It's easier to jump over sea than over land Because over the sea there's simply nowhere to land

I love that Cleese's character specified that Ron would be the first to eat an Anglican cathedral. That implies that somebody out there in the Python universe has already managed to eat a Catholic or Orthodox church.

"Which has, throughout history, stirred the hearts and minds of Englishmen of all nations." Very underrated line.

As an Englishman I am outraged at the suggestion that we never see the Sun. I can categorically assure you that the Sun did make a brief appearance one afternoon last August....about 2.15pm. It lasted for at least 10 minutes!

For those who are interested: Captain Matthew Webb was an adventurer who swam the English Channel from Dover, England to Calais, France in under 22 hours in 1875.

I love the small details that probably at the time were improvised like when Terry turns away from the microphone while speaking and John having to turn him back. Always loved Terrys physical timeing

There is an art to flying, or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.

I always loved the last line: "Shh, this is satire.""No it isn't. This is zany madcap humour!"

Much as I love Luigi Vercotti, my favourite line is from Ron: "Are you sure there isn't a spade?"

Gotta give Ron credit. He is determined.

I love Michael Palin's first reaction to being 'questioned'. ☮

When I first watched this, I expected a Gilliam animation showing Obvious jumping the channel. But I thought it was hilarious how they just let Terry just jump into the cold ocean

We went to the English Channel last year and I tried this difficult task. I must say Mr. Ron Obvious made a very good attempt.

This is why I like Monty Python, even when you think you know what is going to happen you are wrong and when you are right it is still hilarious.

'Englishman of all nations' 😂😂

Gotta give Ron credit. He is determined.. Michael Palin's enthusiam in any role is hilarious..

My all time favorite monty python. Rest in peace terry jones and thank you for the laughs.

I bet this guy would have been an awesome hide and seek champion.

I love this sketch...everytime I go to church, I think about Ron pulling out his napkin and tucking into that cathedral.

"Could make him the first man ever to eat an entire Anglican cathedral." The emphasis on Anglican implies that someone has already eaten an entire Roman Catholic cathedral. XD

The adorable little musical sting at 1:29 is just so charming and fun

Michael Palin's enthusiam in any role is hilarious.

4:00 is just terrifying. My teeth are set permanently on edge by it.

We should fight for everyone to have the right to jump over the channel.

That man should start a business and devote himself to encouraging people to believe in themselves instead of trying to do impossible things 😄 OMG thank you Monty Python for everything!!

Python's comedy was so far past genius, there aren't any English words to describe it. This skit is classic Python.

Even Neo from the Matrix failed the first jump.

Ron has a positive attitude. Good for him.

Michael Palin has an awesome voice and flawless delivery

I think Ron Oblivious would be a better name.

The brick-sponsor for the channel jump killed me

As a Mercurian, I'm still waiting for Ron to arrive. It's been a while now, but only relativitly speaking.

When not performinng these amazing feats of physical and mental endurance, Ron cuts our lawn.

I just want to point out the genius of the opening of this skit. A gay man being confronted with his homosexuality, posing as a straight man, pretending to be the stereotype of a gay man as a straight man.

he'd probbably made it if he loses the bricks

i love the little french scene haha, monty python's french takes are epic

Anglican cathedrals are optimal, the stone is slightly spongy 'round the edges.

Huge Monty Python fan but somehow managed to miss this one.

I remember watching this skit the first time as a kid. I remember feeling really excited to see Ron jump across the channel and really hyped myself up for it, only to watch him just jump into the water. That was the first instance of disappointment I felt and it hooked me on that humor

"No it wasn't you fairy!" ------ "Oh hello sailor"---this said at the beginning was hilarious!

Ron's Oblivious death 45th anniversary.. [*] R.I.P. Ron [*]

I miss these guys.

"Chapman kept his sexuality a secret until 1967, although he did allude to it in some Monty Python sketches." -Wikipedia. Haha that's awesome. Genuine opening scene.

I think the emphasis on "eat" also implies someone had already chewn upon an Anglican Cathedral.

It's said "Nothing is impossible," but these feats do come rather close.

“Englishmen of all nations” and “Scott of the Antarctic” are both underrated lines

I've been lucky enough to live through both the Goon Show era, & its follow-up Monty Python.

This comedy routine reminds me a bit of America's "SuperDave", a man who also tries to achieve some dangerous (and ultimately unachievable) goal and invariably gets smashed or blown up or eviscerated until he returns again to give it another try.

As an Australian, I am outraged that my mother didn't name me Bruce!

Graham Chapman was a comic genius. Think of all the laughs we missed out on.

I love these humorous takes on the absurd existing Guinness records xD

Ron sadly failed in his attempt to eat Chichester Cathedral, but later, after further intensive training, he succeeded in devouring the Loch Ness monster. He accomplished this feat on November 19th 1974, at approximately 11.47 p.m. Lamentably, the event went unrecorded, as a storm rendered the camera inoperable, and Ron's, and his manager's subsequent claims to fame were treated as evidence of a delusional personality, and an attempt to raise funds fraudulently for Ron's next planned task, which was to drink the Dead Sea. This attempt was begun on July 6th, 1975, but tragically ended after a few short moments when Ron was overcome with nausea, later passing away due to acute salt poisoning. His manager's whereabouts are not known. Recent sightings of the Loch Ness monster have given rise to theories that Ron's story is a total fiction. This is, of course, total fiction.

Alright that's enough,it's getting silly! Absolutely the best. Terry Jones is brilliant in this.

Every morning, he gets up at 4am and runs 25 miles. No-one knows why.

I think it would have been funnier for him to ALMOST succeed at one of the things...for example, to land in the surf five feet short of the beach at Calais.

Ah, yes, I remember this well. I flew over to England to view this spectacle. Unfortunately the sun decided to hide itself halfway through his jump causing me to be unable to get a decent picture. But the excitement was impalpable.

Because truly absolutely nothing is impossible.

Funny that each goal gets grander. First he tries to jump the English Channel, then he tries to eat a cathedral, then he attempts to tunnel to Java, and then tries to run to Mercury.

Dear Terry Jones😢 Sadly missed❤

This is a rare Python scetch as its not only very funny but heart breaking'ly sad. Paul Bacchus esq

What I want to know is: Did anyone beat Ron's Channel jumping record? Even if they didn't reach the center of Calais and just the beach.

right,this is the very special and great humor of mpfc that is without a shadow of a doubt the best programme ever shown on tv

there is an epic quality about the sea, which has throughout history stirred the hearts and minds of english men of all nations"

You're right. In one sketch from "At last the 1948 show", Graham (after having been offered several items and even women from his doctor) shouts "I'm not interested in girls!". ^_^

Odd how this was posted 16 years ago but wasn't turning up in searches until now.

That 3:33 is so reminiscent of me preparing to do a road sprint on the highway over the last 10 years or so.

The English are lucky. Here in Scotland, we have only two seasons. In one, freezing blizzards howl across the dark moors. And then ... there's winter.

Yes, a request! - the singing/dancing scene with the soldiers, from 'And Now For Something Completely Different' - all I remember is a close-up of John Cleese as he sang, winking at the camera, "OOH scratch yer eyes out".

luigi vercotti is the best recurring character in the show

Furthest distance so far = 11' 6" officially. 26 miles is the objective across the channel... :)

Ron Obvious: BEST. NAME. EVER.

Thanks for uploading this! I recorded this on an audiocassette at least 35 years ago, and the episode as a whole is still one of my favourites. I'm off to look for the woman being serenaded by her lover in her bedroom as her husband watches ("It's just a trick of the light, dear"), and the Confuse A Cat service skit.

Well it’s a brave attempt,unfortunately I think the wind was against him. Anyway far more exciting than Formula One

How did no one laugh at "Englishmen of all nations?!"

Ron Obvious paved the way for subsequent greats like Super Dave Osborne, a famous Englishman of the USA. Super Dave was the first man to traverse the CN Tower, vertically, in a single step.

I remember while touring Normandy in 1989, I missed the bus,and had to long jump from St Marie Eglise to Le Harve. Just my luck, there were no cameras filming me... The good news was, there is no record of me crashing into that barn just out of Caen!!! I misjudged the wind! I was only in traction a few months.😁

Don't forget this was filmed during the mania surrounding Evel Knieval

As an Englishman and sponser of the Chippenham Brick Company I'd just like to say that sadly Nigel Winklebottom never made the jump across the channel.

I think the emphasis on "Entire" also implies someone has eaten part of an Anglican Cathedral.

As an Italian-American, I always get a kick at how the Pythons stereotype Italians as crooks...Luigi Fercotti was also with his brother when they tried to shake down Graham Chapman and the British army in another sketch

I think it would have been funny, if the last try would have been jumping the english channel from the Cliffs of Dover.

That viking has to be what the twins in how to train your dragon is based off of

"Well Hello Sailor."

Oh, gods, I LOVE Graham. He was so funny.

Far easier than anything remotely Gothic in nature. However, I would assume post Renaissance Cathedrals would be a bit easier to consume.

This is brilliant 😆😆😆😆 i love old comedy programme and film's.

I know lol but its good to know that he was not afraid to be open and funny about it

Back when men were real men. You'd scarcely find a man willing to even attempt a jump like that, these days.

I can see some parallels to what is happening in the world of today…

4:47 Ron will become a household name, just not in the way you think.....

The best humor of our lifetime

i respect a person who has the capability of not taking himself too seriously haha.

1:16 You can tell that the 1965 British switch to the metric system didn't come in time for the education of the Montey Python crew filming this in 69. Miles, indeed.

i love it when his lower lip curls in when he laughs.:)

One of my favourites 👍

As a Spaniard I am outraged (because we now are outraged too) because of the suggestion that llamas supposedly live in the Amazon river (which isn't in Spain) and have beaks. Thats ridiculous, llamas have a trunk, and they live in the Guadalquivir and Ebro rivers.

Best part... he most likely wrote all the lines!

“Hello Sailor” 🤣

Being from colwyn bay, I do regret not meeting Terry Jones RIP

Did anyone else realize luigi is the same guy from the mafia sketch?