John Cleese, comedic legend and author of the memoir 'So, Anyway...', discusses his early life, comedic days at Cambridge, founding Monty Python, and the challenges of making good movies. He reflects on the meaning of life, accessing the unconscious mind for creativity, and the role of political correctness in comedy. With humorous anecdotes and insight, Cleese shares his journey from reluctant performer to world-class actor.
The importance of staying open to new opportunities and embracing chance in shaping one's career.
The significance of boundaries, introspection, and deferring decisions in fostering creativity.
The balance between political correctness and the freedom to satirize and criticize in comedy, and the role of storytelling in driving comedy.
Deep dives
John Cleese discusses his book So, Anyway
In this podcast episode, John Cleese visits Google to discuss his book 'So, Anyway', which chronicles his early life and career. He talks about his humble beginnings in a small English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University, and his founding of the iconic comedy troupe Monty Python. Cleese reflects on his transformation from a reluctant performer to a world-class actor and shares anecdotes about his experiences in the comedy world. He also talks about the importance of creativity, the role of introversion in show business, and the significance of play and deferring decisions in the creative process.
The Influence of Chance and Choices in John Cleese's Career
John Cleese discusses the pivotal moments in his career that led him down a different path. He recounts how he was offered a job in comedy writing just days before graduating from Cambridge University, which led him to explore a career in comedy and eventually join the comedic group Monty Python. Cleese emphasizes the role of chance and choices in shaping one's career and emphasizes the importance of staying open to new opportunities.
The Importance of Quiet and Self-Reflection in Creativity
John Cleese delves into the importance of quiet and self-reflection in the creative process. He shares insights on how being in a state of relaxed concentration can lead to moments of inspiration and creativity. Cleese emphasizes the need for boundaries of both time and space to create a conducive environment for creativity to thrive. He explores the significance of introspection, meditation, and deferring decisions to allow the unconscious mind to contribute to the creative process.
The Subjectivity of Humor and the Limits of Political Correctness
John Cleese expresses his views on humor and political correctness. He believes that all humor is essentially critical and that it is important to maintain a balance between not making mean jokes and retaining the ability to satirize and criticize. Cleese discusses how political correctness can sometimes be taken to an extreme, inhibiting the creative process and restricting the freedom to express ideas through comedy. He highlights the role of affectionate teasing and the ability to laugh at oneself as crucial elements of comedy.
John Cleese's Writing Process and the Importance of Storytelling
John Cleese shares insights into his writing process and the role of storytelling in comedy. He emphasizes the significance of having a strong plot and story, suggesting that if the story is right, everything else will follow. Cleese discusses how he and his writing partner would spend weeks working on developing the plot and structure of a sketch or story before diving into dialogue. He believes that a good story drives the comedy and that all the elements of the comedy should serve the story.
John Cleese visits Google to discuss his book “So, Anyway…”, a chronicle of his early life and career. John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University with future Monty Python partner Graham Chapman, and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe that would propel him to worldwide renown. Cleese was just days away from graduating Cambridge and setting off on a law career when he was visited by two BBC executives, who offered him a job writing comedy for radio. That fateful moment propelled him down a different path, cutting his teeth writing for stars like David Frost and Peter Sellers, and eventually joining the five other Pythons to pioneer a new kind of comedy that prized invention, silliness, and absurdity. Along the way, he found his first true love with the actress Connie Booth and transformed himself from a reluctant performer to a world class actor and back again. Originally published in November of 2015. Visit YouTube.com/TalksAtGoogle to watch the video.
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