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If this hadn't come from the BBC, I might not have believed it. It sounds like a tabloid headline. But it appears to be true.
"I don't know why people always assume we're loaded. Python is a disaster.
"I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously."
Eric Idle: Monty Python star working at 80 for financial reasons
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On the one hand, they're each worth millions (but their wealth pales on comparison to some younger, less talented comics), so they aren't exactly on poverty row - but it's certainly true that much like with the music industry residuals from streaming and YouTube channels pale in comparison to say the sale of DVD box sets etc - especially if their agent didn't get a good agreement with Netflix. The way performers make money today is from touring which is much harder to do if you're in your 80s.
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Unfortunately, some of the lads lost money on expensive hobbies (the late Terry Jones lost big on a brewery investment) and bad marriages (see Cleese, John - who once told a live audience in northwestern Ontario that he wouldn't have come to "Thunder f##king Bay" unless he had alimony payments). On the other hand, Michael Palin has enjoyed a second career as a travel journalist and novelist. His diaries, which he's published over the years, make for fascinating reading about what it was like being at the center of Monty Python during the height of its success.
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As The Onion has chronicled, the Gilliam family barbecue has gone behind schedule and over budget.
Last edited by Chrisphen (February 12, 2024 10:45 am)
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Monty Python's long history of hating each other
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It's not really sad news. They live quite well, but the UK is a terribly expensive place to live.
Remember Sean Connery famously lived most of his life in Spain to avoid British taxes and cost of living.
Mick Jagger has lived in places like the Isle of Mustique.
As for the financial woes of Python favorite John Cleese, he did it to himself by getting married multiple times.
The really sad thing about the Pythons is the untimely deaths of Graham Chapman (probably of AIDS) after many years of extremem alcoholism. Also Terry Jones who had a rare and horrible neurological disease.
But Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Michael Palin are all alive and kicking and I'm sure would rather be a bit financially uncomfortable than very ill or dead, (like an ex parrot).
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Not that it matters, but Eric Idle lives in California.
His tweets also alluded to financial mismanagement by Terry Gilliam - that may be mentioned in the OP, so I should go read the article.
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Capricasix wrote:
Not that it matters, but Eric Idle lives in California.
His tweets also alluded to financial mismanagement by Terry Gilliam - that may be mentioned in the OP, so I should go read the article.
Gilliam's daughter, Holly, specifically, who has been the troupe's manager for 10 years.
Last edited by Hansa (February 12, 2024 2:35 pm)
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From The Holy Grail movie:
Father: "One day, lad, all this will be yours."
Son: "What, the curtains?"
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Chapman died of metastatic cancer
newsguy1 wrote:
The really sad thing about the Pythons is the untimely deaths of Graham Chapman (probably of AIDS) after many years of extremem alcoholism.
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Hansa wrote:
Capricasix wrote:
Not that it matters, but Eric Idle lives in California.
His tweets also alluded to financial mismanagement by Terry Gilliam - that may be mentioned in the OP, so I should go read the article.Gilliam's daughter, Holly, specifically, who has been the troupe's manager for 10 years.
My mistake. He did tweet something about never letting a Gilliam child manage your finances, or words to that effect. His daughter also weighed in on the tweet thread, and he said that last week had been one of the worst of their lives, but I couldn’t find any explanation as to why.
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Idle always falls out with people over money - he also feuded with longtime musical collaborator Neil Innes (who was his partner for The Rutles and various other projects).
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And now for something completely different.
Monty Python star John Cleese defends 'hard-working and pleasant' Holly Gilliam after co-star Eric Idle 'blamed her for the financial disaster' of iconic comedy troupe
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Have you noticed that this type of “falling out” seems prevalent amongst creative types, always over money, too bad. Saw Cleese in Toronto in 2022, he touched on his financial woes, too many marriages!
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I'm a huge Python fan. Eric always struck me as "The Bitter(est?) One".
Aside from that - MP got famous in an era when everyone behind the scenes made all the cash. Happened in the music biz, too. This was long before the stars got wise to management tricksters and such.