Election Night Special

Election Night Special
Series	2
Episode	It's a Living
Previous	Marriage Registry Office

Election Night Special is a sketch that appears in "It's a Living," the nineteenth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

It parodies the coverage of United Kingdom general elections, specifically the United Kingdom general election, 1970 on the BBC by including hectic (and downright silly) actions by the media and a range of ridiculous candidates. A somewhat different version of the sketch (leading into The Lumberjack Song) was also featured on the Monty Python Live at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane album.

Synopsis

Throughout the sketch, the Linkman (John Cleese) excitedly reports the results of the elections in Leicester, Luton, Harpenden, and other municipalities, such as Engelbert Humperdinck taking Barrow and Furness. Usually the two Two-party system are the Sensible Party and the Silly Party, though occasional Third party candidates (Slightly Silly, Very Silly) make their appearance.

The candidates and their numbers

Leicester:

• Arthur J. Smith (SENSIBLE) - 30,612
• Jethro Q. Walrustitty (SILLY) - 32,108

Luton:

• Alan Jones (SENSIBLE) - 9,112
• Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel (SILLY) - 12,441
• Kevin Phillips-Bong (SLIGHTLY SILLY) - 0 (naught)

Harpenden:

• Mr Elsie Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (SILLY) - 26,317
• James Walker (SENSIBLE) - 26,318
• Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Umbrella Stand Jasper Wednesday (pops mouth twice) Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable (sound effect of horse whinnying) Arthur Norman Michael (blows squeaker) Featherstone Smith (blows whistle) Northgot Edwards Harris (fires pistol, then 'whoop') Mason (chuff-chuff-chuff) Frampton Jones Fruitbat Gilbert (sings) 'We'll keep a welcome in the' (three shots, stops singing) Williams If I Could Walk That Way Jenkin (squeaker) Tiger-drawers Pratt Thompson (sings) 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' Darcy Carter (horn) Pussycat 'Don't Sleep In The Subway' Barton Mainwaring (hoot, 'whoop') Smith (VERY SILLY) - 2

Other results:

• Engelbert Humperdinck gains Barrow and Furness from Ann Haydon-Jones and her husband Pip.
• Mary Whitehouse taking Umbrage, which the presenter claims will cause a bit of trouble.
• Not a result as such, but Arthur Negus holds Bristols. (Bristol is a city, bristols is slang for breasts.)
• Wales isn't Swing at all; no surprises there according to the presenter.
• Monty Python holds the Movie credits, which then start.

Notes

1. Among other changes: The live version at Drury Lane gave a much shorter name to the Very Silly candidate in Harpenden and changed some of the first syllables of Tarquin's surname, making it Fin-tim-lim-bim-(brief pause)lim-bim-bim-bim-bim. Sensible Candidate James Walker became Jeannette Walker, and Silly Candidate Jethro Q. Walrustitty was referred to as Jethro Q. Bunn Whackett Buzzard Stubble and Boot Walrustitty ("Bun, Whacket, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot" was an early name considered for what became "Monty Python."). Elsie Zzzzzzzzzzzz was also referred to as Mrs rather than Mr

• The changed name for the aforementioned Very Silly candidate was "Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Blackpool Rock Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable Brrroooo Norman Michael (rings bell) (blows whistle) Edward (sounds car horn) (does train impersonation) (sounds buzzer) Thomas Moo... (sings) "We'll keep a welcome in the..." (fires gun) William (sound of Whoopee whistle) "Raindrops keep falling on my" (weird noise) "Don't sleep in the subway" (cuckoo cuckoo) Naaoooo... Smith."

• Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel later made another appearance in the third season's Spot the Looney sketch.
• The line "Arthur Negus has held Bristols. That's not a result, that's a bit of gossip" is based on the fact that in Cockney rhyming slang, "Bristols" means breasts: "Bristol City" rhymes with "titties."

External links

• "Election Night Special" script