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John Cleese

John Cleese Quotes

Actor

John Cleese, a renowned British comedic actor and screenwriter, was born on October 27, 1939. He is best known for his exceptional performances in comedy films, particularly in the Monty Python's Flying Circus. Cleese's influence in the comedy world is profound, with his work celebrated for its unique humor and satirical take on societal issues.

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Famous John Cleese Quotes

“I think that the real religion is about the understanding that if we can only still our egos for a few seconds, we might have a chance of experiencing something that is divine in nature.”

Ifs Thinking Stills Real Might Religion Understanding Chance Divine Ego Seconds Experiencing Something

Author:John Cleese

“I think humor is incredibly positive, I think it is life advancing. There's medical research to show that it improves your antibodies. It's all about sense and perspective.”

Thinking Shows Perspective Research Medical Advancing Medical Research Antibodies

Author:John Cleese

“Writing is the great skill, the creative skill. The acting is more an interpretative skill. And the thrill for me is the moment when I think of something. And then the challenge is how to get that funny idea to work in terms of the structure and that kind of thing, which is - and that's what I really love doing.”

Thinking Writing Kind Ideas Moments Term Challenges Acting Creative Skills Structure Thrill

Author:John Cleese

“I think we're all born with a sense of humor. Creativity is another thing though.”

Thinking Born Creativity Sense Of Humor

Author:John Cleese

“I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the wide range of references.”

People Thinking Hard Young Audience Majority Wide Comedian Range Hard Things

Author:John Cleese

“British press think entirely in clichés, and when they do come across creative work, they think that it must be based on something, because they don't realize that you can create things that aren't based on things.”

Thinking Realizing Creative Presses British Creative Work

Author:John Cleese

“I think it takes a long time, as you get older, to realize just how crazy the world is, just how ridiculous it all is.”

Thinking World Long Realizing Crazy Long Time Ridiculous

Author:John Cleese

“If I like chocolate it won't surprise you that I have a few chocolates in my fridge, but if you find out I've got 16 warehouses full of chocolate, you'd think I was insane. All these rich guys are insane, obsessive compulsive twits obsessed with money - money is all they think about - they're all nuts.”

Ifs Thinking Guy Rich Surprise Insane Obsessed Chocolate Nuts Obsessive Fridges Warehouse Obsessive Compulsive Twits

Author:John Cleese

“...when you collaborate with someone else on something creative, you get to places that you would never get to on your own. The way an idea builds as it careens back and forth between good writers is so unpredictable. Sometimes it depends on people misunderstanding each other, and that's why I don't think there's any such thing as a mistake in the creative process. You never know where it might lead.”

People Thinking Knows Way Ideas Sometimes Might Process Mistake Creative Depends Creative Process Unpredictable Misunderstanding Back And Forth Good Writers

Author:John Cleese

“I think there are so many activities going on, like mountaineering. You know, you would pay good money not to have to do that, and yet there are people racing out who want to spend their spare time clambering up rocks.”

People Thinking Knows Want Pay Rocks Activity Racing Spares Mountaineering Spare Time Good Money

Author:John Cleese

“I think that I feel an indignation when I don't understand something.”

Thinking Feels Indignation

Author:John Cleese

“The British fans are liable to suddenly be talking to you about something that you don't know how you got into the conversation. I think it's something to do with the fact that they've been watching you for so many years sort of you telling your story.”

Thinking Knows Years Facts Stories Talking Know How Fans Conversation British Liable Telling Your Story

Author:John Cleese

“I'm very odd 'cause I think there's more than just a materialist planet, a materialist, reductionist planet.”

Thinking Causes Planets Odd

Author:John Cleese

“Because, as we all know, it’s easier to do trivial things that are urgent than it is to do important things that are not urgent, like thinking. And it’s also easier to do little things we know we can do than to start on big things that we’re not so sure about.”

Thinking Knows Littles Important Bigs Can Do Easier Important Things Little Things Big Things Urgent Trivial Things

Author:John Cleese

“I think the problem with people like this is that they are so stupid that they have no idea how stupid they are.”

People Thinking Ideas Problem Stupid No Idea

Author:John Cleese

“I think that money spoils most things, once it becomes the primary motivating force.”

Thinking Force Primaries Spoil

Author:John Cleese

“Don't let anyone tell you what you ought to like... Some wines that some experts think are absolutely exquisite don't appeal to me at all.”

Thinking Ought Let Me Wine Appeals Experts Exquisite

Author:John Cleese

“I love having different cultures around, but when the parent culture kind of dissipates, you're left thinking, 'Well, what's going on?'”

Thinking Wells Kind Different Culture Left Parent Different Cultures

Author:John Cleese

“Some actors, I think, want to feel that they are as creative as the writer. And the answer is, frankly, they're not.”

Thinking Want Feels Actors Answers Creative

Author:John Cleese

“I just think that sometimes we hang onto people or relationships long after they've ceased to be of any use to either of you. I'm always meeting new people, and my list of friends seems to change quite a bit.”

People Thinking Long Sometimes Use Seems Bits Meetings Lists Meeting New People

Author:John Cleese

“I think it's because in America you always get the sense that if you fail, you can just pack up your things and go somewhere else and try again. But in England, it's so geographically small that if somebody succeeds here, it reduces your chances of succeeding.”

Ifs Thinking Trying America Chance Failing Succeed England Packs Somewhere Else Try Again

Author:John Cleese

“I think you can write very good comedy without a partner, but what I love about it, working with a partner, is that you get to places you'd never get on your own. It's like when God was designing the world and decided we couldn't have children without a partner; it was a way of mixing up the genes so you'd get a more interesting product.”

Thinking World Way Writing Children Interesting Comedy Design Products Decided Very Good Partners Genes Mixing

Author:John Cleese

“Now most people do not want an ordinary life in which they do a job well, earn the respect of their collaborators and competitors, bring up a family and have friends. That's not enough any more, and I think that is absolutely tragic - and I'm not exaggerating - that people feel like a decent, ordinary, fun life is no longer enough.”

People Thinking Want Feels Wells Enough Jobs Life Is Fun Ordinary Decent Tragic Competitors Ordinary Life Collaborators Exaggerating Fun Life

Author:John Cleese

“If you wish to kill yourself but lack the courage to, I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick.”

Ifs Thinking Wish Tricks Killing Yourself

Author:John Cleese

About the Author

Born: October 27, 1939
Known for: Actor
Quotes: 204

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Books & Sources

So, Anyway...Related source material

The Complete Fawlty TowersRelated source material

Creativity: A Short and Cheerful GuideRelated source material

Monty Python Live!Related source material

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