It was recently announced that former Monty Python cast member Terry Jones, 74, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of dementia which has begun to make communication extremely difficult for him. The disease is gradually taking away his ability to speak and express himself - a terrible thing to happen to anyone, especially a revered comedian.

The news broke at the end of September and some of Jones's colleagues, friends, and many fans shared their love. Former Monty Python cast member Michael Palin shared a touching tribute:

Hearing the news and seeing the love shared for Terry Jones brought back memories of discovering the brilliance of the television show Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974).

I want to take a brief look at experiencing the show for the first time, my continued love for it, and how it has shaped my standards and appreciation of comedy:

For me, discovering Monty Python around the age of sixteen was nothing short of a remarkable moment. It happened when I entered the family room late one night: My dad was watching TV and my attention was totally caught when I watched a handful of zany men running around in religious garb and being comically smashed by 16 ton weights on the IFC channel.

The sketch, called The Bishop, was led by Terry Jones: a crime-fighting bishop who can never quite fight crime in time. I sat down and watched it, laughed hard, and my world was never the same afterward.

Here's the full sketch:

From that point on, I was hooked. This troupe of men rocked my world, like they've rocked millions of other people's worlds. Their absurdist comedy struck a chord with me like nothing had before. These guys did what they wanted to and made complete fools of themselves onscreen. Not much was off limits.

For those who have never experienced Monty Python or for those who have gone years without it (save yourselves!), here are just a few sketches that you should watch to begin your journey:

In true cult classic fashion, their films (especially Monty Python and the Holy Grail) are often shown at movie theaters and sometimes even at midnight - a life goal of mine is to watch that movie on the big screen at midnight.

Because of Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, and Terry Gilliam, this planet has been given so many extra opportunities to laugh until it hurts. They shared a truly unique comedy mixing classic dry British humor with randomness and total irreverence. Monty Python brought a new kind of comedy into the mainstream.

Forty-seven years after Monty Python's Flying Circus premiered on The BBC, its relevance sticks with the changing times and the new generations that discover it.

Do you have any special Monty Python memories?