• funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works
      262·
      2 days ago

      unfortunately Cleese in his elder years hasn’t really moved with the times. While this quote is fairly right-on, he’s also said a bunch of fairly right-wing crap too.

      • juanito_the_great@sh.itjust.works
        56·
        1 day ago

        Edit: Didn’t know about his other views. I no longer consider his views forgivable.

        He is remarkably progressive and lucid for his age, so I’m inclined to cut him some slack for the topics I wholeheartedly disagree about with him.

        For example, his support for Brexit I find hard to forgive… but unlike most of the ghouls that supported it, he seems genuine in his opinions and remains at odds and vocally against the Global Far Right.

        • IcyToes@sh.itjust.works
          171·
          2 days ago

          You kidding? He’s been railing against woke etc. He’s on the right of UK politics. Would probably be further if it was acceptable.

          A very funny and clever man during his youth. That guy is gone.

        • gmtom@lemmy.world
          111·
          2 days ago

          What??

          The guys is openly transphobic, is part of the whole “comedy is ruined because if woke” crowd, is anti immigrant and anti-muslim and like you said, is pro brexit, but you want to cut him some slack because he’s “genuine” in his transphobia and xenophobia???

        • vga@sopuli.xyz
          2·
          2 days ago

          I think he was more like a moderate, unironical centrist. The people he hung out with (rest of the Pythons that is) were more progressive which probably caused some sort of social contagion on him as long as he was with them.

          I think he was being serious when he did this bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ4fyWhp-KM

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      38·
      2 days ago

      Reminds me of a famous quote from Danish humorist Storm P:

      “He who understands humor as only humor and seriousness as only seriousness has misunderstood both”

      • Klear@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        2 days ago

        Also from Hagakure (though I know it from Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai):

        Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige’s wall, there was this one: “Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.” Master Ittei commented, “Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.”