Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idleis an English comedian, actor, voice actor, author, singer-songwriter, musician, writer and comedic composer. Idle is a member of the English surreal comedy group Monty Python, a member of The Rutles and the author of the Broadway musical Spamalot...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionComedian
Date of Birth29 March 1943
act love maybe plays shoot stage work
I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and maybe another. During 'Spamalot,' I rewrote Act II three times.
money
We've discovered that the less we do, the more money we make.
I'm more surprised than anyone that 'Spamalot's done so well. You can never predict what's going to be a hit.
time
I'm drawn to things that aren't particularly popular at the time. I don't know why.
I was thrilled to win a Tony in 2005 for 'Spamalot'.
comedy man secret simplicity truth
I think he's the most intelligent man I've ever met. Honesty, simplicity and truth are the secret to his comedy.
comedy drunk fresh happy perfectly rest sorry sort
We're all over 60. I'm sorry to say this, but comedy is really a young man's game. It's sort of about what you had to say when you were fresh and young. And I'm perfectly happy to get drunk with the rest of them.
fact nightmare stop terrifying test
We're like his test audience. It's a nightmare for Steve, a terrifying experience. The fact that he's done it before doesn't stop the angst.
angeles arts audio bits blair david four guys home los madison moved original pleasant quick radio recording south spent takes time took voice waiting
It took all of 15 minutes, but then I have my David Attenborough voice down and there wasn't a lot to do. Most of the time was spent waiting for the guys in Los Angeles to come on line. When they did we breezed through it in four quick takes in a pleasant recording studio, Audio for the Arts on South Blair Street, where they do The Onion. Madison was the original home of The Onion, before it moved to New York, and they still do the radio bits from here.
agreed everybody people personal sort
They have to get their own personal best. It's called my personal best. ... There was one or two things everybody wanted, and we sort of agreed to let some people have them.
antagonism arguing chair group healthy held tension throwing
There was often antagonism and chair throwing and stamping of feet, which is kind of a healthy thing to do when you're arguing about what's funny. That healthy tension was something that held the group together.
accord amount claim claiming clearly comedy comment deal freedom function groups healthy humour immunity laughter licensed light obviously permits privileges release responsibility safety satirical searching society special survive taboo
At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society permits more satirical comment than a repressive, so that if comedy is to function in some way as a safety release then it must obviously deal with these taboo areas. This is part of the responsibility we accord our licensed jesters, that nothing be excused the searching light of comedy. If anything can survive the probe of humour it is clearly of value, and conversely all groups who claim immunity from laughter are claiming special privileges which should not be granted.
amazement dallas loving people places watching
It was extraordinary. I mean, for us it was just an amazement that people were watching it in Dallas of all places and were loving it.
ancient coming dressed filthy innocent search shall silly singing
As long as there are innocent nickels to be made from the gullible, Python-starved public, I shall be out there dressed in silly frocks and singing filthy lyrics. I'm coming your way in search of ancient dollars.