Ron Obvious (Monty Python character)
Encyclopedia
Ron Obvious is a Monty Python
character played by Terry Jones
, appearing in a sketch in the first series episode 10. "Untitled".
In the sketch, the extremely stupid Ron Obvious, encouraged by his unscrupulous manager Luigi Vercotti (Michael Palin
), undertakes several impossible tasks for publicity, in this order:
1. Jumping the English Channel
: In the opening scene, Ron Obvious from Neepsend
is shown running along the seashore in a track and field uniform. The announcer (John Cleese
) says that Obvious hopes to become the first man to jump the Channel, in fact, landing in the center of Calais
itself. A group of Frenchmen are shown standing under a sign that reads "Fin de Cross Channel Jump" as traditional accordion music plays in the background. When asked how he plans to jump 26 miles (Obvious said that his longest jump so far is "almost 12 feet, unofficially"), he says "You see if you're five miles out over the English Channel, with nothing but sea underneath you, there is a very great impetus to stay in the air." Obvious has his passport
checked, and carrying a 56-pound bag full of brick
s (provided by the Chippenham
Brick Company, who are sponsoring the event), he sprints toward the sea and jumps, splashing into the water only a few feet from shore.
2. Eating Chichester Cathedral
: As the announcer mentions that Obvious is about to attempt to become the first man to eat an entire Anglican Cathedral, Obvious is shown brushing his teeth, putting on a bib and flexing his jaws, before biting into the corner of an old stone building and breaking his jaw.
3. Tunnelling to Java
: Vercotti shows a map illustrating the route Obvious will use while digging his way from Godalming
to Java, which should make Obvious a household name overnight. When the announcer asks him where Obvious is, after a couple of evasive answers Vercotti yells, "Ron, how far have you got?" Obvious sticks his head out of a very shallow hole and replies, "Oh, about two foot six." and inquires if there is a spade
he can use.
4. Splitting a railway carriage with his nose
: Vercotti and the announcer walk along a railroad track discussing Obvious' next endeavour, and allegations that Vercotti is exploiting him. The sound of an approaching train is heard, followed by a loud scream.
5. Running to Mercury
: Vercotti explains that once Obvious gets out of Earth
's atmosphere and is in orbit, he should be able to run straight to Mercury. Obvious, wrapped in head-to-toe bandages from his previous exploits, is shown jumping off a wooden ramp with a crutch under his left arm. The frame freezes in mid-jump, and another loud scream is heard.
6. Most time being Underground
(Deceased): The next scene shows Ron Obvious' tombstone
with the legend "Very Talented" written on it. Vercotti says that he hopes to break the world record for remaining underground.
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
character played by Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
, appearing in a sketch in the first series episode 10. "Untitled".
In the sketch, the extremely stupid Ron Obvious, encouraged by his unscrupulous manager Luigi Vercotti (Michael Palin
Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
), undertakes several impossible tasks for publicity, in this order:
1. Jumping the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
: In the opening scene, Ron Obvious from Neepsend
Neepsend
Neepsend is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it stands just north east of the city centre. The main area of Neepsend covers the flood plain of the River Don from Lady's Bridge at the Wicker up to Hillfoot Bridge...
is shown running along the seashore in a track and field uniform. The announcer (John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
) says that Obvious hopes to become the first man to jump the Channel, in fact, landing in the center of Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
itself. A group of Frenchmen are shown standing under a sign that reads "Fin de Cross Channel Jump" as traditional accordion music plays in the background. When asked how he plans to jump 26 miles (Obvious said that his longest jump so far is "almost 12 feet, unofficially"), he says "You see if you're five miles out over the English Channel, with nothing but sea underneath you, there is a very great impetus to stay in the air." Obvious has his passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
checked, and carrying a 56-pound bag full of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s (provided by the Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
Brick Company, who are sponsoring the event), he sprints toward the sea and jumps, splashing into the water only a few feet from shore.
2. Eating Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
: As the announcer mentions that Obvious is about to attempt to become the first man to eat an entire Anglican Cathedral, Obvious is shown brushing his teeth, putting on a bib and flexing his jaws, before biting into the corner of an old stone building and breaking his jaw.
3. Tunnelling to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
: Vercotti shows a map illustrating the route Obvious will use while digging his way from Godalming
Godalming
Godalming is a town and civil parish in the Waverley district of the county of Surrey, England, south of Guildford. It is built on the banks of the River Wey and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement with the towns of Joigny in France...
to Java, which should make Obvious a household name overnight. When the announcer asks him where Obvious is, after a couple of evasive answers Vercotti yells, "Ron, how far have you got?" Obvious sticks his head out of a very shallow hole and replies, "Oh, about two foot six." and inquires if there is a spade
Spade
A spade is a tool designed primarily for the purpose of digging or removing earth. Early spades were made of riven wood. After the art of metalworking was discovered, spades were made with sharper tips of metal. Before the advent of metal spades manual labor was less efficient at moving earth,...
he can use.
4. Splitting a railway carriage with his nose
Human nose
The visible part of the human nose is the protruding part of the face that bears the nostrils. The shape of the nose is determined by the ethmoid bone and the nasal septum, which consists mostly of cartilage and which separates the nostrils...
: Vercotti and the announcer walk along a railroad track discussing Obvious' next endeavour, and allegations that Vercotti is exploiting him. The sound of an approaching train is heard, followed by a loud scream.
5. Running to Mercury
Mercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
: Vercotti explains that once Obvious gets out of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's atmosphere and is in orbit, he should be able to run straight to Mercury. Obvious, wrapped in head-to-toe bandages from his previous exploits, is shown jumping off a wooden ramp with a crutch under his left arm. The frame freezes in mid-jump, and another loud scream is heard.
6. Most time being Underground
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
(Deceased): The next scene shows Ron Obvious' tombstone
Headstone
A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...
with the legend "Very Talented" written on it. Vercotti says that he hopes to break the world record for remaining underground.
External links
- "The First Man to Jump the Channel" at PythoNET