fr = open(filename)
for line in fr.readlines():
if line.startswith("#"):
continue
else:
## do something with line
## could use fr.readlines()[1:] from second line
import linecache
content_list = linecache.getlines(filename)[1:] ## Here using getlines
fourth_line = linecache.getline(filename, 4) ## Here using getline
## the above method is simpler.