Last year, the Monty Python legend announced that he would be hosting his own show on the news channel and that it would be a “no holds barred account of the news”.
Entitled The Dinosaur Hour, Cleese appeared on GB News to discuss his decision to join the network, telling Michelle Dewberry: “They came to me a few months ago and they made me the most extraordinary offer that’s ever been made to anyone in the history of television.”
He added: “They said ‘would you like to do ten shows; you can do whatever you like’. Can you imagine the BBC doing that? It would be subject to committee A and then after committee A had approved it, you’d go to Committee B. They said you can do anything and I’ve had no interference of any kind and it has been joyful.”
The show will be filmed at a thousand year old castle and feature Cleese having intimate conversations with a number of guests.
Given the cluster of sacked misogynists at GB News, perhaps they should also have Committee A and Committee B reviewing their shows and presenters.
I think the interview process was “are you a misogynist with an anti-woke agenda?”.
Honestly this is great advertising for committee procedure
The BBC has cause to ssack plenty of people but they generally hide their wrongdoings from the public until some bombshell report blows it open and they get the government to seal records
This man does not need exposure. Leave him in the past.
Yikes, yeah I had missed this controversy. For those that were also in the dark:
I’m afraid I’m not that interested in trans folks
I just hope they’re happy and that people treat them kindly
Right now I’m more focussed on threats to democracy in America, the rampant corruption in the UK, the appalling British Press, the revelations about police brutality…
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/john-cleese-transphobic-tweets-jk-rowling-1234837693/
If that’s all that’s like the least damning controversy possible.
This controversy seems constructed to me. Not caring about how others live their lives is different from being against it….
Thing is that he gets to speak out in support of someone actively working to harm trans people in the UK. But then when the backlash comes around, he gets to say that he doesn’t care.
If he didn’t care, then why stick his nose in it?
If he hopes that trans people are happy and that people treat them kindly, then why does he speak favourably of people who want to strip them of their legal recognitions and protections, and who harass and degrade them?
One can argue that he doesn’t know the extent of the issues that trans people face. And that fair. But that ignorance is weaponised against trans people. He either doesn’t need to care so he doesn’t inform himself before speaking. Or he does care and is opposed to trans people living their lives authentically, and is just saying that he doesn’t care to avoid getting embroiled in the controversy.
Without knowing what goes on in his mind, I’d argue he’s getting old. Previously Cleese worked with Rowling, maybe he held positive views on her as a person and wanted to express that. I don’t know. Judging by his public appearances I’d argue that he just likes to make controversial or odd statements in order to get some laughs but doesn’t see any harm in those statements.
What I’m saying is: he’s old.
Sure he’s a curmudgeonly old man walking down the same path so many previous comedians walk: when their jokes stop landing, they rage at minorities rather than updating their craft.
It still does harm. He doesn’t get a free pass.
That quote is about as supportive as an old sod like him will get. I’m surprised actually. The other tweets are more harmful, but he uses the right pronouns at least.
It’s sad to see what he’s become.
I bet Graham Chapman would be ashamed.
I’m a Monty P fan from way back. But I think this is a bad idea. Culture and times change and some people just don’t keep up with them or care to.
Indeed, he seems to think that because sometimes like Fawlty towers wouldn’t be made today that things have gotten worse, when the reality is that people have grown bored of cheap stereotypes being used as the butt of jokes. Comedy moves on, like any other medium and you either move with it or you become the very thing you used to make fun of.
Honestly Fawlty Towers was always quite aware/clever about this stuff and it was generally Basil Fawlty who was the butt of the joke. Cleese’s heel turn of the last 20 years makes you wonder whether he never really got it, or has just morphed into the character.
Lol, didn’t he part write it, not just act it? Do you think he didn’t get his own work? Or you think it was hugely successful despite us all misunderstanding it?
He’s just old. The world has changed and he hasn’t. He lashes out with bigotry, without the nuance he would have had when questioning taboos before.
Or because he’s (become?) a curmudgeonly reactionary?
If a network hires you to say whatever you want, and that network is known for having certain opinions, there is a high chance that “whatever you want” is in alignment with them.
If he really wanted to explain why he joined GB News, he’d probably just show a screenshot of his bank account.
This should be a sign of whats in store for GB news. Cleese is a sign of times past, they’re appealing to an aging and dwindling base.
He’s has so much therapy since he did anything great. It’s a great irony that his fans from his golden period could never consider it an option, or afford it. He’s probably a better functioning human person now, although he does seem again ironically to come out with typical old man shit rather than anything insightful or useful. More to the point, he’s just allowed on gb news because old white twats have money and revenue generating adverts to those same twats are highly prized
You can do whatever you want…as long as it passes Committee A…and then Committee B…but after that you can do whatever you want! I think hw should do a serious interview then have titties somewhere behind the interviewee.
I think hw should do a serious interview then have titties somewhere behind the interviewee.
Come back LIVE TV, all is forgiven.
