John Cleese

Anyone else getting tired of him slagging off Daniel Craigs bond. He was at it again on Graham Norton's chat show last weekend. He was an awful Q and he is surely intelligent enough to know that Bond had to change and modernise and drop all the cheesy gags to keep going. At one point he just said "they are all rubbish" and began slating the use of the name "Qauntum of Solace". This is twice in 2 months he has made public comments slating the Bond franchise insisting recently they lacked humour and were "designed for an asian market". I think he is a little bit bitter for not being asked back as Q, I just wish he was man enough to admit it; I would have more respect for him rather than this continious public slagging off.

HOW VERY DARE YOU SIR!
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Comments

  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    Yup sounds bitter to me! He obviously thought he was going to take over the Q Mantle and be part of the series for a long time. i.e. well needed guaranteed employment since he squandered all his dough with all his divorces
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I was not even aware he was slagging off Craig ?:)
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    +1, He did have some money problems and thought the Bonds would solve all of them !
    so he's a bit Bitter ! :#
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    edited October 2014
    I was not even aware he was slagging off Craig ?:)

    I assumed by the above he was referring to Daniel Craigs Bond in general - not specifically the actor
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,672MI6 Agent
    edited October 2014
    Cleese stopped being funny a long time ago while Bond goes from strength to strength so who cares about his bitter ramblings really? :007)
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,218Chief of Staff
    As I said in another thread, Cleese has been trying to secure a repeating part in a franchise for some years (007, Harry Potter, Pink Panther) without much luck.
    I didn't know he'd been knighted?
  • InternationalExportsInternationalExports Posts: 269MI6 Agent
    Yeah it was slagging off CR, QOS and Skyfall the 3 Craig films rather than Daniels acting. I would 100% agree he appears very bitter. You may find the Graham Norton interview on you tube or BBC I player he was just rude and very arrrogant. Taylor Swift looked embarresed the way he talked down to her, Im not a fan of hers at all but she deserved a little bit more respect than way he constantly tried to make her sound like an idiot.

    I agree Silhouette Man to an extent but I have never found him funny. 90% of Python was terrible and the rest of them carried Cleese.
  • InternationalExportsInternationalExports Posts: 269MI6 Agent
    Your right Barbel he declined a peerage so he isnt Sir. Can we edit my topic haha I dont want to give him more status than he deserves lol.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,672MI6 Agent
    Your right Barbel he declined a peerage so he isnt Sir. Can we edit my topic haha I dont want to give him more status than he deserves lol.

    :))

    You can edit the thread title itself simply by clicking on the "Edit" button at the bottom of your OP and deleting the "Sir". :) -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I understand that Cleese is rather bitter about his late Mother, for one Reason or another.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,218Chief of Staff
    Your right Barbel he declined a peerage so he isnt Sir. Can we edit my topic haha I dont want to give him more status than he deserves lol.

    Done. :)
    (As Silhouette Man says, it's easily done by either the OP or a mod)
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Or in TP's Case 'Just look at the ******* Top!


    :))
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,765MI6 Agent
    I think his critisism that the Craig Bonds are are targeting the Asian markets is misguided. The humor in Roger Moore's movies was far more often visual and the Brosnan action scenes clearly looked more like the over-coreographed action scenes in Asian action films. In terms of locations Bond has been very Eurosentric lately. Cleese seems to think the sparing use of humor has happened because many Asians don't understand English and woldn't understand the jokes. Did they understand them better in the 60's and 70's?
    I honestly don't see how the grittier style, more realistic action scenes and more developed characters of the Craig movies pampers to the Asian market.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    To be honest, I think he's simply a grumpy old git, who has
    A load of alimony to pay out and isn't happy about it ! :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • ProjectormanProjectorman Burnley Lancashire Posts: 37MI6 Agent
    I don't think casting Cleese as q was a good idea in the first place ,he is a funny guy but I think the character of q is not a fool - as Cleese played him. if anyone found out they were being replaced in their job by John Cleese I'm sure it wouldn't be taken as a compliment- Mr wishaw is wonderful re invention of q and a real breath of fresh air.
    Mr Cleese , I think is a Norwegian blue Q.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    :)) and he never liked the Aston Martin he was always
    Pining for the " Fords" :# :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Ah, the usual Thunderpussy Wit. Or at least half of it!
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    :)) I do think there must be a " Del boy" market stall out there
    With my name on it ! :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    Have no problem with anyone, famous or otherwise, expressing an opinion about Bond films or any of the actors in them, whether I agree or otherwise. Personally, I like the Craig Bond's but think they are a bit too far up themselves for their own good (which, I suspect, will be held against them in retrospect).

    And QUANTUM OF SOLACE in the movie context is a really stupid title. Only works as described by Fleming's Governor.

    And Cleese has written Python, Fawlty, Wanda. Haggis, Logan, P&W have not.
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    Cleese is a bit of a crusty cracker, that's for sure, but his achievements as a writer are beyond question. Even if Python's not to everyone's taste (and even major fans rarely like everything they produced), it has to be remembered and appreciated that it was completely, totally and stunningly original when it first appeared. It's easy to disparage some of it now, but some of those misgivings are based on changing tastes and today's humour, humour that in many cases - both UK and US - owe so much to Python's innovation (and most of those comedians who have borrowed from Python are only too happy to admit as much). And I haven't even touched on Wanda, Fawlty etc - as Schofield pointed out. However, everyone is entitled to their opinions whether a dislike of Python or Cleese's dislike of Craig etc.

    As for Cleese the person, I have never found Cleese terribly enjoyable whenever he's been on a chat show anywhere. I'm not sure whether he's trying too hard to get a laugh or whether he's just not very comfortable in that environment, but for as long as I can remember I've never found him great in appearances like that. I saw him doing his live one-man show this year and he was funny, but he had scripted it and that's where his true talent lies, not in acting, not in chat shows, but in writing.

    As for not liking his mum, he loved his mother deeply but she sounds like an eccentric loveable sort and so he shares her eccentricities with public now. There's a tremendous love and respect for her, but he still enjoys making fun of her!
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,270MI6 Agent
    Hi Domino Effect, I recall a 1980s appearance by Cleese on Aspel, with Boy George and Yoko Ono. He made some witty comment, and of course he gets kudos by being his snappy Basil Fawltey self as wit Kenneth Williams on the chat show circuit, he gives them his stock in trade. Anyway, as usual the audience applaud, and so do Ono and BG sat beside him, as is the rather twee custom. A sprawling on the sofa Cleese suddenly jumped to attention on the sofa and sat mimicking his fellow guests' rather twee applause, which they had to pretend to enjoy, but it was a rather awkward moment.

    Sean Connery was another one who seemed (more) awkward and out of sorts on the chat show circuit, it was rather disappointing as a fan.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
    Cleese is a funny bugger.

    I remember comments made to an American friend that "London is full of coloureds" and then a long rant on why it is so. To be honest I think people have been thinking "ooh thats just Cleese" for a long time yet. He also appears on US TV with monotonous reality saying great truths about Britain "we're all terrified of being embarassed" As if everyone of Cleeses' bon mots is worth remembering

    I think Cleese as R reached a new low. Cleese is file, look embarassed and forget.
    1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I put it down to age, Cleese feels he's not getting enough respect
    ( believing his own publicity, that he's a genius ) in many ways
    He's very talented, his writing ( as mentioned before) but he is
    Paying out for an expensive divorce or two, and is obviously bitter
    At his fortune disappearing.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    Bitter is definitely a good description, TP. He was badly treated in the California divorce courts, no question, but then perhaps he could have displayed better judgement in his choice of wives. I remember seeing Michael Palin interviewed fairly recently and the interviewer mentioned that Cleese had just got married...again. Palin was shocked. He and Cleese are still close and although he knew that Cleese was seeing someone, he had no idea that he was planning on getting married again when he was still in the process of paying off $22m in alimony to the last one. Palin looked very upset. Not upset that he didn't know, but because Cleese had 'done it again.'
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I do agree some of the divorce pay outs do seem to be crazy.
    Just look at what Paul McCartney had to pay out ! Cleese may
    Have every right to be upset and angry, it doesn't come across well
    In interviews etc.
    I wish him well, hope he has even more success but I do hope he finds
    A bit of inner peace, so he can get off the " victim" setting and back to
    The happy setting. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    I put it down to age, Cleese feels he's not getting enough respect
    ( believing his own publicity, that he's a genius ) in many ways
    He's very talented, his writing ( as mentioned before) but he is
    Paying out for an expensive divorce or two, and is obviously bitter
    At his fortune disappearing.

    I think that's the long and short of it, TP. I am a fan of much of Cleese's work, but I find his ragging about the Bond films to be tiresome.
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • ZorinIndustriesZorinIndustries United StatesPosts: 837MI6 Agent
    Honestly, I enjoyed him in TWINE and DAD. He was fun to watch! That being said, there's no way he'd fit in the Craig films. I think he got jipped like Brosnan did, but I don't blame the producers for not carrying him over. Bad timing overall! IMO of course :)
    "Better luck next time... slugheads!"

    1. GoldenEye 2. Goldfinger 3. Skyfall 4. OHMSS 5. TWINE
  • Unknown007Unknown007 Posts: 201MI6 Agent
    For some reason I always thought Michael Palin would have made a good Q. Better than Cleese anyway.
  • Virgil37Virgil37 Posts: 1,212MI6 Agent
    He gets royalties from all the Python stuff, so I don't think it has to do with money, right? I mean, can you really go bankrupt by paying alimony?. He's probably bitter about not being asked to reprise Q, after all Judi Dench reprised M with Craig (even though she looked much younger in GE and CR was a reboot).
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,218Chief of Staff
    Virgil37 wrote:
    can you really go bankrupt by paying alimony?

    Yes.
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