If you've spent any time in the Python programming community, you've likely encountered peculiar references to spam, dead parrots, or the Spanish Inquisition. While these might seem like odd inside jokes, they actually point to the programming language's unusual namesake: the British comedy troupe Monty Python. For developers who know the language but not its comedic inspiration, this article bridges that gap, exploring how a groundbreaking comedy group from the 1960s became forever linked with one of the world's most popular programming languages.
Monty Python (officially known as Monty Python's Flying Circus) was a British comedy group formed in 1969, consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. The group created their revolutionary sketch comedy series "Monty Python's Flying Circus," which aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974, producing 45 episodes across four seasons.
What made Monty Python revolutionary was their surreal, stream-of-consciousness style that blended intellectual references with absurdist humor. Their sketches often lacked traditional punchlines, instead featuring bizarre transitions or abrupt endings. They combined highbrow references to philosophy, literature, and art with lowbrow silliness and slapstick. This intellectual yet accessible approach to comedy would later find a kindred spirit in the design philosophy of the Python programming language.
When Dutch programmer Guido van Rossum was creating a new programming language in December 1989, he was looking for a name that was short, unique, and slightly mysterious. Van Rossum, a fan of Monty Python, decided to name his creation "Python" after the comedy group, not the snake.
As he explained in a 1996 interview: "I needed a name that was short, unique, and slightly mysterious. Python was around in my head from watching reruns of the Monty Python's Flying Circus on Dutch television. The language is named after the TV show, not after the snake."
This seemingly casual naming decision would have a lasting impact on the programming language's culture and community.
For Python developers unfamiliar with Monty Python, here are some of the troupe's most famous sketches and films that frequently appear as references in Python documentation, examples, and community discussions:
The Dead Parrot Sketch
Perhaps Monty Python's most famous sketch, this involves a customer (Cleese) returning to a pet shop to complain about a parrot he just purchased, which is clearly dead, while the shopkeeper (Palin) insists it's "just resting." The sketch is renowned for its escalating absurdity and wordplay, with phrases like "this parrot is no more" and "it has ceased to be" becoming iconic.
Python developers might recognize this in documentation examples that use "parrot" variables or in discussions about handling "dead" objects or processes.
The Spam Sketch
Set in a café where every menu item contains spam (a canned meat product), this sketch features Vikings loudly singing "Spam, spam, spam, spam" repeatedly, drowning out conversation. This sketch actually gave us the modern term for unwanted email—"spam."
In Python's documentation, "spam" and "eggs" frequently appear as variable names, echoing this sketch. The Python Package Index (PyPI) used to have a package named "spam" reserved specifically for testing.
The Spanish Inquisition
A series of sketches where characters unexpectedly announce "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" followed by comically inept inquisitors struggling to list their weapons like "fear," "surprise," and "ruthless efficiency."
This pops up in Python communities as a reference to unexpected exceptions or surprising behaviors in code.
The Ministry of Silly Walks
John Cleese performs an absurdly elaborate walking style as a civil servant in a government department dedicated to developing silly walks.
The concept sometimes appears in discussions about unnecessarily complex code solutions or over-engineered features.
The Life of Brian
This 1979 film satirizes religious and political fanaticism through the story of Brian, who is mistaken for the Messiah. It includes the famous song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," sung during a crucifixion scene.
The Python community's generally optimistic approach to problem-solving sometimes references this philosophy.
Argument Clinic
A sketch where a man pays to have an argument but instead receives simple contradiction, leading to a meta-argument about the definition of an argument.
This has become relevant in Python discussions about proper debugging techniques and the difference between meaningful error messages versus simple contradictions.
Python's Cultural Inheritance
The influence of Monty Python extends beyond mere naming into the culture and style of the Python programming community:
Documentation and Examples
The Python documentation is filled with Monty Python references. Variable names like "spam," "eggs," and "cheese" appear throughout examples. The official Python tutorial contains numerous references to the group's sketches.
The Zen of Python
Type `import this` in your Python interpreter, and you'll see "The Zen of Python," a collection of 19 guiding principles for writing computer programs that captures the philosophy behind the language. Its koans like "Simple is better than complex" and "There should be one—and preferably only one—obvious way to do it" reflect both programming wisdom and, in their slightly irreverent presentation, a touch of Pythonesque humour.
Easter Eggs
Python contains several Monty Python-inspired Easter eggs. Beyond "import this," try "import antigravity" in Python 3 to see another humorous reference that opens your web browser to a specific XKCD comic about Python.
Community Spirit
The Python community has inherited some of Monty Python's irreverence and inclusivity. Python conferences (PyCons) often feature Monty Python references and occasionally even group viewings of classic sketches.
Why it Matters
Understanding these cultural references does more than help you get the jokes at Python conferences. It provides insight into the values embedded in the language itself:
- Readability and clarity are paramount (like Monty Python's intellectual humour that remained accessible)
- Humor has value in technical spaces (making learning and collaboration more enjoyable)
- Breaking conventions** can lead to innovation (as Monty Python revolutionized comedy by breaking established rules)
- Balance between seriousness and playfulness (Python is a serious tool that doesn't take itself too seriously)
The Legacy Continues
Nearly fifty years after Monty Python first aired and over thirty years since Python was created, their shared legacy continues to grow. Python has become one of the world's most popular programming languages, used for everything from web development to scientific computing, while Monty Python's influence on comedy and popular culture remains profound.
When you encounter strange references to dead parrots, spam, or lumberjacks in Python documentation, you're witnessing the intersection of two revolutionary forces: one that transformed comedy and another that continues to transform computing. This unusual pairing reminds us that creativity, irreverence, and intellectual depth can coexist—whether in comedy sketches or programming languages.
The next time you write a Python script or debug a stubborn error, remember that you're working with a language named after a comedy troupe that delighted in the absurd, challenged conventions, and found humor in the unexpected. Perhaps that's fitting for the often unpredictable journey of software development.
And if your code produces an unexpected exception? Well, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.