Skip to main content

tv   Late Night With Jimmy Fallon  NBC  October 15, 2009 12:35am-1:35am EDT

12:35 am
[ cheers and applause ]
12:36 am
12:37 am
>> steve: from studio 6b in rockefeller center, the national broadcasting company presents -- tonight's guests are -- and featuring the legendary roots crew. and here he is -- jimmy fallon! [ cheers and applause ] captions paid for by nbc-universal television
12:38 am
-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: good job, thank you very, very much. thank you so much. thank you, welcome. welcome to "late night with jimmy fallon," everybody. i'm so excited about tonight. happy wednesday. [ cheers ] let's get ready for -- yeah. "monty python" is here. i'm so excited. anyway, let's get to the news first. we'll talk about the news. this is interesting. a new study found that people who don't drink alcohol are more likely to suffer from depression. [ light laughter ] which is exactly why i did eight shots before coming out here tonight. and i feel great. [ cheers and applause ] i feel good. i feel loose. that's how i dance after eight shots. [ light laughter ] "he's had enough!" yesterday, the democrats' health care bill made it past the senate finance committee, in a 14-9 vote. sorry if i spoiled the ending for you guys. i know a local lot of you probably tivo c-span.
12:39 am
but yes, that's what happened. republican senator, olympia snowe, she broke ranks with her party and voted for the democrats' health care bill. [ cheers and applause ] yeah. she's been missing ever since. [ laughter ] i'm so excited, because i had olympia snowe on my fantasy congress team. [ laughter ] i'm like, "yeah, score, man." [ light laughter ] the bill easily made it through with a vote of 9-14, or as roman polanski calls it, "the perfect age range." [ laughter and ohs ] i know, and that's why he's in jail, you guys. yeah. [ laughter ] but even if the bill passed, president obama said that now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back. mostly because you might pull a muscle. he says, "wait until you actually have health insurance before you do anything." [ laughter ]
12:40 am
i read this, researchers from the national institute of health found that parents in the united states now prefer trendy baby names. they noticed this after seeing an increase of babies named "twilight" and "twitter." [ light laughter ] "twilight, you get away from twitter. twitter, twitter, give twilight back his jacket. now, jacket, you give twitter his copy of 'twilight.'" [ laughter ] all right, very good. "twilight. twilight, get off of twitter. all you guys get off facebook. facebook, come here. i love you. come here. [ laughter ] my favorite. you and jacket." you guys see this? there is a new iphone app that can that can lock, unlock, and start your car. it's called the "i lost my iphone and now my car is gone, too." [ laughter ] awesome invention. hey, the spice girls confirmed that the group is now planning an exciting second reunion tour. yeah. [ scattered cheers ] they're going to -- yeah. they're going to play all their hit. the whole thing. happy 70th birthday to ralph lauren, everybody.
12:41 am
you can tell him -- [ cheers and applause ] yeah, 70 years old. you can tell he was shocked at his surprise party, because he froze, just like this. [ light laughter ] a man in houston -- this is a crazy story. a man in houston was arrested after police found him hiding inside a closet with a corpse. they said it was either drug-related or the absolutely worst game of seven minutes in heaven, ever. [ light laughter ] "is it seven minutes yet?" big news, you guys. polaroid cameras are coming back, starting next year. [ cheers and applause ] polaroid cameras. i'm so excited, i can't stop shaking. [ laughter ] i'm not going to buy a polaroid, though. i'm holding out for one of those 1920s cameras where you slip underneath the curtain. [ laughter ] "which one's you?" "the one not smiling." no one ever smiles in those old pictures. this halloween, twitter users will get the chance to communicate with the dead in the world's first "tweance."
12:42 am
[ light laughter ] that sounds tweally twucking tweepy to me. [ laughter and applause ] come on, scary. now, have you heard this? because they run so quietly, these new hybrid and electric cars are adding artificial engine noises so that pedestrians can hear them approaching. you know what i would do? i would get the ice cream truck song as my car tone, just to see really disappointed kid's faces when i turn corners. [ laughter ] "hey, no, it's just me. that's all. got no ice cream, sorry." and finally, the colorado tourism office launched a contest monday where they are offering three snow virgins a free vacation to colorado. now, to be a snow virgin you must have never seen snow. although, you can have received a snow job. that's what i'm told. i don't know. [ laughter ] ladies and gentlemen, we have a great show tonight. give it up for the roots! ♪ [ cheers and applause ]
12:43 am
>> jimmy: whew-hoo. we have got an incredible show tonight. the men of monty python are here, ladies and gentlemen. [ cheers and applause ] talking about, john cleese, terry gilliam eric idle and terry jones. their all joining me together, right here in this very studio. i'm so excited. this is going to be -- [ in british accent ] -- "great with a british accent." [ laughter ] i'm so excited, monty python, oh my, this is crazy. i mean, i've been a fan for the longest time ever. as all of you guys are, too. but i -- when i first heard of them, i think i was -- i used to listen to this radio show called "dr. demento," [ cheers ] and he was on sunday nights, you know it? he would play all comedy songs and comedy records and i would go up to my room on sunday night. my parents and my sister they'd watch tv and i would listen to just comedy songs all day long and then i heard, "spam." ♪ spam spam spam spam salty spam bacon and spam ♪ and i'm like, "what is this? this is great." [ light laughter ] and i loved it, i go, "oh, my
12:44 am
gosh." and then he goes, "that's monty python." so i got all of the records. so i got into monty python through the records and didn't even realize they had a show called "monty python's flying circus," which is an amazing show. it would air -- it would air like after or before "benny hill" at my grandparents' house. [ light laughter ] and it was just very like -- that humor that i think is like, i don't want to say snotty or snobby, but it was high brow. but it was very silly. it was almost so silly that it became high brow. [ light laughter ] i don't know how -- i've never seen that combination, but i remember getting into it, and going -- and also, you got to see naked breasts. [ cheers and applause ] and you would go -- you'd see a statute or something and they'd make a joke about it. and i remember sitting and going, "oh, my god, i can't believe this is on tv. this is crazy." [ laughter ] and i just freaked out. and then, came for me, "monty python and the holy grail." [ cheers and applause ] if you've never seen this movie, you should own this movie, it's such -- it's a masterpiece. and when you get "holy grail," if you're a 12-year-old boy, it's a life-changer. [ light laughter ] it's a complete life-changer.
12:45 am
it's something that you find in the woods, like under leaves or something. you find like a -- "my god, what is this?" and it's like this -- it's almost like this movie's just made for you. like, it's just like -- it's the first time i felt like, "oh, no one else is going to get this at all. this is totally mine. this is not my parents. they're not going, you know?" and it's just, you start memorizing quotes, and you meet other nerds like you at parties and you go -- [ in surfer voice ] "oh, my god, the swallow can carry a coconut." oh my god, you know that too." [ laughter ] i don't know if you're friends with surfers. [ laughter ] it just became that thing that was "my thing" and "our thing" and it was just like -- and then you realize that, you know, millions of fans around the world love monty python as well, and they all split off and went on to have great careers, and i'm just so honored and psyched to have their presence, have them here on our show here at "late night." and so welcome to be on.
12:46 am
[ cheers and applause ] can't be more excited. can't be more excited to monty python here. they're one of the most influential, brilliant comedy troupes of all time. just to give you a tiny, little sample of their most famous sketches, take a look at this. ♪ [ laughter ] >> and now to something completely different. ♪ [ laughter ] ♪ [ laughter ] >> you can have, eggs, bacon, spam and sausage without the spam. >> yuck. [ laughter ] >> what do you mean, "yuck?" >> i don't like spam. ♪ spam spam spam spam spamity spam ♪ [ laughter ] [ laughter ] >> who are you? we are the knights who say --
12:47 am
"ni!" ni, ni, ni, ni. >> no, not the knights who say "ni!" >> ni, ni, ni, ni! >> ow, ow. >> now, look here, my good man. >> i don't want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal, food trough whopper. i fart in your general direction. >> ah! >> now, stand aside, worthy adversary. >> 'tis but a scratch. >> a scratch? your arm's off. >> well, i didn't expect the kind of spanish inquisition. ♪ >> nobody expects the spanish inquisition! ♪ ♪ he's a lumberjack and he's okay he sleeps all night and he works all day ♪ ♪ i cut down trees i skip and jump i like to press wildflowers ♪ ♪ i put on women's clothing hang around in bars ♪
12:48 am
♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: there we go. that's monty python, and they'll be here for the whole show. when we get back, "wheel of carpet samples." come on back! [ cheers and applause ] ♪ [ female announcer ] swiffer 360 dusters cleans deep...
12:49 am
you'll love it so much, you'll send your old duster packing. ♪ love stinks! ♪ yeah! yeah! ♪ love stinks ♪ [ female announcer ] swiffer 360 dusters cleans deep into hard to reach places and removes allergens, feather dusters can leave behind. the thick all around fibers trap and lock on contact. swiffer gives cleaning a deep new meaning. exact change, buddy.
12:50 am
♪ love stinks! to buy raisin bran extra! i'm surprised nobody else is here for the big debut of the almonds. oh, guys, i can see it! they're setting it up right now! is it true? are there really going to be cranberries? yep, i can see the boxes, and there's definitely yogurty clusters in there too! i think this is a 24-hour store. introducing kellogg's® raisin bran extra! with cranberries, almonds and yogurty clusters, it's raisin bran with so much extra. ♪ raisin bran extra! it's a mouthful of awesome!
12:51 am
♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: welcome back, everybody. and thank you so much for watching. well, everyone, i'm so excited. coming up is my favorite game. this game is amazing if you like carpets and you like samples, you're gonna love this. it's a game called "wheel of carpet samples!" ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: look at this beautiful wheel, so many carpet samples. let's give a round of applause for tonight's lucky contestants. [ applause ] very, very nice. thank you, so much.
12:52 am
thank you, so much. and now, let's see my co-host and designated spinner, mr. carpet sample himself, john cleese, everybody! ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> thank you, thank you. >> jimmy: now, john, before we begin, let me just ask, why do you love carpet samples so much? >> well, it's quite simple, really. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: excellent. now -- in case you don't know the rules, here's a quick refresher. on this wheel we have dozens of carpet samples, only the best and brightest, of course. we've got "midnight sunrise," "butterscotch odyssey," svelte yak," "sixties christmas," "tender porpoise," so many, so many samples. and, of course, we have the one and only, "mystery sample." yeah. [ eerie music ] john, can you tell us what tonight's mystery sample is? >> tonight's mystery sample is --
12:53 am
"brown." [ laughter ] >> jimmy: all right, contestant number one, what's your name and where are you from? >> i'm estelle, and i'm from houston. >> jimmy: very good -- oh, very -- welcome, welcome to the show. all right, you ready to play? >> sure. >> jimmy: audience, are you ready to help us out? let's spin "the wheel of carpet samples!" [ applause ] all right, everybody it's spinning, spinning. not too close john, you might get rug burn. there here we go. where it ends, no one knows. here we go. what's coming on? you're landing on -- "navaho caress." oh, my goodness! [ applause ] fantastic. now, that means your score is 4,973. [ klaxon sounds ] oh-oh, you know what that sound means? a prime number alert. that's it. your score is only divisible by one and itself. [ lightning sounds ] >> and you know what that sound means, it's time for the "lightning round." [ barge horn ] [ light laughter ] >> jimmy: and you know what that sound means, put 20 seconds on the clock. [ jaguar growls ]
12:54 am
>> and you know what that sound means, let's take 30 seconds off the clock, and replace the clock with a banana. [ laughter ] [ train whistle blows ] >> jimmy: oh, and you know what that sound means. it's time to "peel that banana!" >> double banana! >> double banana! >> double banana! [ slide whistle sound ] >> and you know what that sound means, it's time for a louder, sillier sound. [ slide whistle and boing ] >> jimmy: and you know what that sound means. round one is finally over. [ laughter ] which means it's time for a carpet sample fun fact. >> carpet sample fun fact. george washington was the first u.s. president -- ♪ [ laughter ] >> jimmy: keep that in mind, it might come in handy later. okay, thank you very much. contestant number two, how are you? what's your name and where are you from? >> alex from dallas, texas. >> jimmy: alex from dallas, texas. from texas?
quote
12:55 am
very, very good. now, what sample do you have your eye on? >> oh, gosh, they're all so nice. [ laughter ] "'60s x-mas." >> jimmy: oh, "'60s christmas," fair enough. [ light laughter ] okay, let's spin -- [ along with audience ] "that wheel of carpet samples!" here we go. it's going round and round, where it ends up, no one knows. people are on the blogs talking about this. oh, "walnut fantasy!" wow! ♪ "walnut fantasy." do you know what that means? you've got to put three seconds on the clock, and you know how it works. when i say go, you have to name as many things as you possibly can. ready? go! [ clock ticking ] >> toasters -- [ buzzer ] [ audience ohs ] >> jimmy: so close. so close. [ laughter ] so very close. you -- [ laughter ] so close. you forgot -- [ laughter ]
12:56 am
you forgot dinosaur. [ laughter ] we were looking for dinosaur. >> so, contestant number two, that means your score is zero, but you can easily make that up on your next spin. but sadly, that was your last spin. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: yes, moving on. thank you, so much. contestant number three. [ cheers and applause ] thank you, so much. what is your name and where are you from? >> eric, from albany, new york. >> jimmy: you're from albany, good man. very good. john, what's your advice for contestant number three? >> well, that's an excellent question, because -- [ laughter ] >> jimmy: all right. it's time to -- [ along with audience ] "spin that wheel of carpet samples!" there we go, great spin.
12:57 am
going around and around, freshly vacuumed carpet samples, all good-looking. oh, we're getting close. it's going to land on -- "rusty cosby!" ♪ and as always, you have the option to trade in your carpet sample for whatever is inside this box. now, we -- [ laughter ] we encourage you to take the trade. >> in fact, you're legally required to. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: go ahead, open it up. i can't wait to see what's in there. >> what is in there? >> jimmy: could be anything. oh, it's a carpet sample! [ laughter ] wow! there you go. thanks. oh, wow. it's "burly urchin." one of the finest varieties of carpet sample. now, this is one of the closest matches in the long and storied history of "wheel of carpet samples." john, tell us, who is tonight's winner? >> tonight's winner on "wheel of
12:58 am
carpet samples" is contestant number three! ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: it's "burly urchin" carpet samples. that's yours to keep. >> all right. >> jimmy: and you guys, unfortunately that means you lost, and that means you won't be taking home any carpet samples. i'm so sorry. [ audience ohs ] there you go. but instead, we have a $300 gift certificate to the apple store. there you go. [ applause ] $300 spend it on anything you want at the apple store. at any apple store in the united states. so sorry. so sorry you lost. but you're the big winner! that's awesome. [ laughter ] how do you feel? how do you feel? >> i feel like a million bucks. >> jimmy: well, here's a million plus $300. we're giving you the gift certificate, as well. thank you man. [ applause ] very special thanks to the one and only, john cleese, everybody! we'll see you all next time on "wheel of carpet samples!" we'll be right back with the cast of monty python. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪
12:59 am
what if we could put an end... to that prickly feeling between shaves? ♪ new dove visiblysmooth anti-perspirant makes hair look and feel less noticeable over time... so you feel stubble-free for longer.
1:00 am
♪ tell me who's watching. ♪ i always feel like somebody's watching me. ♪ (announcer) it's right here. it's easy. ♪ always feel like mebody's watching me. ♪it'sd be saving with geico. what makes a hershey's bar pure? pure togetherness. ["melt with you" playing] pure friendship. pure delicious chocolate. pure hershey's. wewewell, the first thing we do when we come up here is take her out to eat. she needs a good meal and we need to catch up. i love when they come visit and so do my roommates. announcer: try olive garden's new mezzalunas. half moon ravioli stuffed with four italian cheeses. try the shrimp in white wine cream sauce or the savory sausage in tomato alfredo. starting at just $9.95. with unlimited salad and breadsticks. i just like to know my little girl is ok. daddy! (laughs) announcer: olive garden. when you're here, you're family.
1:01 am
♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: welcome back,
1:02 am
everybody. welcome back. now, our only guests tonight are members of one of the most influential and hilarious comedy groups ever. they're marking their 40th anniversary with a six-part documentary, "almost the truth." airing on ifc, october 18th-23rd. give it up for monty python. ♪ >> jimmy: john cleese! [ cheers and applause ] thank you, buddy. terry gilliam, everybody! [ cheers and applause ] eric idle! [ cheers and applause ] and of course, terry jones, everybody! [ cheers and applause ] ♪
1:03 am
>> you took my chair. >> jimmy: we thought we had the right amount of chairs when we came out here. i don't know what happened. >> john, john. i accuse john. >> no, no, it just got moved. >> jimmy: yeah, sometimes things get caught. >> who moved the chair, everybody? [ people yelling ] >> there you are, i see. keep talking! >> jimmy: okay, very good. i should say -- let's just go in order. [ laughter ] sorry, buddy. yeah, come on in. yeah. >> fine. thank you. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: now -- [ cheers and applause ] people -- people know you guys from --
1:04 am
look, he's walking off the show. it's all right. it's fine. take care. >> no. >> jimmy: you're going to sit there? oh, it's fine. oh, my, please. sorry. please -- stretch out. no problem, yeah, absolutely. [ laughter ] now, when you first started -- >> people know your work from -- "holy grail." >> jimmy: no, that's my question. no, i have to ask that question. you want me to ask it again? now, people know your work from "holy grail" -- >> i asked that. >> jimmy: do you want to ask it again? >> oh, you can ask it again, yeah. >> jimmy: john, maybe you -- how would you describe -- or all of you, how would you describe monty python? >> well, i think -- [ everyone talking at once ] [ laughter ] [ cheers and applause ] [ everyone talking at once ]
1:05 am
>> the more you keep doing it, the funnier it becomes. [ light laughter ] >> jimmy: yeah. that's what i thought. [ laughter ] that's what i thought. the name monty python. >> really, the fact -- [ everyone talking at once ] >> jimmy: now, that's a lie. that is a lie. [ laughter ] that is not true. >> oh. >> why? >> jimmy: what someone was saying over on this side, someone said something that isn't true. >> it's getting nasty. >> jimmy: yeah. [ laughter ] >> very nasty. >> jimmy: how the name monty python? how did you get the name monty python? >> i think that's a terrible question, don't you? [ laughter ] a really [ bleep ] question. [ laughter ] let's ask anybody in the audience. [ cheers and applause ]
1:06 am
[ everyone talking at once ] [ cheers and applause ] [ everyone talking at once ] >> yeah. we've got one of the original members of the audience from monty python here. [ laughter and applause ] thank you. >> jimmy: the original members of the audience. >> it was a very good question. >> jimmy: i'm sorry, i worked on these this morning and -- >> the question is, which component of an aircraft would you most like to be? [ light laughter ] >> jimmy: that's very true. >> very good question.
1:07 am
>> jimmy: that's a good one. yeah. >> difficult one, difficult one. >> i like that. >> what would you like to be? which one -- a wing? >> no. >> an aileron? >> i like the air hostess. [ laughter ] if it's strictly a component, i'm not sure. >> yeah. >> little thing above -- wind? >> jimmy: the air control, yeah. >> that's a good thing. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: no, no, no, that's a good question. that's fine, that's fine. that's a fine question. >> okay. >> is this your the show? >> jimmy: yes, it is. >> excellent, excellent. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: thanks for coming. >> thanks, john. >> oh! [ laughter and ohs ] >> jimmy: that was my next question. [ laughter ] does anyone need to be cooled off?
1:08 am
[ laughter and ohs ] [ cheers and applause ] >> can we have some more water, please? can we have some more? >> and they say comedy's dead. [ laughter ] >> it's great to be 70. >> jimmy: i do want to say, we have -- we have no more water. you can't be here. [ laughter ] because i watched this documentary that is out now. there's nothing in these cups anymore. it's an interesting story of how actually you pitched this to the bbc. >> uh -- >> jimmy: you, all dripping wet. >> the moist one speaks. >> jimmy: yeah, the moist one speaks first. like, what happened? you just went in, and you said this is -- >> well, we went in, there were all these bbc executives in suits, and they all looked at us, and they said, "well, what is the show going to be about?" and we said, "well, we don't really know." >> just going to be something funny.
1:09 am
>> yeah. and they said, "well, is it going to have music in it?" we said, "um, no." and they said, "well, are you going to have guests?" or something like that. "we don't really know." and they said, "well, what's it going to be called?" and we said, "we don't really know." [ laughter ] and they all looked at each other -- "oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear." well, we can only give you 13 shows. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: it made no sense. but i loved the show, it was always so -- it was cut up and sketch, like i never knew what was live, and what was, you know, like -- which was in front of an audience or did you get laugh tracks? >> i think we had about three or four minutes each week that we prefilmed. then we had terry g's, terry gilliam's animation so that was another -- >> jimmy: which was amazing. >> -- two or three minutes. >> thank you. >> jimmy: yeah, it still is amazing. was and it is. >> yeah, i was trying to learn english at the time. >> what, what? >> why he the drawy one? >> because he's the american. [ laughter ] >> oh, yeah yeah. >> jimmy: he's american, that's what happens. you are the only american member of monty python.
1:10 am
>> yeah, that's true. i'm no longer the only american member, because i gave up my american citizenship three weeks ago. >> jimmy: you did? >> i renounced this country. >> jimmy: you did? >> i did. i'm sorry. >> it's on ebay, if anybody wants it. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: oh, all right. well, yeah, that's cool. yeah, what's the going bid right now? >> about $5. >> jimmy: $5? that's a good deal. you can become terry gilliam. >> we want to know why you opted for belgium. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: was it the trumpets? >> oh, you caught me off guard. >> let me just try english first. >> jimmy: but you know what i was going to ask you, though, when you did come up with these drawings, what was going -- like, why did you choose to make it so different? i've never seen anything like that. >> i think it was terry who really decided it would be a good idea to follow the stream of consciousness i was doing in my cartoons and the children's show that mike, terry and eric were doing. and it solved the problem of punch lines, which is deadly.
1:11 am
you were here seeing these incredible sketches, peter cook, dudley moore, and they always fell on their face because of the punch line. >> yeah. you had that on "saturday night live." >> jimmy: many times, yeah. >> so, more time trying to coming up with a good punch line than you spent writing the entire sketch. >> jimmy: so then you didn't even have end your sketch so you just you cut to a -- >> it would flow. and, you know, they would write sketches and they'd say gilliam takes over from here and gets us to there. >> jimmy: did you ever think that the show would be a disaster? >> just shortly after you started the monologue. [ laughter and applause ] >> jimmy: not this show, your show. more with monty python when we come back, everybody! the one and only. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ compare a well equipped lexus es, to a well-equipped buick lacrosse. get inside each. and see what you find. if perfection is what you pursue,
1:12 am
this just might change your course. meet the new class of world class. the twenty-ten lacrosse, from buick. may the best car win. make that the video store. - ( sighs ) - if she had netflix, she could keep her dvds for as long as she wants. take the drama out of renting. announcer: netflix. unlimited movies for $8.99 a month. professionals by suave. salon-proven to work as well as salon brands. ♪ because we believe that ideas are limitless. that's why, everyday at ge, thousands of scientists and researchers
1:13 am
at our global research centers and throughout the company are redefining what's possible by creating the advanced technologies that create jobs. the american renewal is happening right now.
1:14 am
1:15 am
1:16 am
♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: we're back, everybody. welcome back, and thank you for watching. we're back with the legendary monty python. and actually, four of the six members -- graham chapman passed away in 1989 and michael palin is traveling. so -- four of the six. so i'll take it. yeah. anyway -- [ laughter ]
1:17 am
>> the reason the audience is laughing, people at home, is we just told them that, in fact, early this morning, michael palin died. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: but he's not -- he's not dead. is he? >> well, he's not at all well. >> jimmy: not doing well, okay. >> jimmy: i wanted to ask you a question. >> so we thought we better bury i wanted to ask you something. when this first came on, when monty python first came on, there was no vcrs or tivos or anything like that, and i think you talk about -- people had to imitate it like, which i think is a very quotable show. but people like to would imitate it. "you should have seen the sketch last night, they did like, 'do you have cheese here?'" and they'd do the whole thing. does that -- >> actually, the greeks, homer started that, basically. that's how "the iliad" and "the odyssey" was performed. he would do a bit and the next morning everybody would be up doing funny bits.
1:18 am
>> jimmy: "did you hear what homer did?" >> yeah. >> jimmy: yeah, but do people coming up to you guys all the time and ask you to do stuff? like, "can you please do the silly walks for us?" >> well, i'll tell you what they do. they come up and they say, "i like monty python very much, and we say, "that's really nice, thank you, i'm so glad you like it." which is fine, because it's nice that they like it. and then they start saying what their favorite monty python sketch is. and we don't give a [ bleep ] what they -- [ laughter ] it is of absolutely no interest which [ bleep ] sketch they like. [ laughter ] they like the show, great. don't tell me which [ bleep ] sketch you like. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: you don't like hearing it at all. do they perform it for you, as well? >> well, they sometimes go into that kind of thing. >> jimmy: yeah, you have to. yeah. >> talking about there was no vcrs in those days and no videotapes, no dvds. the bbc nearly wiped all of the shows. nearly erased all the shows. we got a call one day saying,
1:19 am
from our video editor saying, "they're about to erase all of the shows." and so we smuggled the shows out of the bbc and put them on to phillips -- the only cassettes that we have at that. and so there was a time when i thought the only record of funnies from the first series was in my basement. [ light laughter ] >> jimmy: start freaking out at night you can't even wake up. >> because the technology was so clumsy. i mean, the tape on which the program was stored was kind of that wide and that by that. so if you had 13 of those, that was a lot of space. and if you have a lot of series -- so, they started wiping the shows. and i did a show with graham and marty feldman called "at last the 1948 show." they completely wiped it. and it wouldn't exist for the fact that some guy in sweden, quite seriously, found seven episodes in a vault and sent them to us. so these classic series just got completely wiped, because the technology was so crude, that everything took up too much space. >> and in fact the bbc would have wiped the python tv shows
1:20 am
if they hadn't sold them to the states. so thank you, united states. [ cheers and applause ] >> yeah, thank you. >> jimmy: i know a lot of your influences, early influences was radio like "the goon show" and "beyond the fringe." that's tricky to find, too, unless go to the -- you've got like an old vinyl or something like that. like, they don't have any of those tapes, as well. >> no, that was the best show i ever saw. 1962 they came to cambridge and i saw a matinee and it was peter cook, dudley moore, johnaton miller, and allen bennett, whose now probably one of our best two or three playwrights, the best show i ever saw. four comic geniuses. and it doesn't exist on tape at all. >> jimmy: amazing. i have it on vinyl, vinyl, like "the great train robbery" it was probably of -- >> yes. i think we all thought peter cook was the greatest of them all. >> jimmy: yeah. >> he was so brilliant as frank miller once said, he said, if you wanted three minutes material -- it produced -- it took peter three minutes to
1:21 am
produce it. he could just sit down and ad lib it, and you could write it all down and perform it. he was a genius. i don't think he is so well-known. >> his punch lines were terrible, though. >> what? >> peter's. >> oh, yes. [ light laughter ] he didn't care about punch lines. >> jimmy: but now, thanks to youtube and stuff like that, you have monty python, you have your own channel, which i think you had a lot to do with that, didn't you, eric? >> i'll take the credit for that, yes. [ laughter ] in fact, not at all, but yes. >> we haven't done anything new now for 40 years. this is the 40th year anniversary of the last time we did anything new. since then, we have just been recycling it. >> jimmy: you're going green. >> we're totally green. none of the comedy rain forests are cut down for our material. it's old material that's been recycled. >> jimmy: that's what i'm talking about. al gore would be proud. [ applause ] he'd be so proud. because you have your own channel and i think a whole new
1:22 am
generation has seen your sketches now, and are quoting them, as well. and then, of course, "holy grail" has like a cult -- it's unbelievable. when you run into someone who knows "the holy grail," it's always they know it word for word, and they say the whole thing. and when hear the story how it got made -- you guys co-directed, right? terry and terry? terry gilliam and terry jones. >> jimmy: and who knew? you had no idea it would become such a -- it's on dvd, it's on bluray right now. >> we were trying to make each other, laugh weren't we? >> we were chased off -- it was a couple weeks before we started shooting, terry and i discovered this whole all of scotland and suddenly the national trust said they didn't want us to use any of the castles that we had already scheduled in shows, because we wouldn't respect the dignity of the fabric of the building. these are places where the most awful tortures, the most awful maimings had occurred, but a bit of comedy was going to bring those walls down. >> oh, no! >> jimmy: "no comedy in here. this is where we murder people, we don't make them laugh first. how rude!" well, i have a twitter question. i asked some of the people that follow me on twitter to -- john, i know you're very involved with twitter. you're on twitter, as well. >> well, i believe i am. yes, i have a wonderful
1:23 am
assistant to makes up most of my quotes. [ laughter ] who tells me afterwards, and they're very funny. he's very good. his name is gary stradova, and he's just finished 20 years working with me. >> jimmy: oh, really? >> yep. >> jimmy: you fired him? >> frequently. frequently. >> jimmy: tonight on the air. after he watches this show. >> gary -- >> bye gary. [ laughter ] >> get a job, you loser! >> jimmy: bye gary! well, this girl, chillylily 25 on twitter says, "can you ask them, do you think american sense of humor, how it differs from the british sense of humor?" >> well, americans get paid more. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: very, very good. i'm learning so much. >> jimmy: everyone, monty python "almost the truth - the lawyers cut" airs sunday, october 18th to the 23rd at 9pm on ifc. cheers, you guys. it's been an honor. [ cheers and applause ] stick around for a big musical ending. monty python, everybody! [ cheers and applause ] ♪
1:24 am
. . blap #
1:25 am
♪ (announcer) pepcid® complete doesn't make you choose. it neutralizes acid in seconds and controls heartburn all day or all night. pepcid® complete , works now and works later.
1:26 am
1:27 am
for clarity and shine in finish quantum. it's unbeatable clean and jet dry action leaves nothing behind but the shine.
1:28 am
it's only dishwashing, but we believe you deserve brilliant results every time. finish, the new name for electrasol. the diamond standard. asko, makers of the dishwasher with the largest loading capacity,@ recommends only one high performance detergent. finish@ the new name for electrasol. ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: and if you haven't had enough monty python tonight or with the ifc documentary, you can pick up this book right here. i can't pick it up. can you pick it up? >> uh-huh. >> oh, sorry. >> jimmy: yes, very good. "monty python live," which follows the pythons on the road. and now here to perform the monty python classic, "always look on the bright side of
1:29 am
life," with a little help from the roots, please welcome, eric idle! [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ some things in life are bad they can really make you mad other things just make you swear and curse ♪ ♪ when you're chewing on life's gristle don't grumble give a whistle ♪ ♪ and this will help things turn out for the best ♪ ♪ and always look on the bright side of life always look on the light side of life ♪ ♪ >> come on, whistle. ♪ if life seems jolly rotten there's something you've forgotten ♪ ♪ and that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing when you're feeling in the dumps
1:30 am
don't be silly chumps ♪ ♪ just purse your lips and whistle at the thing ♪ ♪ and always look on the bright side of life always look on the light side of life ♪ ♪ if life is quite absurd and death's the final word you must always face the curtain with a bow ♪ ♪ forget about your sin give the audience a grin enjoy it's your last chance anyhow ♪ ♪ and always look on the bright side of death and just before you draw your terminal breath♪ ♪ for life's a piece of [ bleep ] when you look at it lifes a laugh and death's a joke
1:31 am
it's true ♪ ♪ you'll see it's all a show keep 'em laughing as you go just remember that the last laugh is on you ♪ ♪ and always look on the bright side of life always look on the light side of life ♪ ♪ >> key change! ♪ and always look on the bright side of life always look on the bright side of life ♪ ♪ and always look on the bright side of life ♪ ♪ >> thank you! [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: very good.
1:32 am
eric, eric idle, everybody! thank you so much. we'll be right back with more late night! [ cheers and applause ] ♪
1:33 am
1:34 am

1,061 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on