Filming takes a lot out of you. It really does. It's immensely demanding, and you have to put the rest of your life in the icebox until you do your final shot. John Cleese More Quotes by John Cleese More Quotes From John Cleese There's something about watching an animal that puts you in contact with where we came from and what we're still a part of. John Cleese contact stills animal The trouble with the British is that they are not interested in ideas. If Jesus came back today and offered to speak for an hour on British television, they would say, "What! Another talking head? John Cleese talking ideas jesus Sense of humor is so much more subjective than anyone believes. John Cleese sense-of-humor subjective believe It's easier to be creative if you've got other people to play with. John Cleese creative play people If you really don't know where to start or if you're stuck, start generating random connections and allow your intuition to tell you if one might lead somewhere interesting. John Cleese intuition connections interesting My views are heretical to people who believe in political correctness. John Cleese views believe people I've always found life quite difficult to explain to people or to myself. John Cleese difficult found people Wine is wonderful stuff. But so many people are put off by the snobbery of it. John Cleese wine stuff people I find it rather easy to portray a businessman. Being bland, rather cruel and incompetent comes naturally to me. John Cleese sarcasm sarcastic business I love having different cultures around, but when the parent culture kind of dissipates, you're left thinking, 'Well, what's going on?' John Cleese different parent thinking Some actors, I think, want to feel that they are as creative as the writer. And the answer is, frankly, they're not. John Cleese actors creative thinking I'm very odd 'cause I think there's more than just a materialist planet, a materialist, reductionist planet. John Cleese odd causes thinking By watching the great, old comedians I picked up a few tricks about how to do physical comedy. And whenever I could learn something, I sort of added that to my repertoire. John Cleese tricks comedian comedy The Americans are so much more positive. They are much more in love with success. In Britain, they're a fairly envious bunch, and they love it if you fail. John Cleese envious britain failing Basil Fawlty was an easy character for me. For some reason, portraying a mean, uptight, incompetent bully comes naturally to me. John Cleese bully character mean Laughter is the best creative medicine. John Cleese medicine creativity laughter High creativity is responding to situations without critical thought. John Cleese responding situation creativity I think it's because in America you always get the sense that if you fail, you can just pack up your things and go somewhere else and try again. But in England, it's so geographically small that if somebody succeeds here, it reduces your chances of succeeding. John Cleese somewhere-else america thinking All humour is critical, you know? You make stupid jokes. I mean, stupidity is an infirmity, isn't it? John Cleese humour stupid mean If you are leaping a ravine, the moment of takeoff is a bad time for considering alternative strategies... Do it in the 'closed' mode. But the moment the action is over, try to return to the 'open' mode... because in that mode we are the most aware, most receptive, most creative, and therefore at our most intelligent. John Cleese intelligent creative trying
