Eric Idle Dismantles John Cleese’s Anti-Woke Comedy Argument in 30 Seconds

As Eric Idle continues to promote his new book The Spamalot Diaries — technically it’s an old book that’s been dusted off and published — the Monty Python legend recently stopped by The Daily Show to chat about it with host Jordan Klepper (Jon Stewart was busy getting day-drunk on a speedboat, or whatever it is he does on days that aren’t Mondays). 

Klepper admitted to being a huge Python fan, telling Idle, “I would not be doing comedy in this world if it wasn’t for you and the folks at Monty Python. Thank you.” Klepper also joked that “there was a 15-year period before I actually got legitimate employment in comedy — and during those 15 years I would have cursed you on the streets. But once I found a little bit of employment in comedy, now you’ve become a hero once again.”

As the conversation progressed, Klepper brought up Idle’s Python frenemy John Cleese, who the host noted has “been prickly about modern woke audiences.” For context, Cleese has publicly complained that “wokeness” has had a “disastrous” impact on comedy, bragged that he avoids college audiences because they’re too easily offended, and once claimed that comedy was “easier” back when “people weren’t so uptight about everything.”

Cleese also regularly discusses these issues on his show The Dinosaur Hour, which airs on the far right channel GB News, and is seemingly filmed in a social club for ghosts?

When Idle was asked if he’s noticed a difference in how audiences respond to his humor today, he plainly responded, “Not to my particular humor, no.”

Idle basically dismantled Cleese’s entire argument in less time than it takes to microwave a burrito. “You can’t be hip and cool and all that at 81. But you can’t be unthoughtful. You must be mindful of what people are thinking,” Idle explained. “My job is to make them laugh. And I like to hear them laugh — I think it’s a sickness.”

“I like my job,” the Rutles star continued. “And I also think my job is cheering people up, so I always have to sing ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.’”

In name-checking the famous song from Life of Brian, which has become a staple of Idle’s live shows, Idle further invalidated Cleese’s stance. “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” has become a pop-culture staple, and one of the most popular songs at funerals. But Brian was famously attacked by conservative Christians and even banned in several countries when it came out. You know, back when audiences were so much less “uptight.” 

The fact that the song, which was part of a musical number parodying Christ’s crucifixion, has become so widely accepted, is perhaps evidence that comedy is not more restrictive than ever before. While not every Python joke would fly today, the core of Monty Python’s best material was about sticking it to powerful establishments, not punching down.

We’re also guessing that Idle doesn’t share Cleese’s Mandela Effect-esque false memory that the BBC refuses to air Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

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