Eric Idle Quotes (19 Quotes)

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.

To me, the musical is best when it's a musical comedy. So if you have a very, very funny show, and very good, funny songs, that's what the musical does best.

I like the idea of being out there regularly with an audience and with a funny gang of people. That's what I grew up with - doing television, doing shows every week.

I think the special thing about Python is that it's a writers' commune. The writers are in charge. The writers decide what the material is.

Bear in mind the simple rule, X squared to the power of two minus five over the seven point eight three times nineteen is approximately equal to the cube root of MCC squared divided by X minus a quarter of a third percent. Keep that in mind, and you can't go very far wrong.

You look just like you!

I think the nice thing for us has been that every 10 years there's been a complete change in technology. It's like buying your own records again.

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.

The Minister of Transport issued this appeal to motorists: Can anyone give him a lift to Leicester?

But we were wrong and we were amazed.

No day of my life passes without someone saying the words 'Monty Python' to me. It's not bad.

Because we hate each other. I'm perfectly happy to get drunk with the rest of them. I was just in London, and we had a really spectacular dinner. But I think it should go no further. We've earned that.

We've discovered that the less we do, the more money we make.

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.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will make me go in a corner and cry by myself for hours.

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.

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.

I love being an older comic now. It's like being an old soccer or an old baseball player. You're in the Hall of Fame and it's nice, but you're no longer that person in the limelight on the spot doing that thing.

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.