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It sounds like the ultimate Monty Python scene: A bunch of humorless functionaries review a hilarious script to remove every line that might offend someone. The result is a virtual haiku of disconnected observations without a punchline. That would make for a funny premise if it were not actually happening to comedy legend John Cleese. With a much-anticipated stage remake of the film classic, Life of Brian, Cleese said he found himself under siege by several actors to drop offensive material from the movie. It is a scene being replayed across movie, television and comedy show venues. We are becoming...

The body of a man buried in northern Italy 2,000 years ago shows signs that he died after being nailed to a wooden cross, the method used for the execution of Jesus described in the Christian Bible. Although crucifixion was a common form of capital punishment for criminals and slaves in ancient Roman times, the new finding is only the second time that direct archaeological evidence of it has been found. A new study of the skeletal remains of the man, found near Venice in 2007, reveals a lesion and unhealed fracture on one of the heel bones that suggests...

MODESTO -- Police are looking for a woman who dressed as a man and drew a beard on her face with black marker to rob a downtown gas station Wednesday night. At about 9:30 p.m., the woman entered the Chevron at 801 Fifth St., showed a handgun in her waistband and demanded money, according to Sgt. Alex Bettis. She left the store with an undisclosed amount of cash and was last seen riding a bicycle south through an alley behind the gas station. Beard robber beard5 beard1 beard3 Modesto police on Thursday, April 14, released this photo as part of...

A correspondent writes: I’m just in need of a helping hand from you, because I’m in the middle of a debate with a muslim friend. While we’re in the middle of discussion, he happen to addressed me with a question that blew me away, because I don’t have any idea on how I could tackle his question. This is what he said, “Could you also tell me that there are hundreds of Gospels, then how come only four made it through the New Testament?” I know that the “Books or Gospels” contained in the New Testament are all inspired by...

The Mideast seems complicated to most Americans. But those of us who are in the know have a sacred text to which we turn whenever events there seem incomprehensible. That's right, I'm talking about the screenplay from "The Life of Brian." That classic Monty Python movie offers perhaps the most succinct summation possible of the forces that make the Mideast eternally ungovernable. The movie is set in the time of Christ, and the title character, Brian, is a poor shlub who is mistaken for the messiah. Though it's all played for comic effect, the script for the 1979 movie offered...

This column is scrupulously nonpartisan, but we will bend the rules for a moment and acknowledge that last night's outcome was not what we were hoping for. As of now, the Democrats have picked up 28 House seats, giving them at least 228 (a majority is 218). Eleven more seats are undecided, so the Dem gain could be as high as 39. The Democrats also will take a 51-49 majority in the Senate, having won every close race except in Tennessee--though it may be awhile before that's official, depending on whether Virginia's George Allen decides to take his razor-thin loss...

 Monty Python's Life of Brian has been named the greatest comedy film of all time in a Channel 4 poll. The UK satire beat 1980s US film Airplane into second and British-made 2004 film Shaun of the Dead into third. Spy caper Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery came fourth, while animated comedy South Park was fifth. More than 22,000 people voted in the poll for The 50 Greatest Comedy Films, narrated by Stephen Fry and broadcast at 2100 GMT tonight. 50 GREATEST COMEDY FILMS 1st - Life of Brian 10th - This is Spinal Tap 20th - Young Frankenstein...

<p>IF you're looking for an animated alternative to Mel Gibson's gruesome gorefest "The Passion of the Christ" when the DVD comes out on Aug. 31, the folks behind "South Park" have just the thing.</p> <p>Comedy Central is releasing a special three-episode "South Park" DVD with a religious theme to coincide with Gibson's flick hitting stores. The DVD includes this season's already classic "The Passion of the Jew" as well as old favorites "Red Hot Catholic Love" and "Christian Hard Rock."</p>

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Coming back soon to a theater near you -- a controversial film about a Jewish guy from Nazareth who is worshiped as the Messiah and crucified by the Romans. No, it's not Mel Gibson (news)'s "The Passion of the Christ." It's Monty Python's "Life of Brian." Inspired by the runaway success -- and public furor -- over Gibson's portrayal of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, the creators behind the 1979 biblical satire about an anti-Roman activist who spends his life being mistaken for a prophet are planning a 25th anniversary re-release next...

<p>In what its producer describes as an "antidote" to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," Monty Python's controversial biblical spoof, "Life of Brian," will be re-released in theaters for its 25th anniversary next month.</p> <p>The late Graham Chapman plays Brian of Nazareth, who is constantly being mistaken for Jesus Christ (Kenneth Colley), even after he is sentenced to crucifixion by Pontius Pilate (Michael Palin).</p>

LONDON (Variety) --- In direct response to the American uproar over Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," the Monty Python team is planning a 25th anniversary Stateside re-release of its comedy "Life of Brian." The 1979 movie, about the hapless Brian of Nazareth who spends his life (and death) being mistaken for the Messiah, will be distributed by Rainbow Releasing, which previously handled the U.S. re-release of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Plan is to open the pic at the end of April in New York and Los Angeles. Columbia TriStar, which owns the international distribution rights, may...