John Cleese is sitting in a Los Angeles hotel, looking out at the sunshine and adjusting to life away from what he politely describes as a “grey Midwest town.” When I tell him I’m calling from Kentucky, he perks up: “I don’t think I’ve ever been to Kentucky… except when my daughter was a very good horsewoman. We went to a question event or two. But what can I expect from Louisville?”
Reassured that he’ll be greeted with open arms, Cleese doesn’t hesitate to praise his American fans. “They’re the nicest in the world. I know that sounds like bullshit, but it’s absolutely true. People who like Python are kind. They laugh. They’re fun.”
Of course, not everything is fun. “There are only two things that are tiring: one is doing lots of photos in a short time, which is strange and exhausting. The other is the travel—but I do sleep in the big bed in the back of the bus. After the show, I have a couple drinks, some peanut butter, and go right to sleep.”
In addition to his comedy tour, Cleese recently published a memoir, So, Anyway, which he considers “one of the best things I’ve ever done,” though he admits British critics gave it a lukewarm reception. “In England, they know me, so they care to criticize. In America, I actually get a good time in the media. They’re sort of interested in what I might have to say.”
One thing Cleese always has plenty to say about: cats. “They dominate my life,” he declares. “My wife and I have four cats and one rabbit. I’m proud to say some are American—Maine Coons. One of them is 22 pounds. They just don’t give a damn. Dogs, on the other hand, are Nazis. They’re always asking who they should bite to get promoted.”
The conversation turns unexpectedly philosophical when I bring up the psychological insights sprinkled throughout his memoir. Cleese lights up. “There’s nothing more interesting than the human mind. I’ve never understood why people study rocks—or technology. I could have been a psychologist, if I hadn’t chosen a couple of very bad teachers at 15.”
“I have friends who are psychologists,” he adds. “They’re the most interesting people to talk to. They explain why people do things—which is something I never understand. Like, why watch NASCAR racing? Why go mountaineering? I love when someone says, ‘Here’s why.’”
That curiosity has long fueled his comedy. “I do a lot of reading on psychology. I just started a podcast—my first guest was Malcolm Gladwell. Fascinating man.” He pauses. “Comedy, food, and laughter just get better as you get older.”
This isn’t Cleese’s first foray into side quests. “I did a wine documentary years ago. The biggest thing I learned? Learn the vocabulary. Know how to describe what you like. That’s how you get the wine you want, even if they don’t have the exact one.”
As for new TV work, Cleese is back on British screens with Hold the Sunset, a show that reunites him with Terry Gilliam. But BBC executives, he says, aren’t exactly brimming with courage. “It’s a very good series—everyone agrees. But the BBC won’t commission a second season until they see how the audience responds. They’re cowards. These are jobsworths—people who say, ‘It’s more than my job’s worth.’ Just fire them.”
So: no regrets about skipping a psychology degree. The comedy world—and the cats—needed him more.
Listen to the full interview above and then check out the video below.
