Dead Parrot sketch him up with a dustpan and brush, and subsequently a dustbuster. In an anniversary concert Jasper Carrott had allowed his fans to pick the material. He opened the performance by announcing this then saying "I've had some funny requests; somebody from Newark wanted me to do the dead parrot sketch". Part or all of the dead parrot sketch is quoted in several television programmes, among them the "Life of Python" sketch from "Not the Nine O'Clock News" (a parody of the "Friday Night, Saturday Morning" debate on "Life of Brian") and "The Early Bird", an episode from the third season
Dead Parrot sketch bourne no traveller returns'. In 1959, Tony Hancock and Sid James performed a similar sketch involving a dead tortoise. In 1963, Benny Hill performed a sketch entitled "The Taxidermist" (written by Dave Freeman) on "The Benny Hill Show" in which he attempted to pass off a stuffed duck as a parrot (blaming its different appearance on "the steaming" and "the shrinkage"). John Cleese later admitted that he watched Hill's show during this period, but didn't recall this particular piece. In the 1960s Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies included an obviously stuffed caged parrot as part of his stage routine, occasionally complaining