John Cleese: Why I left Monty Python

One of the founding members of the comedy troupe Monty Python, John Cleese was at odds with the other Pythons over leaving their successful TV show. He explains to Tracy Smith why he balked at doing more television.

[@bigedslobotomy]

I liked how he OWNED his decision to leave Monty Python. He didn’t make excuses. He simply explained why he made that certain decision at that time (it seems it was mostly the time commitment, when he wanted to do other projects also).

[@Azeralas]

I expected this video to be 5 seconds long and just be John saying, "Well it was all a bit silly."

[@neonsashimidream1075]

Unbelievably underrated comment.

[@jaketno]

I was hoping for something similar lol

[@jimjim506]

His resignation was just him saying "and now for something completely different"

[@dinoexequielcala2154]

And that's what he kind of said, if you think

[@ElvarMasson]

Neon Sashimi Dream - "unbelievably underrated comment" ? It's been 'liked by 164 people. What do you mean exactly ?

[@gabe_s_videos]

I appreciate how Tracy Smith just lets him talk. She doesn't talk over him or interrupt him with more questions. Good journalism.

[@richbuilds_com]

I missed that. Like I do with all the great interviewers: let them talk. I can highly recommend the podcast My Time Capsule for the same reason. Mainly British guests, but even if I don't know their work ever episode is enlightening. The host has been in everything, but you won't know his name. He's perfect.

[@chrislyon7147]

She does have awful body posture. It's quite distracting.

[@waltrautengels816]

Such a rare quality of an interviewer theses days!

[@mendelovitch]

It's edited, so we don't really know.

[@VanillaLibrarian]

​@@mendelovitch When he's talking, it's all one shot. It would take some pretty intensive editing if she was interrupting him.

[@525Lines]

It's all good. We wouldn't have had Faulty Towers without him leaving Python.

[@alexanderwingeskog758]

Never actually new this... that he left Monty Python... and did Faulty Towers (between the movies)... I love Monty Python but Faulty Towers is a masterpiece! You learn something everyday!

[@525Lines]

I think it's right up there with The Dick Van Dyke Show, just a technically perfect example of a sitcom.

[@jjdecani]

Just watch the last series - series 4. No Cleese.

[@SometimesInnocent]

FaWlty

[@525Lines]

Flowery tuats

[@Lushfan]

One thing I like about John is that he can be serious during an interview. One pet peeve of mine is comedians who just can't turn it off during an interview and have to act out. I'm not saying he is the only one who can do it, but some can't.

[@johnc3403]

yes, some can and some can't. There are some that think they can but actually can't and others that can, though they think they can't. It must be very hard for those ones in particular.

[@charlie-obrien]

John Cleese isn't afraid to let us see John Cleese.

[@JarrodFrates]

I'm a big fan of Weird Al, but he's frustrating to watch in interviews, because he uses his stage persona in so many of them. One exception was when he was on Shatner's show, and Shatner delved into some things that were clearly uncomfortable for Al, but he answered them.

[@FordFourD-aka-Ford4D]

You know… some comedians like Kevin Hart are just like that. It's who they are. I think it's wrong to judge them for being themselves. Like cool that John Cleese is a serious person who does funny - that's great for him. But funny people who are just naturally funny all the time and don't LIKE to "turn it off" shouldn't be judged for being who they are.

[@garym6315]

It's often a sense of insecurity when comics and comedians resort to their on stage personas rather than giving their true self. Either insecurity or a sense of arrogance

[@robertpolanco1973]

Personally, I respect John Cleese now more than ever because he wanted to do something completely different in his life and career. I hope he had what he wanted after so many years.

[@TheBushdoctor68]

and now... something completely different.

[@mrmogensen]

thank you.

[@heavymetalrybakina]

He was definitely exaggerating about the Pythons repeating themselves already in the 2nd series. Considering how generic so much comedy was and still is, they were ground-breaking even in the 4th season. Cleese is a bit full of it, if I may say so respectfully.

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

He's not full of it, he says he was a "purist" back then, he admits it. He was a perfectionist, he's admitted he was "difficult" for the other Pythons to work with, but his perfectionism also resulted in some great sketches and acting.

[@heavymetalrybakina]

Joseph Scott Fawlty Towers was indeed brilliant, but Cleese, if you read Python bios, is actually a fairly lazy person. He just hated having to spend 10 months a year on Python series, his words. That's the real reason, most likely, not the originality issue. So yes, he is a bit full of it, using originality as the main excuse, and the other Pythons were all angry at him to varying degrees with his reason given for not doing season 4.

[@sirplantain]

Respect to John Cleese for turning down the Knighthood he was offered; on more than one occasion I do believe. He doesn't need to be called Sir to be appreciated, he was, and still is, a man of great talent.

[@avengemybreath3084]

If anyone offers you a knighthood, just say thank you.

[@jamesgorski7551]

Kudos to John and rip Graham Chapman.

[@rosskstar]

nice to know - he might have caught a whiff of what really goes on with that nasty lot

[@eraserhead2063]

@@avengemybreath3084 Shill

[@BethAndrews-bw8xx]

Which has got nothing to do with this video at all.

[@Wishbringer7]

We don't always enjoy hearing the downside of something, but seems Cleese has a very rounded view of this, without grudges on his part. And apparently the others held no grudges as he was welcomed back for the movies. It's good sometimes to hear that everything wasn't all fun and games. Helps us view life realistically. Now John, where is the llama I was promised for writing this?

[@snazzle9764]

Apparently a couple of the pythons gave him crap for making a traditional sit-com(Fawtly Towers) after python, Jones even called him a "traitor"! I have no clue how serious this scorn was, but in any case it got all cleared up soon enough like you said.

[@macsnafu]

The llama died. Instead, he found this lovely fjord for you!

[@richbuilds_com]

I feel like he's been given the chance to explain, finally, with hindsight where his head was at back then. Totally understand his decision given the circumstances, even though at the time I couldn't believe he was walking away from PYTHON!

[@richbuilds_com]

He's not a Python! He's a very naughty traditional sit-com writer who knocked it out of the ballpark!

[@Wishbringer7]

@@macsnafu It was no great surprise that he sent me a moose instead. But its hooves were nailed to the shipping crate, evidently so that it wouldn't escape when the crate was opened.

[@boataxe4605]

Did he walk funny on the way out the door?

[@1lao1tzu1]

Boat Axe *silly, I'll call the inspector if you don't straighten up! x)

[@joppadoni]

'IM OFF, LEGS UP.. AND .. OFF WE GO!' lol

[@AntonyThorburn]

all the freemasons do...

[@whatarefriends4]

I bet he did!🤣😂🤣

[@stephenfletcher5391]

No, the door looked funny on the way out walking

[@PetersPianoShoppe]

Pool ol' Chapman... he was such a talent, and to hear stories of how he was losing his edge due to alcoholism.... such a shame. He was always my favorite Python.

[@Sapsche]

Indeed, he played both Brian and King Arthur for crying out loud.

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

At his best Chapman was amazing, which imo would include "Flying Lesson" ("'... moosh... bastard...") and "Icelandic Honey Week" ("fish and imported honey, oh strewth").

[@PetersPianoShoppe]

Joseph Scott "Ohhh, 'an aero-plane'.. oh I say we are grand aren't we? Pardon me, mater, I'm off to play the grand pi-ano!"

[@PetersPianoShoppe]

Joseph Scott A gaahhhp... a gaaahp in one's 'oop!

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

I like how he delivers the second "grand piano" not particularly convincingly, like, That's how much of a worthless repetitive asshole this character is. Bleedin' croquet lawn, bleedin' highness, all right all right all right, bleedin' wire

[@txikitofandango]

The Monty Pythons weren't the same without Paul McCarthy.

[@stumbling]

It's not Paul McCarthy, you blasphemous tit. That is Jasper Carrot.

[@Ubu987]

That is fake Jasper. Fasper.

[@stephenfletcher5391]

Yes Jasper the Carrot who briefly turned into Paul McCarthy and then got better :)

[@tumadoireacht]

Paul McCarthy went off and joined the Beatles with George Harrington

[@stephenfletcher5391]

tumadoireacht No that would be Paul Mccartney, the one who got Wings and went looking for Larry, Moe and Curly after Lennon became bigger than Jesus and declared "that's no ordinary rabbit" ;)

[@joesimon2018]

They should have done more movies

[@shoopoop21]

They should have done at least a few. Monty Python is a great display of the groups talent. If you don't watch the rest of it, you can watch Monty Python, and have a good time. They should have done more of _that._ I do think the alcoholism is a problem though. He seems like he really wanted to prove himself, or something to that effect, and losing members killed him inside, because it made him feel like he was losing progress.

[@bobforapples8665]

Benny Hill considered funnier than Monty Python!

[@bobforapples8665]

Fact: Hill considered funnier than Python!

[@hesch-tag]

Bob Forapples by whom?

[@PhoenixProdLLC]

Bob Forapples No. Just...no.

[@gst013]

The bit about Graham at the end was so sad. He was such a talented guy, yet he seemed to have so many demons he couldn't shake.

[@nubreed13]

Must have been brutal to be an openly gay man in the 60s and 70s

[@TheHManShow]

I really like how ambitious and passionate John is! He wants to be his own person and I admire that

[@SometimesInnocent]

He once said that anyone who didn't find Monty Python funny was 'obviously working-class, and thus incapable of appreciating intellectual humour". That put me off him a bit ( it was in 1973 or 1974)

[@frankienamosaki7547]

he could have been joking? he does have a very cut throat sort of humour. Have you seen his speech at chapman's funeral?

[@justclosing]

The only thing missing at the funeral was the comfy chair and "Yes Graham, I go to church regyulee"

[@40GamesAG]

+SometimesInnocent Welcome to Dry Humor!

[@widM_]

+SometimesInnocent He was obviously joking but also he was probably right and really thought that.

[@nintendogamer3227]

Great actor....glad he is open about this subject.

[@Darkstar263]

In a way I'm sort of grateful that he decided to leave the tv series. We wouldn't have seen Fawlty Towers otherwise.

[@hategreed1]

VERY grateful!!!

[@farmbrough]

Darkstar263 He said that himself. Why are you saying it again?

[@codeoptimizationware2803]

@Darkstar263: _Fawlty Towers_ is a great show! I have it complete, all episodes in my video collection--it's excellent, as excellent as it always has been, and I've known the show for a long, long time now. And Connie Booth is lovely, lovely hot in that show too hehehehehehe

[@PippaPPod]

Only 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers tho. I needed more! Brilliant, bloody brilliant!

[@sdgakatbk]

I like this. He's talking honestly and openly about a difficult decision he had to make which I'm sure he really struggled over.

[@glovere2]

It’s so great the way he framed his departure from Python with honesty and insight into the feelings of his fellow actors. Classy.

[@Felipe-xt4id]

Just binge watched the whole series on netflix in a week and seeing it that way, he is 100% correct, the skechts in the third season were good but they sure started to become iterations of other sketches they already had done. I think you really need to have a lot of courage to step out of something that is a huge success and the public was craving for more. It's better to do it or your show wll just become a shadow of what it once was (as it happens a lot nowadays)

[@cultfilmfreakreviews]

face it; the entire show is annoying but with a few funny moments.

[@8bitneslife1985]

@@cultfilmfreakreviews No one in this comments section will ever agree with you, LOL.

[@obscure.reference]

@@cultfilmfreakreviews comedy is inherently annoying and needy, much of it is very funny though

[@flipadavis]

Had to look up the season 3 list. Season 3 ep 33 has the Cheese Shop sketch which in my mind is the masterpiece of Monty Python sketches. This episode also has Salad Days which is amazing.

[@obscure.reference]

@@flipadavis im pretty sure the cheese shop sketch predates python entirely. could be wrong though. there are a few sketches from older shows pythons had put on that were remade for flying circus, additionally early episodes of flying circus and later episodes contain many of the same sketches/concepts. this is what cleese complains about i believe, the fact that they were explicitly plagiarizing their own material.

[@Cancun771]

Poor sweet Graham. There is, in the end, so little we can do for our fellow man in need.

[@Hibernicus1968]

Tell me about it! I had the misfortune to watch my dad, at the end of his life, fall into depression at the failure of his third marriage (which had lasted 24 years), and crawl into a bottle. I tried everything I could think of: sympathy, being a good listener, spending more time with him, spending less time with him, anger, guilt, pouring out his booze, you name it. Nothing worked. He stopped drinking a few of times -- occasionally something (like a hospital visit) would wake him up to how out of control it was and he would stop. For a while. Nothing kept him on the wagon long though, and in the end, he literally drank himself to death (look up Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) I still wonder if there's anything I could have done to reach him, but I guess not. In the end, you can't MAKE people get help. You can drag them to it, kicking and screaming sometimes, but if they don't commit to it themselves, they won't get better. It's good that Chapman eventually did get help, committed to getting better, and overcome his addition. I wish everybody who had this problem could.

[@johnc3403]

....well you could buy him a pint.

[@joewhite22]

Smart thinking by Cleese. The last series without him was noticeably weaker than the previous series. And then of course he went on to write the brilliant, and still funny to this day, Fawlty Towers. All the Monty Python lot were talented but his attitude here compared to the rest demonstrates why Cleese was a cut above them in comedy.

[@OeditpusRex]

+jackieboy johnson - Are you referring to the abbreviated (six episodes) fourth series?

[@MrSwanley]

+jackieboy johnson I don't agree that Cleese was "a cut above them in comedy". Python was brilliant because everybody brought something unique. Cleese with his tall stature and permanent upper class irritation, Michael Palin is my personal favorite for his permanent (and often inappropriate) optimism, Idle with his wordplay (sometimes in song form), Gilliam with his cartoons, Jones is harder to pinpoint as a performer but his writing and direction were important too: his in-drag characters were often very funny.

[@marguskiis7711]

+jackieboy johnson Do not agree. Later series were not weaker and FT is very overrated. I have never undrestood why Cleese is so adored.

[@BismillahYes]

+jackieboy johnson Yes it was weaker, because Cleese left. That's why it really feels like something is lacking, and it would have felt the same way if any of the others had left.

[@MrSwanley]

Absolutely it was weaker. They had lost a core cast member. But that doesn't mean that JC was a cut above everyone else. All of them went on to successful careers in one way or another.

[@msh6865]

It strikes me that the dynamics of personal interaction within Python were very similar to that of a mega successful rock band of the same period. Fascinating hearing Cleese discuss the behind the scenes stuff.

[@MrMaharg65]

The Beatles & Monty Python were the two greatest gifts that the UK gave to the world.

[@markraishbrook]

Don't forget cheddar cheese!

[@nubreed13]

​@@markraishbrook And Mr Bean!

[@redheadredemption1573]

To anyone wondering, the two "insecure pythons" he referenced were Terry Jones and Graham Chapman.

[@stoneblue1795]

Always enjoyed your presence John, in the episodes you were involved in and films you did after. Hat's off.

[@SometimesInnocent]

It's a shame Chapman shot John Lennon and broke up the Monty Python group

[@AegisNova]

Is that intellectual humor, or working-class humor?

[@SometimesInnocent]

Brian Esposito I'm working on an answer to that question with all my intellect :-)

[@hunsler1006]

Why is there a difference? ;)

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

"Is that intellectual humor, or working-class humor?" No.

[@RocketRadioShow1]

SometimesInnocent he was trying to impress jodie foster.

[@louiso.4325]

It took a lot of guts for him to do the third series when he really didn't want to. He really did take on for the team.

[@nedhasler2687]

What a wonderful discussion of something truly to sacred to us all, in the most individual way possible - examining the choices we made. Viewing it through the great John Cleese certainly gives us a great opportunity to live that examination vicariously. I will offer some advice I got once that a truly cherish: "Trust the person you were when you made that choice." (This isn't any way to escape a truly poor choice where someone might have been hurt, but this is about the choices we make as we develop ourselves, especially professionally as applied to Mr. Cleese. I would argue it also applies to relationships, if not more so.)

[@SIMUL4CR4]

So much respect for this man. More every day.

[@topchoices]

Wonderful talk will have to check out the new book!Tuned in for humor stayed on for advice on creativity!

[@theviciouschickenofbristol4779]

I often look back at my life in the same light. Wishing I could have just relaxed and enjoyed what I was doing more.

[@wurly164]

And now for something completely different

[@numberstation]

I have the greatest admiration for those who quit at their peak. These days, it’s commonplace to flog a good idea to death, which then spoils the whole thing.

[@azapro911]

Cleese realised, perhaps earlier than anybody else in the business, that quality is usually far better than quantity. Fawlty Towers is the ultimate example of this, all twelve episodes were so brilliantly written that it feels like 120.

[@abc-bu7nr]

For the life of me I could not find Fawlty Towers funny. I loved A Fish Called Wanda and all things Python

[@nasdkhan254]

​@@abc-bu7nryou must be depressed

[@borderlands6606]

@@abc-bu7nr I can't recall a thing about Wanda, but Fawlty Towers was superb. You have to understand the end of empire feel of those hotels in the 1970s, populated by eccentrics and rogues keeping up appearances. Basil embraced Cleese's two sides, the establishment functionary and the end of the pier chancer in one tweed-clad maniac.

[@bradarmstrong3952]

There were only twelve?? It's always felt like there were many more than that ... a tribute to the polished genius contained within!

[@Rindulus]

Nah he’s going to do more this year. Yep, not content with the awkward Python reunion ten or so years ago, he’s finally decided a geriatric Basil is a good idea. That alimony won’t pay itself I suppose. All a bit sad really.

[@vardellsfolly5200]

He was right, of course. Better stop while you're on top.

[@KingOfAllAnimals]

Strange to see how professional John Cleese was about his career. He said it, by season three they were not doing original material. Its the same problem with Saturday Night Live. The Radna/ Belushi years were the best. The second incarnation was not so good and the third attempt was spiraling into the toilet drain. Sometimes you have to know when to quit and John Cleese was actually pretty good about spotting when his time to quit Monty Python was. Monty Python did go on afterwords without him but the ORIGINAL was so damn English but the right balance of dry funny, zany, and slapstick and its humor was not so surreal to leave people baffled. It was a job not trying to come off like Benny Hill which in its day was another English GREAT SHOW! Sadly in America there was a prohibition on all them Boobies bouncing around during Benny Hill but he was never intended to be a "Family" show in as much as an adult comedy hour. Strange thing about Monty Python, there was sexual jokes, innuendo and humor but it was so damn dry and maintained this strange and artful tastefulness Benny Hill did not have. I must say i have enjoyed John Cleese's work over the years and damn if he is not good at what he does.

[@DEP717]

Thank you for mentioning you Benny Hill. A local station near New Jersey used to carry his show, I watched as a kid and couldn't believe it was on the air. Comic genius. You are spot on about SNL, they had a rough road in the early 80s.

[@r.b.4611]

Good interview

[@stumbling]

You have to trust your own judgement. We never get to see where the alternative decisions might have lead to, perhaps that is a good thing after all. I hate it when good things come to an end, it's very hard to see those situations clearly and act in your own best interest; I think that's really the mark of maturity, when you can walk away from something you've poured yourself into.

[@40GamesAG]

I've seen cartoons that kept going and going and going (Fairly Odd Parents, Spongebob), and seeing how they degraded in value taught me so much about moving on no matter how good something is. It's so sad, but in reality it's usually the right thing to do.

[@danmagoo]

It's fun to imagine that Python was an eternal font of brilliance, cut off in its prime, to the world's great loss. But Cleese (and whoever else had a part in stopping the show) was right. The truth is, the show was going off a cliff by the end. If you have the full set, you've seen it. The last half, at least, of season 3 is unwatchable, even to the biggest fans, and maybe especially for the biggest fans.

[@blacquesjacques7239]

Dan Magoo Cleese was the cat herder

[@MikoMango23]

"The last half, at least, of season 3 is unwatchable, even to the biggest fans, and maybe especially for the biggest fans." No. Look at Dennis Moore, Prejudice, Tudor Jobs, etc...!

[@RasMajnouni]

Was maybe good to stop the show, but i have viewed most of their sketches on KZbin so many,many times over and never find them "so dull, dull, dull, dull, just so dull" " Chartered Account Sketch" (Lion Tamer Sketch) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqK0nXaFor2ofq8

[@BrianKishreviews]

to each their own. i thought season 3 also took on a darker tone in general which was cool, never unwatchable but series 4 had quite a lot of skip-able material, which in part came about, without cleese holding up his end of the creative process

[@mshroye2]

Dan Magoo you’re right. Once you get to salad days you really the quality starts to go downhill granted there are a smattering if episodes that I enjoy in the latter half of the 3rd series and there are two or three in the 4th series but a large portion of those final two series are a pain to watch

[@Chronocrits]

And the movies and Fawlty Towers (except for Meaning of Life) were all absolutely phenomenal, so well done that man.

[@serendipityshopnyc]

Including A Fish Called Wanda, one of the best Python movies ever made.

[@williamgullett5911]

@@serendipityshopnyca Python movie with only 2 members of Python?

[@serendipityshopnyc]

@@williamgullett5911 "A Fish Called Wanda" has definitely got a decent amount of Python flavor. To me, it counts.

[@williamgullett5911]

@@serendipityshopnyc I would say it’s heavily Python humor. I thought a Python movie would need to be the whole group but Cleese definitely did everything for the movie.

[@serendipityshopnyc]

@@williamgullett5911 Palin, too. His part as the anguished animal lover is a major contribution to the hilarity.

[@joebuckaroo82]

I love to hear those who are craftsmen who, while not, arrogant about their abilities certainly know what they are doing and can articulate it.

[@Joker-yw9hl]

Love the way Americans say python. In the UK we say it like pie-thun but you guys really put some emphasis on the O don't you

[@arbrento73]

"Hey, you're the guy from Mahnny Pythaaaan!"

[@Darrylizer1]

Ehh, you say tomato I say seed berry.

[@TheOldBlackShuckyDog]

Joker sounds so weird with the on sound

[@blacquesjacques7239]

Joker We can also pronounce Aluminum . Note the correct spelling . 😛

[@TheOldBlackShuckyDog]

Blacques Jacques aluminium, ya speaking English mate. Not American

[@Philly_Jump_Over_The_Fence]

Poor old Graham. Very talented, funny guy. Sad to hear about him caught in the jaws of addiction.

[@beback_]

He was the Roger Waters of Python, apparently.

[@GoldStorm07]

+Red Floyd Except that while John was indeed a perfectionist, he never became a control freak. Waters ended up trying to pass himself off as the only reason Pink Floyd existed, whereas Monty Python was never seen as anything but an equal group.

[@MephLeo]

+Red Floyd Well, Chapman was said, by Cleese himself, to be the best of them at judging whether or not their scripts were funny enough to be shoot. Also, he was a key element in building up the nonsense funny on the scripts. For instance, originally the parrot sketch would be about another animal. Chapman was the one to come up with the parrot idea. So, his alcoholism, and later death, was a genuine blow at the creative power of the group.

[@konchog3]

+Leopoldo Aranha That sheds a lot of light, thank you!

[@thomassutherland9887]

+Arya Pourtabatabaie And Chapman was its Syd Barrette

[@ugoblaboscobsi]

+Red Floyd shhhh

[@quirkypurple]

I completely agree with his reasoning and sentiments here.

[@KlLLERROBOT99]

I'm sad that Monty Python is over. Their live show back in, 2014 I think, was their last Tribute to the group and their comedy. I loved their comedy because I grew up watching their movies and listening to their comedy. It was just an amazing type of comedy that was one of a kind and changed comedy after what they did. I'm really going to miss them. But as they have said... And now for something completely different.

[@97channel]

Do you want to come back to my place? Bouncy bouncy.

[@fangbanger3556]

97channel My hovercraft is full of eels 😘

[@waynej2608]

Is she a 'goer'?! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Say no more!!

[@stevehughes1510]

Yes we as an audience don't know the machinations and goings on with TV and film productions etc..........we buy the end product so it's good to get the background every so often.

[@tombradford7035]

Tracy Smith has beautiful eyes.

[@teletubetodd]

It was Cleese who always said, "And now for something completely different." Since that wasn't what the Pythons were doing anymore, I guess he really wanted something completely different, so he left.

[@SpaceCattttt]

Refreshing to see John being serious for a change.

[@victorwilburn8588]

Very candid.

[@mrfatuchi]

Well makes perfect sense. Also they ended up doing three great movies, Holy Grail being my favorite, that thing is a masterpiece.

[@antoniod]

Those third season episodes that Cleese was so dissatisfied with were my favorite ones.

[@ThomasKDye]

He may not have appeared in the fourth series, but his fingerprints were still on it. He had writing credits for three shows (half the series).

[@richbuilds_com]

All legitimate concerns. Great interview.

[@tomallen5837]

So you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20. Good to hear mr. Cleese divulge just a few more things about python.

[@iOnlySignIn]

He loves freedom and innovation too much. Probably why he could never remain married for long. :P

[@hieuto5183]

should have married a lemur

[@jelt110]

Honest John, always trying. God you have to love the guy. We sure do. Thanks John, you gave us your best clever ideas. You inspire the fuck out of me. Imperfect as everyone else, but so much more focused. uber cool

[@blueberry7899]

Makes sense though. Happens so often to comedy series- they peak after two or three seasons. And I allways think its best to leave on a high

[@sporkfindus4777]

He loved appearing on Les Dawson's sketch show though. Along the same lines as Python. Cleese and Dawson were physically and accent-wise very different, but intellectually on the same level. You could see Cleese enjoyed every moment, relaxed and without pressure.

[@malcolmabram2957]

He is right. Many programmes lose their appeal after too many serials. For instance, I loved the last of the summer wine, but the genre was battered to death and went on far too long; stopped watching it long before it finished. John Cleese, clearly learnt this lesson. Fawlty Towers were just the two seasons. Perfect, and I am sure such contributed to the series being a leading legend in serial comedy. It stands as a beacon, and still shines today.

[@grimfate]

Back in the day, I hated that he left Monty Python, but after watching season 4, I'm conflicted. I found little in that season to enjoy, so it's basically a matter of trying to answer, would season 4 have been as good as - or even better than - the previous 3 seasons if he'd stayed? Because if not, then I definitely would agree with him that the third season should definitely have been the last.

[@lespaul5628]

If in England you call a season a "series", what do you call the ongoing or entire run?

[@sesa2984]

I love him so much I wish he came across as just a bit more likeable/wise most of the time. But who amongst us is? Would that I would put so much pressure on myself for instance.

[@KC-nd7nt]

The art first Everyone remembers you Mr cleese . Thx for the laughs

[@RYN988]

A brilliant man!

[@pacmanindy]

Love John Cleese, especially Faulty Towers!

[@nw8000]

Wheres the full interview??

[@John-yf7iy]

EVeryone has to watch HArry Enfield's parody of John Cleese being interviewed in "The Story of the Twos". Sooo incredibly brilliant.

[@Pladderkasse]

Ken Clean-air-system...where have you been for so long??

[@Asmallcorneroftheinternet]

It doesn't really matter if you think about it. Because he came back for the movies. Who cares if he's gone for one season? It's still funny, and he's coming back.

[@bluntonglutine9160]

thank you.

[@GameArchiver]

You can't keep certain things going forever. At some point you just gotta walk out that door.

[@jeffw1267]

Chapman might have been an alcoholic but he was the lead actor in the first two Python movies and he was brilliant in both roles. Maybe he had trouble learning lines but the end result is what matters. He was also great in the third movie and I believe he had stopped drinking by then.

[@keks1krvmel]

he had already stopped drinking before they started life of brian i believe

[@yearnstr]

Time to start again... 😎

[@deadpan80]

0:45 words come back to haunt

[@Ideaman47]

Python is such a good programming language. What a loss to python 3.X community!

[@ohaRega]

You probably already know that the programming language Python was named after Monty Python. But I want to point it out anyway.

[@FreakyStyleytobby]

Dejm, i didnt know that. Its so cool

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

Just started getting into the language.

[@theinternet1424]

It's still several orders of magnitude better than Ruby Wax on Rails.

[@greghipskind7265]

And a huge Fish Slapping for you Cleese.

[@lugo_9969]

Legend

[@SuperHuia]

It's fantastic John could do fawlty towers. The series was pure genius. Still wish there were more.

[@mountwallydhonk8833]

ft was rubbish

[@D.L91]

@@mountwallydhonk8833 What??? That is simply wrong. Remove yourself from the Internet

[@38dragoon38]

"Coz it waz shit innit!"

[@aidasinani6121]

i feel like he is about to cry, oh what a man!

[@Brinta3]

No not at all. Watery eyes is an old man’s ailment.

[@enBengt]

Now, this would have been interesting to read about in his biography. Instead it was page up and page down about what teachers he had in school when he was 8 years old...

[@thomasholmes8063]

Monty python forever!!

[@plausible_dinosaur]

I didn't know that about Chapman - it makes much more sense now.

[@Zett76]

And he was right. The Flying Circus stuff was wearing thin. I remember feeling extremely bored with some of the episodes, back then as a 15-year-old (watching re-runs). They only got to the next level with the movies.

[@GraemeCree]

In hindsight, since he was only gone for Season 4, and it was only six episodes long, and he was back for Holy Grail immediately afterwards, he might as well have stayed. His absence did give Terry Gilliam a little more to do onscreen, though.

[@gegen_press]

straight, no excuses, fair ... john cleese = CLASS ..

[@voiceguy3635]

All very understandable reasons.

[@benedixtify]

Poor Graham Chapman, it's heartbreaking to hear about his bad times.

[@kaithomas7920]

Does anybody know which 2 Pythons Cleese talks about at 0:55 ?

[@Brinta3]

I was wondering that too! I think Idle and Palin were pretty confident in their abilities... and Gilliam was not really a comedian or even a writer anyway so I’m sure he wanted to do some other work (like directing) behind the scenes in the future. Therefore I would have to guess Jones and Chapman? Jones of course had a great career after Monty Python with documentaries and books, but he was the most passionate when it comes to Python and he probably didn’t see himself doing anything other than this. Jones knew he wasn’t going to get many acting roles. Chapman was not a wanted actor and couldn’t actually write anything on his own. And he had never finished his medical degree. He was entirely dependent on John Cleese, who valued his weird ideas and good feedback in the writing process. The other Pythons didn’t understand Chapman at all and couldn’t really work with him.

[@hilaryepstein6013]

@@Brinta3 Actually Graham did finish his degree and was a real doctor. He was also very highly regarded by the Pythons as an actor. Unfortunately he was a victim of his insecurities which led to his alcoholism. I agree with you that the others didn't really understand him (except Michael Palin I think)..

[@tv2109]

This was really interesting. I know at one point he said he left because he felt like he had nothing left to contribute- which I never really bought as he immediately went on to create fawlty towers, so obviously he had a lot of creative humor left. I had heard Graham Chapman was an alcoholic but in this interview Cleese admitted since he was Chapman's writing partner it just got too difficult to work with Chapman, so I guess you can't really blame him for wanting out.

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

Chapman was absurdly drunk during Drury Lane, which was publicly embarrassing. The BBC was already looking at the Fawlty Towers pilot script before the Black Knight scene was shot.

[@borderlands6606]

Cleese was better known than the other Pythons, and had been doing TV skits with well-known comedians for some time. He knew it was possible to have a career outside Python, which the others had yet to discover. Fawlty Towers was a conventional sitcom in many ways, and had mainstream traction whereas Monty Python drew a smaller, alternative, late night audience mainly. Almost every successful British TV comedy series had a movie spinoff, and these were always worse than the television version. This was true of Cleese's film ventures, in my opinion.

[@MarcoLongoMusic]

He aged so well

[@starbreaker6017]

Absolut legends

[@iac4357]

Kudos to him ! When you begin to just phone it in; it's time to go !

[@protorhinocerator142]

It's not like he didn't keep coming back to the well. Life of Brian, Holy Grail, several reunion specials, etc.

[@douglassun8456]

His comment about having to do Python 10 months out of the year is what jumps out at me. It is a real commitment and a real strain; Spike Milligan broke under it more than once over 9 years of writing and performing on The Goon Show. It must be all the worse when you know there are other projects you want to develop.

[@NVOLIKOS]

He will always be my favorite Python.