Norwegian Blue

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The lore of the Norwegian Blue stems from its role as a catalyst for absurdity. In the original script, the bird was nailed to its perch, yet the shopkeeper insisted it was alive. Mr. Praline attempted various methods to revive it, including banging 'Polly Parrot' on the counter. The conflict escalated through a series of euphemisms for death: 'is no more,' 'has ceased to be,' 'bereft of life,' and 'an ex-parrot.' The shopkeeper's denial led Praline to seek a refund from the proprietor's brother in Bolton, Lancashire. There, he found the exact same store, with the same man wearing a false moustache claiming the location was Ipswich. When challenged on the geography, the shopkeeper falsely claimed 'Bolton' was a palindrome for 'Ipswich,' ignoring Praline's correction that the reverse of Bolton is 'Notlob.' The sketch concludes only when a no-nonsense Colonel (Graham Chapman) bursts in to order the scene stopped.

In Their Own Story

The narrative begins with Mr. Praline entering the pet shop just as the shopkeeper prepares for lunch, complaining about his newly purchased Norwegian Blue. Despite being told the bird was dead and nailed to its perch, the shopkeeper argues it is 'pining for the fjords.' As Praline attempts to wake the bird, the shopkeeper hits the cage to make it move. The argument culminates in a famous rant where Praline lists the bird's state of non-existence. Frustrated, he travels to Bolton for a refund, only to encounter the same shopkeeper disguised as his brother, who claims to be in Ipswich. After the palindrome debate fails, the sketch is abruptly terminated by Colonel Graham Chapman. Variations of this story exist: in *And Now for Something Completely Different* (1971), it ends with the shopkeeper singing 'The Lumberjack Song.' In a live performance at Drury Lane, the shopkeeper offers a talking slug instead, to which Praline replies, 'Right, I'll have that one, then!' Another version from 1980 ended with an offer for the shopkeeper's place, while a 2006 diary entry notes Spike Milligan changing the species name to 'Arctic Grey' during a rendition in Tunisia.

Reader's Guide

To understand the Norwegian Blue, one must recognize it as the subject of a satire on denial. The bird serves no active function other than being dead; its significance lies entirely in the shopkeeper's refusal to admit this fact. Key moments include the listing of euphemisms and the geographical confusion regarding Bolton and Ipswich. Fans should note that while the TV version ends with the Colonel, live performances vary significantly. In 1976, Michael Palin broke character by bursting into laughter during the 'pining for the fjords' line, which was captured in *Pleasure at Her Majesty's*. In 1989, the sketch appeared in a modified form where the shopkeeper immediately admits the bird is dead and offers a refund. The parrot also appears in derivative works, such as *South Park* (where Kenny replaces the bird) and political speeches by Margaret Thatcher in 1990, who used the phrase 'this is an EX-party' to describe the Liberal Democrats.

Did You Know?

• The sketch was originally inspired by a 'Car Salesman' sketch from *How to Irritate People*, which was based on an actual incident where Michael Palin's car salesman had 'an excuse for everything'.
• In early drafts, the frustrated customer was trying to return a faulty toaster before Chapman decided the concept needed to be 'madder' and introduced the parrot.
• During a 2006 interview, John Cleese revealed that when he and Palin tried to remember lines for an *SNL* performance, they considered stopping a stranger on the street to ask how the sketch went because everyone seemed to have it memorized.