Friday Funny: The Ministry of Silly Walks Gets Silly in Texas

"Last year the government spent less on the ministry of silly walks than it did on national defense."

1 minute read

August 17, 2018, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Monty Python

southtyrolean / Flickr

"And now for something completely different: A Monty Python-inspired crosswalk in the middle of an East Texas town."

That's the lede from an article by Michael Merschel, who reports on the crosswalk located at main and Gilmer streets in Sulphur Springs. Texas.

The joke: "A pair of traffic signs featuring the silhouette of a slouching, high-stepping, bowler-wearing John Cleese figure doing a silly walk."

As Monty Python proved unequivocally, silly walks are funny, and the decision to add the signs to the crosswalks in Sulphur Springs is all in good fun. Merschel reports that Shane Shepard, former Sulphur Springs community development director, was inspired by a similar sign in Ørje, Norway.

The Silly Walks sign is not the only whimsical element to be found in Downtown Sulphur Springs, as detailed in the article.

Thursday, August 16, 2018 in The Dallas Morning News

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