this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2023
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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.

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[–] rubikcuber@programming.dev 45 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Given the cluster of sacked misogynists at GB News, perhaps they should also have Committee A and Committee B reviewing their shows and presenters.

[–] Emperor 23 points 1 year ago

I think the interview process was "are you a misogynist with an anti-woke agenda?".

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Honestly this is great advertising for committee procedure

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

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

[–] christophski 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This man does not need exposure. Leave him in the past.

[–] magnetosphere@kbin.social 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It’s sad to see what he’s become.

[–] OctopusKurwa@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

I bet Graham Chapman would be ashamed.

[–] Hairyblue@kbin.social 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

[–] Kushan@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] Mejogi 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] hitmyspot@aussie.zone 2 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] Emperor 17 points 1 year ago

Or because he's (become?) a curmudgeonly reactionary?

[–] GreatAlbatross 11 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] noodle 6 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] snacks 3 points 1 year ago

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

[–] Che_Donkey@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Emperor 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think hw should do a serious interview then have titties somewhere behind the interviewee.

Come back LIVE TV, all is forgiven.