Tuesday, April 03, 2018

Better Keep Listening. There Might Be A Bit About Blessed Are The Big Noses

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of Monty Python and that LIFE OF BRIAN is one of my favorite films.

They might also know that I enjoy quoting lines from the film. Lots of lines. At almost any opportunity I can get.

And, of course, one of my fave characters to quote is Brian's Mom, Mandy.


For example, almost ANY time some says "Speak up!" I usually follow it with this (in the appropriate voices, of course):



BRIAN: Shh. Quiet Mum!
MANDY: Well, I can't hear a thing! (pause) Let's go to a stoning.
BIG NOSE: Shhhh!
BRIAN: We can go to a stoning any time.
MANDY: Oh, come on, Brian!
BIG NOSE: Will you be quiet?!
BN'S WIFE: Don't pick your nose.
BIG NOSE: I wasn't picking my nose. I was scratching it.
BN'S WIFE: You was picking it while you was talking to that lady.
BIG NOSE: I wasn't.
BN's WIFE: Leave it alone. Give it a rest!
MR. CHEEKY: Do you mind? I can't hear a word he's saying.
BN's WIFE: Don't you "do you mind" me! I was talking to my husband
MR. CHEEKY: Well go and talk to him somewhere else. I can't hear a bloody thing!
BIG NOSE: Don't you swear at my wife!
MR. CHEEKY: I was only telling her to shut up so we can hear what he's saying, Big Nose!
BN's WIFE: Don't you call my husband big nose!
MR. CHEEKY: Well, he has got a big nose.
GREGORY: Could you be quiet, please. (to Mr. Cheeky) What was that?
MR. CHEEKY: I don't know, I was too busy talking to big nose.

Life to Right (foreground characters): Big Nose, BN's Wife, Gregory, Wife of Gregory, Mr. Cheeky, Brian

.....etc, etc, etc. You might have thought this went on for a bit.

Just imagine how painful it might be for those in the room with me as I continue to ramble on, in my somewhat off impressions of each of the characters, talking about how it's so nice the meek are going to inherit the earth, because they have a hell of a time -- or about how blessed any manufacturer of dairy products will be.

For those of you, like me, who, upon the tease of those opening lines DO WANT the whole scene, complete with Mr. Cheeky continuing to egg Big Nose on, here it is below:


Given this adoration for Monty Python and LIFE OF BRIAN it's not hard to image that, whenever I need to quickly reach for a character, I'll likely pick a character from this movie.

So, when, during my Stark Reflections podcast, I started receiving Tongue Twisters from Will at Findaway Voices, I thought I might throw an additional twist into them and occasionally do them in a character voice; such as Brian's Mom, Mandy.

That's what I did in Episode 13 of the podcast. You can catch a brief clip of my version in the following video, or listen to the opening of the podcast to hear me try the tongue twister in Brian's Mum's voice (and actually swear as I screw it up)


Or, better yet, just go watch LIFE OF BRIAN again. That might be more fun, and less twistingly painful.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

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