There aren’t many John Cleese fans who, upon hearing his name, instantly recall his guest starring role on “Cheers.” Or the fact that he’s a best-selling author and former British political servant who, “in his twilight years,” according to a press bio, “passes his time writing film scripts, giving speeches to business audiences, doing seminars on creativity, teaching at Cornell, paying alimony, and doting on three huge cats and a fish.”
Rather, the 78-year-old is most beholden to a pendulous form of comedy that swings between silly and seemly, uptight and unhinged.
As a founding member of the legendary U.K. troupe Monty Python, Cleese has preached the gospel of delicate absurdity and subversion through decades of TV series, films, reunion shows and, now, a 31-date American tour that brings him to the Bellco Theatre at the Colorado Convention Center on Nov. 18.
We talked to Cleese via phone in advance of the event — which includes a pre-show screening of 1975’s “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” followed by Cleese on stage.
Q: I think the last time you were in Colorado was in 1998 at the Python reunion (at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival) in Aspen. Is that right?
A: I believe it is. That was a terrific good time. I don’t know what year that was, but it was a very, very happy occasion. We were interviewed by Robert Kline, and had a lot of the “Cheers” cast in the audience. Ted Danson was there. But I’ve always been curious about Colorado because I never quite got a beat on it. It seemed to be a mixture of almost combustible elements. I’m looking forward to (returning), if I can bring my breathing apparatus.
Q: I don’t think anyone in Colorado would begrudge you that.
A: It’s a very pleasant business because the people in the theater come because they like the sort of humor that I do, and Python. So it’s a very friendly, tuned-in audience. You couldn’t choose a nicer audience.
Q: Are they nicer here than they are in England?
A: The American attitudes are the most responsive and lively, so that makes it good. And I’m only on stage for about an hour, or an hour and a half, because an interviewer introduces the film, and then me, and then he and I chat for a bit and open it up. And we go anywhere the audience wants to go.
Q: Anywhere?
A: Oh, yes. Topics include why I can’t stay married, why I prefer cats to children, the present political situation, or anything they like. We absolutely never know where we’re going to go. Then I get on a bus and have a drink and go to sleep. By the time I wake up, I’m in the next city. What a nice way to spend my life.
Q: I understand this show is part of something called The Backlot Project?
A: They all have their own jargon. That means absolutely nothing to me at all. All I know is I get out in front of an audience, which is specifically designed to include people who don’t like me, and I go out and have fun with them.
Q: “The Holy Grail” has been dissected, quoted and praised for decades. What’s a great part of that film that most people miss?
A: I think the scene where my wife at the time (Connie Booth) is a witch and they’re using sort of medieval logic to prove it. She’s got some very funny lines in it. I love “Bring out your dead.” It’s terribly black humor. I love the French taunter: “Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!” I think the rabbit that flies at everyone’s throats and kills three of the knights —
that’s a great sequence. They’re all funny sequences, and I sometimes rile the audience up trying to build controversy saying I don’t think the ending is that good.
Q: Monty Python has spawned countless quotes over the years. What have you learned about writing a memorable one? Or is that something entirely decided by the audience?
A: It’s entirely the audience. I’ve never in my life tried to write a line because I thought it would get picked up and pass into the language. Never. And some of my favorite lines don’t. For example, there was the Whizzo Chocolate Company sketch (from “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”): “What’s this one, spring surprise? What kind of chocolate is this?” “Well, you bite into it and steel springs leap out and lacerate your cheeks.” And the hygiene-squad policeman says, “Where’s the pleasure in that?” I always thought that was a terribly funny line, and I always say it. You never, ever know what’s going to get picked up. What I do know, after 50-something years in this business, is that if I think something’s funny the audience will probably find it funny. But I don’t know if it’s a little bit or very funny, and some of the things I think are hilarious get very little laughs, and sometimes I just keep them in because I like them and want to make sure it doesn’t hold the show up.
Q: How is this current show different than, say, the show you did with Eric Idle at the Venetian in Las Vegas in November?
A: It’s very like that. When we come out, a local radio person is there to interview us, because I love people who work in radio.
Q: Why is that?
A: They’ve got longer attention spans than people in TV and tend to be a little bit more relaxed and less manic and are very good interviewers. It also helps that they’re selling tickets because they’ve been talking about it the past week on their show. And it’s helpful if the audience questions are a bit needling to me. It’s more fun that way. The only thing I try not to encourage is when people say “What is your favorite … ” this or that. I find that leads to very boring answers. Another boring question is, “Why is it called Monty Python’s Flying Circus?”
Q: Is that because you expect people to have more familiarity with you?
A: Oh yes, if they come to the show they’re presumably fans, and fans are much more interested in the background of the shows they like than they were in the old days. I’d be surprised if they didn’t know something about the (stories behind) the original shows.
Q: What’s your favorite question you’ve been asked by an audience member?
A: There were some marriage proposals. Just after the divorce settlement was announced and people realized that, there was a woman who questioned me about it. I got several proposals — quite a number of them from men.
Q: I read an article about your daughter, Camilla, who is a stand-up comic. How do you feel about her going into comedy?
A: Well, the lovely thing is that she loves it. She absolutely loves it. And she says sometimes when she laughs, and a set is going well, that it’s the best moment of the day. So as long as she loves it I’m happy. And she’s very naughty, which I applaud. And she makes fun of women, which people can’t do much these days. She’s very talented and she and I have worked together. The only sad thing is that she loves California, and I much prefer the other side of the Atlantic.
If You Go
JOHN CLEESE. “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” screening, followed by onstage Q&A. 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St. Tickets: $69-$250, 888-9297-849 or axs.com.