consisting of just a short, clever joke with perfect delivery.
17. Girl Drink Drunk (Kids in the Hall) - In this sketch, Dave Foley plays me.
18. D&D Sketch (Dead Alewives) - Everybody has heard this one before. It's the D&D sketch. I first ran into it as an extra in PS2 launch title Summoner.
19. Better Roots (W/ Bob & David) - A hilarious sketch about an ill-advised effort to update Roots by sanding off the rough edges, where the rough edges include depicting the realities of slavery.
20. The Killer Joke (Monty Python's Flying Circus) - What if jokes could actually kill? An oldie but a goodie.
21. Numberwang (Mitchell & Webb) - Another playlist link, this one to a series of M&W sketches about a game show about numbers that makes no sense. That's Numberwang!
22. Head Crusher (Kids in the Hall) - Hey, you know that things that kids do where they pretend to crush people with their fingers using the magic of perspective. It's that.
23. Celebrity Jeopardy (SNL) - These have always been my favourite SNL sketches. I could listen to fake Sean Connery play off straight man fake Alex Trebek all day.
24. Space Lords (Human Giant) - What if the bad guys from Superman 2 worked in a fast food joint?
25. Mr. Hilter and the North Minehead By-election (Monty Python's Flying Circus) - Not linking this one, since none of the available clips are cut how I'd like, but the idea that Hitler would run for local office in Britain is very funny.

*I wasn't able to include links to sketches from my favourite sketch comedy show, Human Giant, since that show was eradicated from the internet years ago in a similar manner to the recent Time Warner HBO Max culling. I'm glad I still have the DVDs!

One of my worst hit rates in a while, but I guess that's to be expected with an abbreviated list. I'm surprised that Celebrity Jeopardy didn't rank, but honestly kind of happy about it, since it's a pretty boring pick.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Dead Parrot is a classic but so much so I don't think I can laugh at it anymore... or at least not without taking a break. It's brilliant but familiarity with sketches is tricky because for me it's often the smaller details are what make it. When I get some space, I'll forget the details and remember the premise and then it will be alive again.

Awesome list! This was a lot of fun.

Here's my list.

1. Monster Mash (Mr. Show)
2. Lie Detector (Mr. Show) - Mr. Show was all about mocking conventional comedy but they could do a classically structured sketch, like this one were a lie detector test inadvertantly reveals someone to be the most interesting person in the world. Also, I'm so used to Paul F. Tompkins being a smooth looking motherfucker, I forgot he used to look like every third character actor.
3. Pre-Taped Call-In Show (Mr. Show)
4. Skinner and the Superintendent AKA Steamed Hams (The Simpsons)
5. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer (Saturday Night Live) - Phil Hartman killed it but the joke is beyond the premise, it's that the unfrozen caveman lawyer pretends he's a man of the ancient people but he's an 80s Gordon Gecko style sleaze ball. A neanderthal Saul Goodman. But even more than that is my favourite thing; the non-sequitor sponsors. It's a shame I can't find the second one. "Brought to you by a square acre of Earthworms. What you do with them is up to you.
6. Citizen Kane (Kids in the Hall) - I've been both characters in my life...
7. Mayostard / Mustardayonnaise / Mustmayostardayonnaise (Mr. Show) - This is a great sketch series with ridiculous commercials... but it's so weird to see Jay Johnston, insurrectionist, as a gun-toting Lincoln in the second of the three. But it's like three great sketches that tell one weird story of food innovation.
8. Oscar Wilde and Friends (Monty Python’s Flying Circus) I never disliked on it but I've slowly grown to appreciate the game of this one more and more. Seems like it would make for a fun improv game.
9. Happy Fun Ball (Saturday Night Live) - I love this commercial very quickly swerving into cosmic horror.
10. Better Roots (w/ Bob and David) - I love it the same reason JBear does but my favourite part isn't the political commentary, it's the meta detail of the weird end credits decision which culminates a great bit. But many, it's kind of terrifying that this sketch is kind of ever green. "You know nothing about nothing to talk to nobody no-how, is that it?"
11. Diner Wink (I Think You Should Leave) Diner Wink is funny but if anything it lives in my head because it is also kind of sad and sweet as a guy hi-jacks a dad's white lie to build a fantasy life for himself. It came at the right time; after Bob Odenkirk had that health scare, everyone latched onto this, demonstrating the actors strength.
12. Blowing Up the Moon (Mr. Show) - I love this one and while I feel their is social commentary on completely pointless things to get excited about but I just love the goofiness.
13. Hard Day (Kids in the Hall) - Fuck, David and Kevin are such a perfect comedy team. I love that Kevin likes to be a weirdly over the top straight man while David is a weirdo who has a "normal" cadence. "Look I didn't take this job to win any popularity contests." "OH YOU HAVEN'T!"
14. Skoora the Gentle Shark (The Kids in the Hall) - The Kids don't often get to use all it's players in one sketch and it's not often to use them to this great effect. "I reached Woodstock on the second day of the Festival. Janice was in all her glory!"
15. Dead Parrot (Monty Python’s Flying Circus)
16. Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python’s Flying Circus) - If there's something I love, it's villains who are not only ineffectual, they are accidentally helpful.
17. It’s Not Jackie Chan (Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job!)
18. The Day That Robert Palins Murdered Me (I Think You Should Leave)
19. Are We the Baddies? (That Mitchel and Webb Look)
20. Gun Genie (Picnicface)
21. Continental Breakfast (Key and Peele) I also love characters getting way too excited about the banal and I love taking the idea of a fancy sounding continental breakfast and making someone enjoy it as if it was the most sublime treat.0
22. It’s a Teardown (Comedy Bang Bang) - There's a big punchline it leads too but it's less of a sketch focused on a single premise and felt more like an excuse for 1) weird little jokes and 2) Scott Aukerman's love of terrible jokes, like his character having one joke that he refuses to deviate from. "Do you jack off to this or something?"
23. Space Lords (Human Giant) - Turns out making love on the son has it's disadvantages
24. Gravy Boat Lighthouse (Conan)
25. Law School (Mr. Show) - Putting aside the fun coincidence to two of Better Call Saul's big lawyers discussing law, but this is all a fun play on lecture cliches in film and TV with a Twilight Zone twist. I don't know if this is a Paul F Tompkins written sketch but it feels like one of his.

 

[Violentvixen]

Ah crap I completely forgot about Amy Schumer's show.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Yeah, me too. Football Town Nights is brilliant and dark and also funny drinks.

 

[Kirin]

I prefer the original version of the sketch from Flying Circus, but it's still a classic.

Yeah agreed, I much prefer Cleese’s delivery in the TV version. Which seems to be scrubbed from YouTube, but theres a copy here:

 

[Violentvixen]

Also I think the thread title got updated? Good job.

 

[Daikaiju]

I know I had some deep picks, but I honestly didn't expect to get this few onto the list.

 

[JBear]

Yeah agreed, I much prefer Cleese’s delivery in the TV version. Which seems to be scrubbed from YouTube, but theres a copy here:

Yeah, this explains a lot. I re-watched all of my sketches before voting, and decided that that one wasn't as funny as I remembered it to be and so left it off; I didn't realize there were two versions.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I'm more familiar with the film, which aired a lot on A&E (remember that channel?) along with Holy Grail. The film was basically a greatest hits were they redid the classics, if you haven't seen it.

BTW, JBear pointed out a great Mr. Show one that neither of us included.

 

[JBear]

I watched every episode of Flying Circus on television, but I don't recall a film (I mean, other than their actual film films, like Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and Meaning of Life).

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Their first film where they re-enacted their big sketches and re-animated their cartoon segments was called "And Now For Something Completely Different."

 

[Rascally Badger]

I had the following sketch at number 7, which was way too high, but I was hoping someone else agreed with me and I really just wanted to get the song stuck in as many people's heads as possible.

 

[Daikaiju]

For your belated consideration...