Monty Python legend Eric Idle looks back on "The Bright Side of Life"

Eric Idle co-founded the legendary comedy troupe Monty Python, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. Idle has just released his memoir, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” It’s a title Monty Python fans are familiar with. Anthony Mason reports.
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[@jamescrawley8533]

Eric Idle always cracks me up. Love that guy.

[@viktorsilva4017]

Monty Python is so good that i was trying to pay attention to the sketches when the reporter started talking over them

[@Cybernaut551]

I want this song at my funeral, it'll turn those frowns upside down for sure.

[@ms_cartographer]

This stuff got me through school when I was a kid. It helped me cope.

[@ronleon62]

RIP Terry Jones, comedic genius :-(

[@theaspiration]

RIP Graham Chapman, too.

[@cowboyjohnn]

I will most definitely have this at my funeral

[@markorollo.]

Im having Idles other work of genius, "that's Death"

[@falkon3856]

I want the video playing at mine aswell lmao

[@tonybrien1107]

I'm having Cheech and Chong's up in smoke

[@iamrobberino2107]

I love this man. Absolute genius

[@charlesclager6808]

My brother alerted me to "the flying circus" many years ago. Well, to be honest, it just didn't take. Then a few years later a good friend also sang the praises of Monty Python and I was hooked. All of the cast members hold a special place in my heart. Their comedy is unique. I'm so glad I got to live to see it.

[@baylinkdashyt]

A convincing argument has been made that Holy Grail is the most quoted movie ever, with Everything Mel Brooks Ever Made in second place.

[@tommartin7728]

Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin.

[@bunpeishiratori5849]

Ran away

[@jrayproductions7790]

@@bunpeishiratori5849 I did NOT!

[@morlokvestai-kurak9680]

Go and change your armour.

[@nicoler1183]

He was not the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp...

[@d.c.8828]

Or to have his eyes gouged out, o brave Sir Robin!

[@Stevecurtis2112]

Bright side of life was the wedding song of my parents

[@krisphoenix7168]

Eric is wonderful so talented

[@debbralehrman5957]

Yep my family watched in 74' when it came here too. The Holy Grail was my husbands favorite movie. Love those guys.

[@ticnatz]

I was at that O2 final show (first sold out show) and it was wonderful....

[@zachpeaco1587]

I will most definitely have this at my funeral say no more 5 films? I only remember 4

[@flinkultur989]

Now for something completely different, Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Hollywood Bowl and Meaning of Life. Maybe you didn't count Hollywood Bowl, but that did have a run at cinemas. I saw it in Sweden. :)

[@andrewduesler3855]

I will most definitely have this at my funeral Gilliam not Gilligan. Terry Gilliam.

[@rosemeccia9411]

Fabulous

[@dockaos924]

Loved Monty Python 👍😊

[@deblane401]

I first saw python on British TV in 1969. I was blown away. George in Montana

[@dannydevito5729]

"It's the writing that's funny in Python" Two sentences later: "If you read it, it's not funny."

[@christopherfisher6293]

During the Falclands campaign HMS Sheffield( The Shiney Sheff) was hit by a missile that killed many of the crew and injured many more. As the ship slid beneath the waves, the last man into the liferaft was the Captain. All the crew were in shock, but in the darkness came a voice, " All ways look on the bright side of life!" More than a song mate, more than a song, Thank you.

[@ghostrider2664]

.....it could always be worse....

[@robertevans6662]

Anthony Mason and Eric Idle. Best in Class!!

[@maskaraid4763]

I love hearing these American lasses lapsing into British accents for Python quotes.

[@chrismith251]

That tart at the end sounded like Princess Anne

[@danielandlucycartoonsmadne5885]

Eric Idle is amazing. Love him on the Figment ride and Monty Python

[@webbess1]

Eric Idle was fine af.

[@MikeCee7]

As an American, this is one (of only a few) songs sung by a Brit, (that I know of) where they don’t lose their British accent when singing. - The other songs (that I can easily recall) are “500 Miles” by the Proclaimers, & “Cool for Cats” by Squeeze.

[@mikdavies5027]

You clearly haven't listened to many British song acts then!

[@MikeCee7]

@@mikdavies5027 That’s correct. I only know the songs that make it over here, on American airplay. - But I’ve been curious for over 40+ years of why (or how) British people lose their accent when they sing? I’ve never heard an explanation that makes sense.

[@mikdavies5027]

@@MikeCee7 I would be curious as to which songs you are referring to! (Or do you mean the occasional so-called 'mid-atlantic' intonation)

[@MikeCee7]

@@mikdavies5027 I don’t understand your question to me. What is “mid-Atlantic intonation”? (are you referring to Midwest American accent?) (But that wouldn’t be mid Atlantic that would be “Midwestern”) - I thought my question to you was obvious to understand. I’m referring to: that 99% of the songs I hear from British artist, they lose British accent & they sound American. if I need to give you examples. Any song by Annie Lennox. (her speaking voice I cannot understand, but when she sings, she had no accent) An examples of current one, would o Adele. (she speaks for the cockney accent yet sings with American accent) and here are some more examples any song by Oasis,the Gallagher brothers it is hard to understand their speaking voice, but no accent when they sing. - And without me thinking too hard, I’ll just throw out some easy ones for you. Songs by Elton John, his speaking voice he has a British accent, yet his singing voice he doesn’t have an accent. the same with Paul McCartney and John Lennon etc etc etc. - I assume that you’re British, and if you are? can you explain this phenomenon to me? - British people lose their accent when they sing? I’ve never heard an explanation that makes sense. - Here’s my (simple) question (again ) (from my previous posts)

[@MikeCee7]

Also; here are some other examples: Sting, Harry Styles, Ed Shernan

[@shreksslave2458]

I guess you can say he looked on the bright side of life

[@stevencoffman34]

This kind of comedy will never happen again sadly

[@fluffiedoom]

How do you know that? That's very presumptuous. It might not be "exactly" like this because they've already done it. However, there are some wonderfully funny people out there and if someone (or a group of people) are passionate enough...they'll get their projects made no matter what and there will always be people that will support that.

[@d.c.8828]

Blackadder is another great British sketch comedy show.

[@d.c.8828]

The Whitest Kids U'Know is a modern American sketch comedy troupe heavily influenced by Monty Python. They had a show on IFC for a while, but most of their stuff is up on KZbin. The guys in WKUK are currently working on a film that will likely be out sometime next year.

[@galimirnund6543]

I'm old that group was so funny....

[@christophersmith2068]

"Dibs!" - Carrigan

[@Zeluth]

He is too kind to be my friend.

[@calikiwi]

I’m 61 now and I can still recite “Albatross”

[@RichardGriffin65]

What flavour do you want

[@tigershark7155]

Age 8 in 74 and i remember trying to understand english slang that i knew would make viewing python funnier than it already was.

[@mohammedcohen]

Ronnie Barker - The Two Ronnies - & Ronnie Corbett...a great team...

[@ryanryan1583]

To this day I still laugh at the Olympic hide and seek skit. It still makes me laugh so hard

[@aldito7586]

"Well I guess I could stay a little bit longer".

[@sunbeagle9769]

What a darling baby photo of Eric.

[@Jefff72]

My favorite Eric Idle character is Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir-Lancelot.

[@j.dunlop8295]

“So always look for the silver lining And try to find the sunny side of life. PG. Wodehouse

[@jamesstewart3317]

Eric's book is ridiculousy funny😅

[@craigdamico555]

hilarious how it fits in the world today so many years later

[@flashtheoriginal]

Eric Idle.....Rutland Weekend Television.....nuff said

[@lesleymcshanemitchell9651]

I always play this for my American friends there Mortified. Job done

[@Fusion991]

Rip Eric

[@ghostrider2664]

Lets not forget to credit Luke and Owen Wilsons father, who was head of KERA public television in Dallas/Fort Worth, for bringing Monty Python to the United States. Without him, somebody else would have eventually done it. But they didnt. It was him. So, thank you, Lwen and Lukes dad!

[@TheHManShow]

RIP to terry jones and graham Chapman

[@Iolet232]

These guys are my childhood

[@Sam26LE]

Figment !

[@The_Real_Frisbee]

"Idle wasn't born to comedy" bro with that baby photo, you have a hard time convincing me

[@Panlinda]

I thought the same thing hahahah

[@paulashe61]

I was banned from Twitter for a witchy witch scene when I said “burn her!”

[@theaspiration]

"And now the 100m dash for people with no sense of direction." "The marathon for people with Incontinence."

[@tachikomakusanagi3744]

"With their irreverant, often surreal sketches..." Yeah, i think we can safely say the sketches were often surreal.

[@ARokanten]

genius

[@MercuryLeo555]

Gilliam not Gilligan. Terry Gilliam.

[@justkinga3121]

I don't know why but Eric Idle, Graham Chapman and Michael Pallin are my Top3 of Pythons.💪👍 Though i love all of them. ✌️💓❤️

[@LukeAllenFilm]

5 films? I only remember 4

[@SacredSalad]

Their 1st film was "And Now For Something Completely Different". The Holy Grail was the 2nd. The Life Of Brian #3. #4 is the one you're most likely not thinking of is "Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl". The #5 The Meaning Of Life".

[@huh98]

I think a lot of the younger crowd don't realize that Live at the Hollywood Bowl was a theatrical release. I think most younger people think that came out for cable or video release only. The same goes with And Now For Something Completely Different to a lesser extent. I'm just glad Python is still as popular as they were when I was a kid. It's amazing how almost 50 years later they're still popular and still funny and still beloved by people of all ages. What other comedy troupe could claim this?

[@storenfried5508]

@@SacredSalad Don´t forget YELLOWBEARD xD

[@SacredSalad]

@@storenfried5508 Yellowbeard is not a Monty Python film.

[@Christknight1991]

I love the dry English humor

[@johnking5174]

I wonder how many Americans know who the great Ronnie Barker is? Eric mentions him. Does any American know of him?

[@rutabagasteu]

I do because public television showed some of his shows with the other Ronnie.

[@johnking5174]

@@rutabagasteu PBS showed the Two Ronnies? Wow. Did you see Morecambe and Wise too?

[@suzphillips8162]

Love The Two Ronnies, even though I can't always understand them!!

[@johnking5174]

@@suzphillips8162 Where are you from?

[@suzphillips8162]

@@johnking5174 Chicago. We also were able to watch Faulty Towers, Benny Hill, and Dave Allen at Large.

[@ryanbarth6691]

It's scrapperton

[@Xfranman]

Funny show but a lot was missed in America if you didn't have at least a passing familiarity with British culture and idioms. I think guys like it more than girls. And it's leftist, of course. But funny stuff. Definitely something completely different.

[@ristorantanen5769]

Ah Loretta! How is she now a days?

[@owenthomas9863]

Did anyone else cringed when she quoted a line?

[@npriorejr]

Monty Python is to filmed comedy as The Beatles is to recorded music.

[@dizbang3073]

say no more

[@bunpeishiratori5849]

no more

[@Cybernaut551]

@@bunpeishiratori5849 no mor.

[@mattjones532]

Unless your English, you will understand how Eric was a real Idle

[@richardcochrane1966]

Connections - Eric Idle recently said in a documentary about the late Tim Brooke-Taylor that he owed his entire career to Tim and fellow Goodie, Bill Oddie, who chose him to join their comedy team at university - Idle and the Python team then tried to return the favour by inviting Brooke-Taylor to join Monty Python from the get-go....Brooke-Taylor declined as he felt his writing was not strong enough to justify his place - this from the man who co-wrote the famous "4 Yorkshiremen" sketch.....

[@rachelr-j96]

Omg Americans quoting Python.. especially when they don’t really know or understand it is so cringe.

[@sillysausage4549]

Nah , Rachel. If they find it funny, that's great. The only thing that does bug me slightly is pronouncing Python phonetically, rather than the British Py'-thun. And whilst I'm at it, it's Ah-dolf Hitler, not A-dolf.

[@body9800]

Monty Python humour is universal 😃😃

[@HRHooChicken]

They can't even pronounce Python properly

[@MoonshineSazerac]

Monty PYthon was probably as close as you could get to a DaDaist performance while still being acecssible. As conflicting as those two statements are, I guess.

[@aaronsimpson8329]

I will most definitely have this at my funeral