John Cleese Quotes - Page 7

years ago we would have been burned for this. Now what I am suggesting is that we've advanced.

Other people, you know, put a latex rubber on, you know, to become sexually excited. There's so much I don't understand.

On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I do the last draft, which gives me a chance to incorporate anything the actors have come up with during the rehearsal period, so I'm very inclusive as a writer.

I think you can write very good comedy without a partner, but what I love about it, working with a partner, is that you get to places you'd never get on your own. It's like when God was designing the world and decided we couldn't have children without a partner; it was a way of mixing up the genes so you'd get a more interesting product.

You have to create boundaries of space and then you have to create boundaries of time.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

What's the bleedin' point?

The writing is the most important bit, and performing it is just closing the circle because I'm less likely to screw it up than anyone else.

The open mode is a mood in which curiosity for its own sake can operate, because we're not under pressure to get a specific thing done properly. We can play.

Laughter is a force for democracy.

For me, the great problem growing up in England was that I had a very narrow concept of what God can be, and it was damn close to an old man with a beard.

Sense of humor is so much more subjective than anyone believes.

It's easier to be creative if you've got other people to play with.

High creativity is responding to situations without critical thought.

Laughter is the best creative medicine.

I'm very odd 'cause I think there's more than just a materialist planet, a materialist, reductionist planet.

I want to write a book which is the history of comedy.

I don't want to hurt people.

The Americans all love 'The Holy Grail', and the English all love 'Life Of Brian', and I'm afraid on this one, I side with the English.

For those wondering how to deal with anxiety and depression, the first thing to consider is what you're putting into your mouth.

I don't miss London much. I find it crowded, vast and difficult to get around. Cabs are incredibly expensive.

When you've only got few days of rehearsal before you're in the studio, it's wonderful to start off with people that you have good, friendly, tolerable relationships to start with, for the simple reason that you don't have to spend 24 hours figuring out how sensitive they are, and can you give them a line reading, or how do you have to give them direction.

I tend to have an odd split in my mind: I tend to look at it as a writer and when the writing thing is OK and I'm happy with it, then I put on my actor's hat.

Yes it's her husband. She hasn't got over it. Died thirty years ago.

I was very sad to hear of the death of Ronnie Barker, who was such a warm, friendly and encouraging presence to have when I started in television. He was also a great comic actor to learn from.