John Cleese joins GB News

[lauraxsynthesis]

I've seen the first half. Also relieved it doesn't seem fash or even reactionary. Presumably though the target of print media is to take the heat off GBN's Ofcom troubles. The slow pace was nice but will that bore too many people used to shorter segments and faster speaking I wonder.

EDIT - PAGE 7 IS AN EX-PAGE

[neveragain]

I watched the beginning of the first episode, Cleese going through stats on public trust in the print press year-by-year, it was incredibly boring and I switched off before he got to 2023 so maybe I missed a joyous punchline.

Well, that's not quite accurate. Fry said, "Caxton's printing press could be used to print the poems of (I forget who) or Mein Kampf, the machine doesn't differentiate." And then they discussed AI in that regard. Also, it's not really a punchliney show. I grant you there was a lot of cricket talk before that, which was very tedious.

Forgot to mention it ended on an Idle-esque song about the Apocalypse.

Edit: Oh Christ, just got to the end of the song and the Next Time bumper. The song featured a line about how if you are waiting for a load of virgins in the after-life, "when you sign out you will learn that you are wrong" (which... y'know, if that was in a Tim Minchin song I wouldn't complain and it's not like I disagree, but still...) and then there were glimpses of the cancel culture chats we can look forward to. I may not return.

[Jumblegraws]

Well, that's not quite accurate. Fry said, "Caxton's printing press could be used to print the poems...

Are we talking about the same episode? I'm talking about the premier that went out on October 29th

[neveragain]

Apologies. I thought Fry was the first episode.

[Oosp]

From what I've heard, probably not the worst thing about him. But the stuff I have heard would cause even greater shame.

Gonna just leave that hanging there, huh

[Pranet]

Lots of cricket chat you say? Interesting.

[Menu]

I used to follow him on Twitter, and found him increasingly reactionary against things I believed in, to the point where I reluctantly unfollowed him. This would have been around 3 years ago, perhaps longer.

Can't remember exactly what he was reacting against, mind.

It'd be nice if he's calmed down a bit these days

Well he's never right wing when I look at his Twitter feed. Just being less clever than he thinks he is, and forgetting how to write jokes properly. He's just a very old man. I cut him maximum slack because at his best he was brilliant. And he was at his best for ages.

[The Bumlord]

Yes I don't think he's some right-wing nutjob, he's just got old and reactionary.

I occasionally watch that Life of Brian debate with that pissed bishop and Malcolm Muggeridge. He's really good in that and he's clearly loving arguing.

[Menu]

Yes he's brilliant in that. I don't even think he's particularly reactionary(which implies a right wing POV). He just, like many old men, got momentarily obsessed with something in the news(in this case, cancel culture). He barely mentions it these days. I think it's possible he realised he'd got it a bit wrong but, like most of us, didn't want to say so publicly.

Although he does now have a shit show on GB fucking News.

[Shaky]

He also seems unable to admit that no-one wants his new stuff because it's probably not very good - easier to honk on about conspiracies and how much better things were back in the day.

Which admittedly they were for Cleese, because his work was better then.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Gonna just leave that hanging there, huh

Yeah! Do you know, the evil, selfish bastard had a breakdown and fled the country, making St Richard of Mayall cry?...

[lauraxsynthesis]

I'd completely forgotten about the Cell Mates thing. That would have been one of the top 3 things I associated with Fry for years. I almost saw the play during the period between him buggering off and it being made public but didn't buy a ticket when I saw a little sign at the box office that he wouldn't be appearing in that night's performance.

[Menu]

I'd completely forgotten about the Cell Mates thing. That would have been one of the top 3 things I associated with Fry for years. I almost saw the play during the period between him buggering off and it being made public but didn't buy a ticket when I saw a little sign at the box office that he wouldn't be appearing in that night's performance.

I saw it! At Richmond Theatre! When I was 17.

Important Addendum: I remember precisely nothing about any of it.