He's a lumberjack and he's... meh.

Monty Python has a song, called The Lumberjack Song. It's catchy, and it's... questionable. 

Through the verses, the titular lumberjack describes his feminine side, including his fondness for wearing high heels and a bra. (Did you notice what I did there with the word titular? I thought that was pretty good, eh?)

The gender-bending premise is subversive and was probably somewhat shocking for the time, which can make for good comedy. However, I don't find the punchline funny, for obvious reasons in 2025. The lumberjack is accompanied by several Mounties, who become disgusted by him and turn on him when he sings that he wishes he'd "been a girlie." 

Sigh. I'm not saying to cancel the show over transphobia. I'm just not laughing, that's all.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m comparing Monty Python to The Kids in the Hall to figure out why Python doesn’t hold up for me. I've thought about whether The Kids in the Hall have a comparable sketch, but I'm stuck on what that really means. Similar in theme, or similar in form? 

I'm torn because there are two sketches that come to mind. One that I love, and one that I happen to detest.

First, there's the sketch Womyn. Like The Lumberjack Song, there's a group of men in a macho setting. Instead of the rugged timberland, these male friends are gathered for poker night. 

The key difference in Womyn is how the subversion of gender plays out.  A male character admits that he wishes he could be a woman, and he is met with both scoffs and support.  The sketch builds from there, with "yes, and" energy that not only makes the scene funnier, but also more progressive and timeless. 

I could stop there, comparing The Lumberjack Song to Womyn, declaring that my favourite sketch comedy show did it better and is infallible. Or, I could be humble and admit that The Kids in The Hall might also offend people today. In song, no less!

The Lumberjack Song also has parallels to a song by The Kids in The Hall, with a name so horrifying that I'll use asterisks to censor it,  Running F****t. Both of these sketches are centred upon a folk hero, with a small musical posse narrating his pursuits. As much as I love Womyn, I hate to admit that these similarities make Running F****t  the more obvious sketch to use for comparison.  

The edgy humour relies on the fact that Scott Thompson is actually gay, to make it ironic and acceptable. Edginess aside, do you know why it's not acceptable? It's because the song is absurdly catchy. If it gets in your head, for the love of god, do not sing the chorus out loud! Hateful! Disgusting! 

If I’m choosing between songs, then I prefer the cheerful and tame, "He's a lumberjack and he's okay, he sleeps all night and works all day." It does alright when it's stuck in my head. After the chorus, my mind simplifies the verse to just, “Da-doo-doo-doo, da-doo-doo-doo," while this famous Canadian sex symbol dances around and around:

Coming out on top, it’s The Log Driver's Waltz. Sorry, hold on. I meant, it’s The Lumberjack Song.