Petition to get Michael Palin on the podcast.

George Martin is on record stating that he signed the Beatles not because they were particularly good musicians or songwriters but because they were funny. After their first recording session with Martin, he brought them all into the control room and laid all the things he didn’t like about their performance. After he’d had his say, he then asked them, as they sat looking brow beaten and disappointed, if there was anything they didn’t like. George cheekily replied, “I don’t like your tie.”

That apparently broke the ice as Martin had a good sense of humor (he produced comedy records after all) and the other Beatles just let loose and started joking around. Martin would go on to say he signed them because they were funny and charming, not for their musical abilities.

6:02 "...but we'll talk about the Beatles another time, I want to talk about..."
"The Rolling Stones"

8:15 "What was your John like?" LMAO that was sneakily funny

I met Mr. Idle once many years ago after a show of his. I had the absolute pleasure of him kindheartedly cracking a joke at my expense and genuinely laughing at my reply. Felt like I had just played catch with Willie Mays or something (who I also once had the pleasure of meeting).

He was unbelievably down to earth. I was 14 at the time and obsessed with Monty Python and he stood there and talked with my friends and I for a good 10 minutes. When my friend’s father asked him a question about a Python sketch and he didn’t know the answer, he asked for his email and promised to send him the answer when he got a chance to figure it out. He, of course, did a couple of days later. That’s just how cool Eric Idle really is.

Sat on a greenroom couch with Eric before a show, guitar in hand he started playing “ Bright Side of Life” we all melted , then sang our asses off, because we knew this was special.  Celebs were singing along too. Best damn day ever.

Matt was fast with that ”f*ck that guy” comment 😀

I was lucky enough to get to know Eric Idle a little.
I was his dog walker for two years. So I got to speak to him briefly every morning.
His wife Tania really is lovely. She was a model and is still stunning. His Daughter Lilly is also beautiful and sweet.
They were just lovely people. They treated me with kindness and respect.
At that time, he lived in a salmon colored Spanish style home that was built on a hill. So to get to the front door , which looked like a round turret of a castle, you had to cross kind of a bridge. So it really was like crossing a draw bridge to a castle. And right inside the door, he had a framed photo of himself from the Holy Grail movie. It was his character Sir Robin , dressed in his chain mail standing up proudly, and looking at the sun. This photo is available online.
He looked majestic, truly like a knight of the round table.
Every morning, I would kneel down on one knee to pet the dogs and put their leashes on, as I stood at the door of this castle on a bridge.
I felt like I was kneeling before the King of Comedy.
.
It made me realize WHY subjects in Kingdoms kneel before their Kings. It’s not because they are forced too. It’s because they WANT too. Because they are so happy to be in their presence.
Every morning, I would ring his bell and exclaim “Bring out ye dog. Bring out ye dog. “
.
I was with them thru the covid lockdowns. The BLM riots in LA. A month of wildfires when the sky was choked with black smoke.
There were many days, when the only people I spoke to.. where Eric and Tania And the only person they spoke to, was me.
I cherish those memories. These people are international treasures. Appreciate them.

Press: What do you call that thing on your head?
George Harrison: Arthur

Watching all the Beatles' interviews and listening to their bloops from recording sessions, their humour is as relevant as ever. Get Back was amazing because it showed how much they goofed around in the studio.

Monty Python reruns were on PBS when I was in high school and then  came the movies and these guys really were like rock stars. Insane, smart, dirty, rude, fearless badasses.

It’s weird to think that Life of Brian could not get made today.

Monty Python, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin,Peter Sellers, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Conan and many other comedians have helped me through some hard times in my life. When I see them connecting and sharing a conversation in one frame it's just like an out-of-this-world moment. It just makes my heart beat a little stronger with joy and life. I'm happy that I live in an era when I still can taste the classic comedy and craziness and see the spark of the good old days in these guys' eyes🧡🥲

Eric, together with George Harrison, helped create the idea of a mockumentary film titled All You Need is Cash (1978), a film about The Rutles' history and career that parodied The Beatles' real world history.

George would eventually make a cameo appearance in the film.

Been a Beatles and Python fan since the 70's and am still learning new things that blow my mind.  Never envisioned the Fab Four as comedians and when Eric said it, it just clicked perfectly into place.  Wow.

News reporters told The Beatles later that they had been sent down to that first airport press conference with the purpose of knocking the band and dismissing them as a bit of a con, but because they were so funny and full of charm they all reported on them positively.

If you ever hear the Beatles Christmas records they made for their fan club, the ones from 1966 and 1967 were really as absurdly funny and surreal as a proto-Monty Python style of sketch comedy.

I love Idle's face at 5:00 when Conan was talking about his poster you could tell he was reminiscing as well as at the same time, no comedic bits or antics, but genuinely receiving and appreciating a compliment

The Beatles were funny as hell. John's books are a peek into a mad genius mind. His pet names for bandmates; Paul McCharmly and George Parasol. Their cheekiness was disarming to the establishment and affected the world. They had the goods to back it all up.

Reporter: "Are you a Mod or a Rocker'?
Ringo:  "I'm a Mocker."

It’s easier to always look on the bright side of life when the potency of Python is still on this planet