John Cleese refuses to remove 'Life of Brian' joke about a man becoming a woman and having a baby that critics call 'transphobic'



John Cleese refused to bend the knee to the outrage mob who called for a joke to be removed from an upcoming stage version of Monty Python’s "Life Of Brian." The controversial scene features a man claiming that he is a woman and he can have a baby.

Cleese is working on a stage production of Monty Python's "Life of Brian," a 1979 movie about a man who is mistaken for Jesus Christ. However, actors allegedly told Cleese that one scene would need to be cut out of the reproduction for it not to be offensive in today's social environment.

The scene in question features a character named "Stan" – who wants to become a woman and have babies.

"I want to be a woman," Stan declares. "From now on, I want you all to call me Loretta."

Cleese's character Reg bewilderedly asked, "What?"

Stan fires back, "It's my right as a man."

When asked why he wants to be a woman, Stan explains, "I want to have babies."

Reg quizzically replies, "You want to have babies?"

Stan shoots back, "It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them."

When Reg informs Stan that he "can't have babies," Stan plays the victim, "Don't you oppress me."

Cleese's character notes, "I’m not oppressing you, Stan, you haven’t got a womb. Where’s the fetus going to gestate? You gonna keep it in a box?"

Other characters agree that Stan can't have babies, but argue that he should have the "right to have babies."

Reg responds, "What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he can't have babies?"

Another character says, "It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression."

Reg quips that Stan has a "struggle with reality" for thinking he can give birth to a baby.

Monty Python - "Loretta" www.youtube.com

Critics claim the scene in the movie from 44 years ago is "transphobic."

Despite the controversy, Cleese confirmed that he would not be removing the questionable scene from the upcoming stage show of "Life of Brian."

Cleese wrote on Twitter, "A few days ago I spoke to an audience outside London. I told them I was adapting the Life of Brian so that we could do it as a stage show ( NOT a musical ). I said that we'd had a table reading of the latest draft in NYC a year ago and that all the actors – several of them Tony winners – had advised me strongly to cut the Loretta scene. I have, of course, no intention of doing so."

Cleese slammed the media for "misreporting" him about cutting the Loretta scene from the new version, "Amazingly none of the British media called to check."

Cleese said of the actors in the upcoming production, "These were absolutely top-class Broadway performers and they were adamant that we would not get away with doing the scene in NYC! I asked them, 'Are Python fans not going to come because we're doing a scene they've been laughing at for 40 years.'"

The Monty Python comedian said, "Producers tend to be scaredy-cats, and they don't remember that the protests in NYC when 'Brian' was released meant we never needed to do publicity!"

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Anti-woke, anti-cancel culture comic John Cleese to debut show on TV channel one critic calls the 'British Fox News'



Monty Python's John Cleese — a legendary comic who's become an outspoken opponent of woke culture and cancel culture in recent years — is debuting a TV show in 2023 on a United Kingdom channel that one critic has called the "British Fox News."

What are the details?

Cleese's new show on GB News will be a collaboration with satirist Andrew Doyle that will encourage "proper argument," BBC News reported. Doyle hosts "Free Speech Nation" on the channel, which launched last year, the network said.

Cleese warned GB News watchers that they "may not be used to hearing the sort of things I'll be saying."

Former GB News chairman Andrew Neil told the BBC last year, via the Guardian, that one of the reasons he exited the network was because he didn't want to be a “minority of one” at a “British Fox News.”

Cleese apparently doesn't feel similarly about GB News.

"I was approached [about the new show], and I didn't know who they were," Cleese told BBC News. "I don't know much about modern television because I've pretty much given up on it — English television."

Cleese further explained that he then "met one or two of the people concerned and had a dinner with them, and I liked them very much. And what they said was, 'People say it's a right-wing channel, [but] it's a free-speech channel.'"

GB News launched in June 2021, BBC News said, becoming the U.K.'s first TV news start-up in 30 years.

As for any possibility of returning to the BBC in the future — "Monty Python's Flying Circus" and Cleese's "Fawlty Towers" comedy series are both BBC properties — Cleese told the network, "Not on your nelly."

Why? "Because I wouldn't get five minutes into the first show before I'd been canceled or censored," he told BBC News.

What else has Cleese been up to?

In July, Cleese told an audience at the FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas that "woke attitudes" are having a "disastrous effect" on comedy and that he has seen writers and comics censoring themselves over fear of getting canceled.

In November 2021, Cleese actually canceled himself from a speaking gig at Cambridge University after he learned that an art historian at the school had been canceled over an impersonation of Adolf Hitler that reportedly offended students.

In 2020, Cleese ripped keyboard leftists, refusing to bow to them in the wake of their "transphobia" accusations after he signed a letter of solidarity with author J.K. Rowling, who herself has come under fire for statements challenging transgenderism.

"I hope they fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing," Cleese said of the woke mob. "Until they get a sense of perspective, that is."

Way back in 2016, Cleese declared that political correctness would lead to a "1984" society and cautioned against hypersensitivity to anything and everything deemed hurtful and offensive.

"All humor is critical. If we start saying, 'Oh, we mustn’t criticize or offend them,' then humor is gone, and with humor goes a sense of proportion — and then, as far as I’m concerned, you’re living in '1984,'" Cleese said in a video, referring to George Orwell's classic dystopian novel. "So the idea that you have to be protected from any kind of uncomfortable emotion is one I absolutely do not subscribe to."

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John Cleese says 'woke attitudes' are having 'disastrous effect' on comedy; fearful writers are censoring themselves: 'The death of creativity'



Legendary comedian and original "Monty Python" member John Cleese said "woke attitudes" are having a "disastrous effect" on comedy, and that he's seeing writers and comics censoring themselves over fear of getting canceled.

What are the details?

Cleese — a keynote speaker at last week's FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas — said during an interview with Fox News Digital that it's all spelling "the death of creativity."

Asked if comedians in 2022 feel free to be funny, Cleese told the cable network "no."

"Why, you go to Molière and Louis XIV. I mean Molière had to be a bit careful. And there will always be limitations," he revealed to Fox News. "I mean in England, until some ridiculous late date like 1965, all plays had to be submitted to ... the Lord Chamberlain, and he would read it, and there were hilarious letters ... saying, 'You may only say f*** once' ... ‘and you cannot say bugger. But you can say...' this sort of ridiculous negotiating ..."

Image source: Fox News video screenshot

The 82-year-old added to the cable network that "a lot of comedians now ... when they think of something, they say something like, 'Can I get away with it? I don't think so. So and so got into trouble, and he said that, or she said that.' You see what I mean? And that's the death of creativity." He added that "at the moment, this is a difficult time, particularly for young comedians; but you see my audience is much older, and they're simply not interested in most of the woke attitudes. I mean, they just think that you should try and be kind to people ... no need to complicate it, you know?"

Cleese — a longtime opponent of woke culture and political correctness — also told Fox News that as a result of wokeness, criticism interferes with creativity, and they're "definitely in opposition to each other."

"You can do the creation and then criticize it, but you can't do them at the same time," he explained to the cable network. "So if you're worried about offending people and constantly thinking of that, you are not going to be very creative. So I think it has a disastrous effect."

Cleese added that "everything is more ... politicized now," including American late-night comedy television, Fox News said, adding that while he "adores" Stephen Colbert, the far-left host's audience is "more obviously politically aligned than it used to be."

"It wasn't like this when I first got to America," Cleese recalled to the cable network. "When I first got to America in the 60s … two things happened. First of all, I very much admired the cross-the-[political]-aisle friendships and thought, 'We don't have that in England.' We have real battles between the Tories and the Labour ... and [in America] this was destroyed by Newt Gingrich, quite deliberately, for purposes of power. I think that's a tragedy."

The comedic veteran also acknowledged to Fox News that he doesn't even watch comedy anymore.

"I don't go to comedies much because when you spent your life in comedy — by the time you get to 55 years in comedy — you've heard most of the jokes," he told the cable network. "And you watch people, you think, 'Yeah, that's funny,' but I have better things to do this evening than to watch comedy. I don't need to be entertained. I'd rather read a book."

Anti-woke comedian John Cleese blasts 'deception, dishonesty and tone' of interview, says he was painted as 'old-fashioned, uncaring and basically harmful'



Legendary comedian John Cleese blasted the "deception, dishonesty and tone" of a recent BBC Asia interview that he said focused on cancel culture and the Dave Chappelle controversy rather than on the agreed-upon topic — his upcoming "Why There Is No Hope" tour in Singapore and Bangkok, the Daily Mail reported.

The 82-year-old Monty Python alum also said the interviewer — whom he identified only as "Karishma" — tried to portray him as "old-fashioned, uncaring and basically harmful," the outlet said.

In response, Cleese said he ended the interview early and would be making a formal complaint to the BBC — which subsequently defended the interviewer, the Daily Mail added.

What are the details?

Cleese took to Twitter on Wednesday, outlining in multiple posts what took place from his perspective. Cleese said when he was asked about cancel culture rather than about his upcoming shows, he "replied courteously and in full" and noted that overprotective parents don't "prepare children well" for the "real and often not-very-nice world."

He said the interviewer followed with a "disjointed question, clearly trying to portray me as old-fashioned, uncaring and basically harmful." After answering one aspect of her question by pointed out that many therapists who help young people with anxiety and depression do not adhere to "woke principles," Cleese said the interviewer ignored his answer, then went on to question why he was coming to Asia amid the pandemic, "apparently blaming me for making the situation worse!"

Then once she asked Cleese about the Dave Chappelle controversy, Cleese said he took off his headphones and ended the interview.

"The media will no doubt report that I 'stormed out.' I didn't. Nor did I lose my temper. But I was depressed that this kind of presenter-ego crap is so prevalent now," the comedian added in a final tweet.

Chappelle has been attacked as transphobic over the last few months over some jokes he told in his comedy special "The Closer," and leftists far and wide have been savaging him and pushing for his cancellation ever since.

As it happens, Cleese's fellow Python alum Terry Gilliam has been dealing with fallout after recommending that his Facebook followers watch "The Closer." In fact, a small group of staffers at London's famous venue the Old Vic reportedly influenced their bosses to cancel an upcoming musical Gilliam is co-directing due to his support of Chappelle.

What did the BBC have to say?

The BBC responded to Cleese's claims by saying the interview was "fair and appropriate" and that it "touched on topics that John Cleese has previously been vocal about as well as themes within his new tour. Our presenter is an excellent and experienced journalist who conducted the interview entirely within our editorial guidelines," Metro.co.uk reported.

What else has Cleese been up to?

Last month Cleese canceled himself from an upcoming speaking gig at Cambridge University after he caught wind that an art historian was canceled there over an impersonation of Adolf Hitler that reportedly offended students.

"I was looking forward to talking to students at the Cambridge Union this Friday, but I hear that someone there has been blacklisted for doing an impersonation of Hitler," Cleese wrote on Twitter. "I regret that I did the same on a Monty Python show, so I am blacklisting myself before someone else does."

He added, "I apologise to anyone at Cambridge who was hoping to talk with me, but perhaps some of you can find a venue where woke rules do not apply."

Over the summer Cleese highlighted a documentary series called "Cancel Me," in which the comedian questions why the new woke generation is trying to censor everyone, even for harmless jokes.

And last year Cleese ripped keyboard leftists and refused to bow to them in the wake of their "transphobia" accusations after he signed a letter of solidarity with author J.K. Rowling, who herself has come under fire for statements challenging transgenderism.

"I hope they fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing," Cleese said of the woke mob. "Until they get a sense of perspective, that is."

WATCH: When Monty Python HILARIOUSLY predicted today's woke genderism



On a recent episode of "LevinTV," Mark Levin shared a vintage clip from one of Monty Python's classic movies, "Life of Brian." Forty-two years ago, the comedy troupe eerily predicted today's "woke" narrative about gender.

"Humor 42 years ago. Reality today," Levin said of the Monty Python scene.

"That is hilarious for most of us. For some people, they'll find it offensive; I find it hilarious. And I find it poignant, actually. You can see they're trying to hold back; it's all they can do to stop from bursting out in laughter because it's so ridiculous, what they're doing and what they're saying. But it's here. It's now. It's in front of us."

Watch the video clip below:



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John Cleese cancels event at university over 'woke rules,' says he is 'blacklisting' himself for his Hitler impersonation



John Cleese, one of the stars of legendary British comedic troupe Monty Python, is no stranger to making crude, insensitive, politically incorrect comments and jokes. He has made a career of it.

But that's a problem in today's woke world.

So when Cleese heard about an art historian being canceled at Cambridge University over an impersonation of Adolf Hitler that reportedly offended students, the world-famous comic actor decided to cancel himself from an upcoming speaking gig at Cambridge.

After all, Cleese himself has done Hitler impersonations, too.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

What happened?

Last week, art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon did an impersonation of Hitler at the Cambridge Union, a debating society on the campus of Cambridge University, Variety reported. According to the outlet, the historian's mock impression of the Nazi leader during a debate on art and good taste offended students who complained to school leadership.

Graham-Dixon apologized and explained that his Hitler impersonation was done to "underline the utterly evil nature of Hitler," the U.K. Express said.

But it was to no avail.

Union President Keir Bradwell announced this week that Graham-Dixon was banned from speaking at the free speech organization.

Cleese, a Cambridge alumnus himself, caught wind of the banning and responded by pulling out of a scheduled appearance at the union.

Instead of appearing as booked Friday, Cleese declared Wednesday that he was "blacklisting" himself for his previous impersonations of the dictator during his time with Monty Python.

"I was looking forward to talking to students at the Cambridge Union this Friday, but I hear that someone there has been blacklisted for doing an impersonation of Hitler," Cleese wrote on Twitter. "I regret that I did the same on a Monty Python show, so I am blacklisting myself before someone else does."

I was looking forward to talking to students at the Cambridge Union this Friday, but I hear that someone there has been blacklisted for doing an \nimpersonation of Hitler\n\nI regret that I did the same on a Monty Python show, so I am blacklisting myself before someone else does

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) 1636533552

Then he offered some advice to any Cambridge folks who had hoped to hear or speak to him: find a woke-free place for him to speak.

"I apologise to anyone at Cambridge who was hoping to talk with me, but perhaps some of you can find a venue where woke rules do not apply," Cleese tweeted.

I apologise to anyone at Cambridge who was hoping to talk with me, but perhaps some of you can find a venue where woke rules do not apply

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) 1636536216

Cleese has done multiple mocking impersonations of Hitler, including in "Mr. Hilter and the Minehead by-election" for "Monthy Python's Flying Circus" and an episode of "Fawlty Towers" called "The Germans."

Content warning: Hitler impersonations

Mr. Hilter and the Minehead by-election - Monty Pythons Flying Circus – S01E12 www.youtube.com

Fawlty Towers: The funny Nazi walk www.youtube.com

John Cleese challenges 'woke' generation about cancel culture in new show



Legendary British comedian John Cleese is sick of cancel culture. The "Monty Python" star has a new documentary series called "Cancel Me," where he questions why the new woke generation is trying to censor everyone, even for harmless jokes.

"Cancel Me" will "set forth into the minefield of cancel culture to explore why a new 'woke' generation is trying to rewrite the rules on what can and can't be said." The series will speak to activists attempting to cancel people as well as victims of cancel culture, including some famous faces, according to Variety.

"I'm delighted to have a chance to find out, on camera, about all the aspects of so-called political correctness," the 81-year-old Cleese said. "There's so much I really don't understand, like: how the impeccable idea of 'Let's all be kind to people' has been developed in some cases ad absurdum."

"I want to bring the various reasonings right out in the open so that people can be clearer in their minds what they agree with, what they don't agree with, and what they still can't make their mind up about," the "Fawlty Towers" star explained.

Danny Horan, who oversees documentaries on U.K.'s Channel 4, said the network welcomed the show "because we felt we needed to address [cancel culture] somehow and [Cleese has] very strong views on that."

"I think there's a lot of things to address in that series that he is very keen to understand what happened and why it's happened," Horan said. "And of course, you know, he was a comedian for the last few decades who had a lot of comedy [some of which now] feels outdated so he's questioning some of that as well. So I think it'd be really interesting. It's an area that he's exploring."

Earlier this month, a fan asked Cleese if proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test was required to see his upcoming comedy tour, to which the comedian snarkily replied, "No, you just need a certificate promising that you have not attended specifically to be offended."

Cleese personally experienced cancel culture in November 2020, when social justice warriors accused him of "transphobia" for supporting author J.K. Rowling.

After being hit with a barrage of insults and accusations that he was transphobic, Cleese retaliated by saying, "If you can't control your own emotions, you're forced to control other people's behavior That's why the touchiest, most oversensitive and easily upset must not set the standard for the rest of us."

Comedians are generally not big fans of cancel culture. Chris Rock warned that cancel culture leads to boring entertainment. Billy Crystal said canceling people over their words has made comedy a "minefield." Dave Chappelle reminded everyone that "no one can be woke enough." Comedian Jon Lovitz likened cancel culture to McCarthyism. Stand-up comedian Bill Burr joked that the outrage mob has run out of people to cancel and has resorted to canceling dead people.

John Cleese, under fire from woke mob, hopes they all 'fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing'



British comic legend and Monty Python star John Cleese over the weekend refused to submit to a woke social media mob accusing him of "transphobia" for an old tweet supporting author J.K. Rowling.

Cleese, 81, relentlessly and hilariously mocked his accusers, at one point jokingly asking if he was "allowed" to identify as "a Cambodian police woman" if he so desired. The comedian, who has come under fire from woke Twitter before and has vigorously defended free speech each time, was accused of standing in solidarity with "transphobia" after a Twitter user reposted one of Cleese's tweets from September in which he told his followers he signed a letter of solidarity with Rowling.

Transgender activists on the left have frequently directed their outrage at Rowling because of her criticism of transgender political demands for any man who identifies as a woman to be allowed in bathrooms or changing rooms reserved for natal women and girls.

Cleese, by supporting Rowling, was by extension accused of "standing in solidarity with transphobia and discrimination."

What would you like me to tell, Mr Joughin ? https://t.co/EHAb2oCPBV
— John Cleese (@John Cleese)1606027597.0
Yes, and torturing small animals and setting fire to babiesAre you psychic ? https://t.co/lMAn4U6cht
— John Cleese (@John Cleese)1606028680.0

And he would have none of it, accusing the rage mob of "wokery, humorless posturing, and moral self-promotion."

"If you can't control your own emotions, you're forced to control other people's behavior," Cleese said of the hordes of Twitter users who've attacked Rowling and demanded that she shut up. "That's why the touchiest, most oversensitive and easily upset must not set the standard for the rest of us."

If you can't control your own emotions, you're forced to control other people's behaviourThat's why the touchiest… https://t.co/zZ2TBCmvMS
— John Cleese (@John Cleese)1606029444.0

"Why the f*** can't you just let people be who they want to be? Do you actually think there is some deep conspiracy to turn people 'against their genders'?" one user demanded of Cleese before the comedian brushed him aside with a joke.

"Deep down, I want to be a Cambodian police woman," Cleese wrote. "Is that allowed, or am I being unrealistic?"

Another demanded that Cleese be "upfront" with his actual thoughts on Rowling and her "position on trans folks."

"I'm afraid I'm not that interested in trans folks," Cleese replied. "I just hope they're happy and that people treat them kindly."

I'm afraid I'm not that interested in trans folksI just hope they're happy and that people treat them kindlyRig… https://t.co/vKwVh7K64F
— John Cleese (@John Cleese)1606031630.0

Becoming serious for a moment, Cleese said, "Right now I'm more focused on threats to democracy in America, the rampant corruption in the UK, the appalling British Press, the revelations about police brutality, Covid19, the incompetence of the British government, China's complete disregard for the necessity to abandon fossil fuels, the developments in France between Macron and Islamicists, diabetes, and the recent deaths of several of my close friends."

But he refused to sympathize with the woke mob.

Oh I do sympathy and support all the time, for most of the Third world. Except for Glasgow, of courseI exclude al… https://t.co/ekCwmClB5p
— John Cleese (@John Cleese)1606033069.0

"I hope they fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing. Until they get a sense of perspective, that is."

(H/T: The Post Millennial)

Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

John Cleese says he identifies as 'Cambodian police woman' — calls out woke culture

As cancel culture runs rampant over people's careers, John Cleese appears to be teflon.