British Columbia 'Dead parrot' sketch invoked as B.C. judge OK's glucosamine sulfate class action Mislabelling claim reminds judge of British comedy troupe's legendary ode to frustrating purchase ...

Michael Palin, left, plays a shopkeeper who sold John Cleese, right, a parrot that appears to have died in Monty Python's iconic 1969 'dead parrot' sketch. References to the skit have been removed ...

Apparently, the court did not appreciate Branch’s application of the cultural touchstone to his ruling. When the decision was reissued July 23, all dead parrot references had been removed.

Cleese brings a parrot into the pet shop where he had bought it a few hours earlier and complains that it is dead. Plainly, it has deceased. Not so, says the pet shop owner. It’s sleeping.

Apparently, the court did not appreciate Branch’s application of the cultural touchstone to his ruling. When the decision was reissued July 23, all dead parrot references had been removed.