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Monty Python star John Cleese has repeatedly expressed his disdain for modern sensibilities and “PC culture” in recent years. The comedian found a new battlefield for those beliefs by claiming that his plans to direct a stage adaptation of the 1979 comedy Life of Brian had been “misreported” by the Chron (in a since-amended article). , particularly in light of the possible decision to revive a controversial scene featuring a transgender character.
Cleese shared his thoughts in an unthreaded series posts on Twitter last Thursday.
“A few days ago I spoke to an audience outside of London. I told them I was adapting The Life of Brian so we could do it as a stage show (NOT a musical). I said we had a table reading of the latest draft in New York a year ago,” Cleese wrote. “All the actors – including some Tony winners – had urged me to cut the Loretta scene. Of course, I have no intention of doing that.”
In the original film, the scene features a character, played by Python member Eric Idle, asking to be called Loretta and expressing a desire to bear a child. Cleese’s character in the scene dismisses the request as “ridiculous.”
“These were absolutely top notch Broadway artists and they insisted we didn’t perform the scene in NYC!” Cleese continued. “Producers tend to be scaredy-cats and they don’t remember that the NYC protests when ‘Brian’ hit theaters meant we never had to do commercials!!”
Cleese drew criticism from members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community in 2020 when he defended Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who declared that transgender people are “erasing the concept of sex.” Cleese expressed his support for Rowling, saying that he’s “not that interested in trans people.”