How to Irritate People

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218]

One of the internet’s hottest items of late is the Virgin Airlines Complaint Letter, which has been described as “the best complaint letter of all time.” (thanks Eric) I have to agree it’s the best I’ve ever seen.

I’m always looking at more effective ways of complaining because of the increasing rudeness in society, so I decided to watch the John Cleese / Graham Chapman production of “How to Irritate People,” so I could get a different perspective.

First I read the liner notes. The program was produced in 1968, before the days of Monty Python. It contains several sketches, including “The Car Salesman,” which was the prototype for the classic “The Dead Parrot.” (above)

“How to Irritate People” is described as a “master class in demonstrating insincerity, inefficiency, and all-around rude behavior … to help people become more neurotic.” The #1 secret to irritating people, it continues, is to lead them to believe that it’s “totally unintentional.”

So with breathless anticipation I put the VHS tape in my VCR and almost immediately the damn tape jammed!

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2 Responses to “How to Irritate People”

  1. Bryce Says:

    I met John Cleese last year at my fiancee’s coffee shop. Complete asshole. I was so hurt after many years of enjoying his comedy. It kind of tainted my view of him.

  2. Jerry Says:

    My favorite was Graham Chapman.