Election Night Special

"Election Night Special" is a Monty Python sketch parodying the coverage of United Kingdom general elections, specifically the 1970 general election, on the BBC by including hectic (and downright silly) actions by the media and a range of ridiculous candidates.

This sketch was featured in Episode 19 of the Monty Python's Flying Circus TV series, which aired November 3, 1970. 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.

Throughout the sketch, the linkman (John Cleese) and other commentators appear in a fixed sequence, either giving variations on their original statement or simply repeating it, as results are coming in from various constituencies. The election is mainly contested by two major parties, the Sensible Party and the Silly Party, though third-party candidates (Slightly Silly, Very Silly) make their appearance.

The candidates and their vote totals

The sketch focuses on election results from the following three constituencies:

Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Conservative/row

Party		Candidate			Votes	%	Swing
Leicester								Sensible Party	Arthur J. Smith			30,612	48.8%	Defeat	Silly Party	Jethro Q. Walrustitty			32,108	51.2%	Hold
Total valid votes					62,720	100.0%
Luton
Sensible Party	Alan Jones			9,112	42.2%	Loss	Silly Party	Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel			12,441	57.7%	Gain	Slightly Silly Party	Kevin Phillips-Bong			0	0.0%	Pathetic Defeat
Total valid votes					21,553	100.0%
Harpenden								Sensible Party	James Walker			26,318	50.0%	Gain	Silly Party	Mr Elsie Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz			26,317	50.0%	Loss	Very Silly (Independent)	Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Umbrella Stand Jasper Wednesday (pops mouth twice) Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable (whinnying) Arthur Norman Michael (blows squeaker) Featherstone Smith (whistle) Northgot Edwards Harris (fires pistol, then 'whoop') Mason (chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff) Frampton Jones Fruitbat Gilbert (sings) 'We'll keep a welcome in the' (three shots) Williams If I Could Walk That Way Jenkin (squeaker) Tiger-drawers Pratt Thompson (sings) 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' Darcy Carter (horn) Pussycat (sings) 'Don't Sleep In The Subway' Barton Mainwaring (hoot, 'whoop') Smith			2	0.0%	Spoiler
Total valid votes					52,637	100.0%

At the end of the sketch, further results are given in short:

• Engelbert Humperdinck gains Barrow in Furness from Ann Haydon-Jones and her husband Pip.
• Arthur Negus has held Bristols. "That's not a result, that's a bit of gossip". (Bristols is rhyming slang for 'breasts': Bristol City = titty.)
• Mary Whitehouse taking Umbrage (in reaction to the previous "held Bristols").
• Wales isn't swinging at all, which "no surprise"
• Monty Python holds the Credits.

Cultural references

• Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel, here a candidate for Luton, made another appearance in the third season of Monty Python's Flying Circus, appearing in the "Spot the Looney" sketch.
• In the 1981 Crosby by-election, candidate John Desmond Dougrez-Lewis, a 22-year-old student from Hayes in Greater London, changed his name by deed poll to Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel. He received 223 votes and finished in fifth out of nine candidates, although the Returning Officer simply referred to him as "Tarquin Barrel". He later participated the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, which has some conceptual similarities with the Silly Party mentioned in the sketch.

External links

• The sketch on YouTube
• "Election Night Special" script