John Cleese on Comedy Today

During a conversation with  The Hollywood Reporter In a discussion, co-writer and star Cleese shares his thoughts on how he would alter the conclusion, reflecting on how the members of the group have drifted apart over the years.

What is it like to reach a milestone for a film that is still highly esteemed?

It’s remarkable. A recent BBC survey of global film critics ranked Python’s works as the 6th and 15th best comedies out of 50 throughout history, specifically highlighting the film from 1979. Life of Brian  was 6, and  Grail At 15, you feel a sense of pride and happiness. While I don’t place too much importance on rankings, there is a certain satisfaction in knowing that you were among the best.

Do you have any special memories of bringing…?   Holy Grail  to the big screen? 

We were clueless about what we were doing, but we got lucky. There was some really hilarious content in it. We managed to pull it off because Jones and Gillian were able to co-direct. As usual with Python, there was a bit of chaos, with one of them sneaking into the editing room to make changes while the other was upstairs asleep, and so on.

It then launched and turned out to be an unexpected success. We were so excited because it was something we never anticipated. When we first began with Python, the prevailing sentiment was, “What are these people thinking?” A department head from the BBC ran into our director in an elevator and remarked, “Is this show meant to be funny? I find it terrible.” This was from the head of that department. A recurring theme in nearly all my experiences is that 85 percent of those in leadership positions lack any real understanding of what they’re doing.

Numerous quotes and moments have become a permanent fixture in the culture.

I was greatly impressed during George H.W. Bush’s presidency when a cartoon featuring him in a pet shop appeared, referencing a classic Monty Python sketch involving a parrot. I remember thinking, “Wow, we’ve made it! We’re part of political cartoons now.” This feeling grew, especially with the Black Knight sketch that Graham Chapman and I created, where the character refuses to stay down. It’s wonderful how certain phrases become part of everyday language, like “’Tis but a scratch.” A few years ago, when I had a small precancerous spot removed from my arm in Los Angeles, the doctor said, “’Tis but a scratch,” as he left the room. It’s delightful to see these phrases in people’s conversations. While Monty Python is fairly well-known, I believe many younger individuals are not really familiar with it.

Is there any specific reason for that, or is it simply due to the passage of time?

I believe the issue lies in American culture itself, rather than with the individuals within it; American culture has become increasingly superficial. It seems to focus on short attention spans. In my time, there were many more quality shows that covered meaningful topics. The themes of the movies and television shows being produced today are truly surprising to me. They often feature characters dressed in a mix of styles. It’s either something out of the medieval era—maybe toss in a few flying dragons, you get what I’m saying? Or it’s about some truly bizarre and unpleasant topics that, although I know they are real, make me wonder why anyone would want to see them on TV. Recently, there’s been a big hit about a boy who kills a girl. What’s it called again? It’s just one word.

  Adolescence. 

Yes,  Adolescence It’s truly unfortunate, incredibly unfortunate. However, I’m surprised that there are people who would choose to watch it. We are all aware that countless individuals are enduring extremely challenging situations, but personally, I don’t think it translates into quality television.

In the U.S., there are fewer comedy films being released in theaters, or they simply aren’t being produced, which is disappointing for me.

I fully concur. In fact, I’m currently working on creating three hours of television content, in a way. Life of Cleese I have an overwhelming amount of archived material. In the third of my shows, I’m expressing how unfortunate it is that there’s a lack of comedy and highlighting the positive impact that comedy has on individuals. I’ve attended several comic conventions, where numerous fans approached me to say, “Thank you for helping me through tough times.” Laughter helps shift one’s perspective to a place that can better handle life’s challenges, which seems to be something people are currently overlooking.

 I totally agree. 

A well-known tale from the Second World War involves the British Marines, who at one time found themselves under attack from their own aircraft due to a serious miscommunication. One individual became quite upset about being bombed by a British plane, and the officer remarked, “Well, if you can’t handle a joke, you shouldn’t have signed up.” This type of humor touches a part of us that is more courageous and optimistic.

At present, we face a situation where individuals are quick to declare, “That’s not funny.” Often, the issue stems from their literal-mindedness. This tendency is particularly common in the Midwest, where irony may be scarce. These individuals struggle to grasp metaphors, similes, and comic exaggeration, resulting in a very limited understanding of statements. They focus solely on the literal meanings, overlooking the rich array of figurative interpretations available. Consequently, they navigate life with a narrow emotional range, interpreting everything literally while attempting to dictate to those who appreciate irony and metaphor what they should not be allowed to engage with.

You’ve mentioned before that you’re not fond of the ending to   Holy Grail  . Do you still feel that way? 

Certainly! Here’s a paraphrase of the paragraph: Indeed, it loses much of its humor as it progresses, and the conclusion is the best we could think of. It’s almost comically poor. I’ll be visiting America in the fall, and we’ll be screening it. Holy Grail and then responding to questions afterward. I have an alternative ending, and from what I’ve observed, people seem to prefer it over the original. Laughs It’s simply more streamlined now. The original version takes too long to create tension, and it would have greatly benefited from some editing. However, I find the first hour of the film to be exceptionally humorous. It does lose some momentum later on, but I’m very pleased that people enjoy it so much.

Given situations like that, how do you feel about your connections with the other Python members?

When examining the history of various groups, you’ll notice that conflicts often arise at some stage, and I believe we’ve managed quite well in that regard. However, many people fail to recognize that a team is not made up of individuals who all excel in the same areas; rather, it’s a collection of individuals who each have their unique strengths.

Terry Gilliam made a clear decision early on that his primary focus was on directing films. It wasn’t until 1983 that Eric Idle began to take a more active role. The Meaning of Life Eric has a deep passion for music, especially lyrics. Michael Palin, who has always had an enthusiasm for travel, produced several travel shows. Terry Jones, known as Jonesy, engaged in a variety of projects. Chapman presented two sides; when sober, he was an exceptionally talented writer and actor, but when drunk, he struggled with performance and remembering lines. In contrast, my interest lies in comedy, and I take great pleasure in simply making people laugh. As we all age and become more genuine, it’s natural for us to pursue different paths.