Eric Idle was in salty form on X/Twitter over the weekend.
The Monty Python star had some dismissive words for John Cleese and Terry Gilliam, co-founders of the comedy troupe, and he even took a shot at Netflix.
Idle wrote of his surprise that Monty Python’s income had dried up, complaining that he has to keep working at the age of 80.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded,” he said. “Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
He blamed the mismanagement of the Python brand on Gilliam and his daughter, Holly. The latter runs HDG Projects, which manages Python and helped stage Monty Python Live (mostly) – One Down Five to Go, the group’s 2014 reunion shows in London.
“We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.”
Holly Gilliam has been approached for comment.
Asked by an X user if he is still close to Cleese, Idle responded: “I haven’t seen Cleese for seven years.” A fan replied saying that this made them sad, to which Idle said: “Why. It makes me happy.”
Idle, who appeared in The Masked Singer in 2022, also took issue with Netflix after a follower suggested that the streaming giant make a documentary on the rise and fall of Python. “Fuck Netflix and fuck documentaries,” Idle replied.
Eric’s daughter Lily praised her father. “I’m so proud of my dad for finally starting to share the truth,” she wrote. “He has always stood up to bullies and narcissists and absolutely deserves reassurance and validation for doing so.”
Idle admitted he was doing ok for himself. “I’m fine. I’m engaged and writing. It’s the thing I do and like the most. Creating a new show. Something that feels so completely normal. Been doing it since 1963. I have learned a lot. But then I had some great mentors.”
Idle co-founded Python in 1969 alongside Graham Chapman, Cleese, Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. He is known for roles such as Brave Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
