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Did anyone watch Michael Palin last night?

(17 Posts)
dragonfly46 Mon 02-Nov-20 14:08:50

Did anyone watch this last night where John Cleese virtually said Michael Palin was mediocre and only got where he was through hard work! There was clearly such a lot of resentment there.

Jane10 Mon 02-Nov-20 14:27:44

Michael Palin is such a nice man. He's a really likeable presenter who seems to be able to get on with people wherever he goes.
John Cleese? Not so much.
I've been rewatching 'Round the World in 80 Days' and enjoying it very much. Its on BBC i-player.

Callistemon Mon 02-Nov-20 14:37:07

Yes, I heard that too, dragonfly64*
Damning with faint praise.

They are both very talented but Michael Palin is more versatile and has far broader appeal as well as coming across as a far more likeable man.

Blinko Mon 02-Nov-20 14:45:55

Wasn't Cleese being - er - ironic?

petra Mon 02-Nov-20 14:49:38

Blinko
Yes he was. He thinks he's funny, but he's not. Unlike palin who has comedy in his DNA.

Oopsminty Mon 02-Nov-20 14:50:40

I think John Cleese is very funny

dragonfly46 Mon 02-Nov-20 14:51:46

No I don't think he was being ironic. I have read somewhere else that Cleese is jealous of Palin's success.

Jane43 Mon 02-Nov-20 14:54:09

I thought it was a wonderful programme. As far as I could see Michael Palin has accomplished far more than John Cleese. When Cleese made that remark I thought he was going to follow it by laughing but to my surprise he didn’t. Judging from his past behaviour Cleese is a bitter and unpleasant man. I seem to recall him on a chat show saying he was going to leave the country and live somewhere else, I wonder if he did. Michael clearly had a much better relationship with Terry Jones, the affection between them was very touching to watch.

FarNorth Mon 02-Nov-20 14:54:24

What's wrong with hard work anyway?

dragonfly46 Mon 02-Nov-20 15:15:38

It wasn't the hard work I picked up on but John Cleese mentioned mediocrity twice.

Callistemon Mon 02-Nov-20 15:19:12

If it was a joke it fell flat.
Or rather like the bully who claims he was "only joking".

Gwenisgreat1 Mon 02-Nov-20 15:25:21

I enjoyed the programme and Michael Palin comes over as a pleasant gentleman, John Cleese Hmmm!!

Izabella Mon 02-Nov-20 16:09:44

I met Michael Palin at a RGS lecture in London in the dim past. Seemed a really genuine person.

Deedaa Mon 02-Nov-20 16:58:22

My mother once served him when she was working in WH Smith. She said he was lovely and they spent a long time being silly!

Blinko Tue 03-Nov-20 15:38:31

OTOH, Cleese does come across as a nasty, bitter old creature, doesn't he? Not half as versatile as the lovely Mr Palin. Not by a long shot.

Mancjules Tue 03-Nov-20 15:58:44

JC was joking...typical MP humour!

Jane10 Tue 03-Nov-20 16:55:59

The first time he was. I wasn't so sure about the second time.
I'm quite surprised that Michael Palin isn't Sir Michael. He's just as much a national treasure as all those luvvies.