...defending Terry Gilliam's daughter against Eric Idle's claims

John Cleese has come out in support of Terry Gilliam’s daughter in the row over Monty Python’s finances.

At the weekend, his former colleague Eric Idle criticised Holly Gilliam, who manages the troupe’s business affairs, suggesting she was not maximising the revenue they could make from the  back catalogue.

He posted on social media: ‘‘We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously.  But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.’

Now Cleese – who is usually quick to criticise those he believes deserve it – has responded, saying; ‘ I have worked with Holly for the last ten years, and I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with

‘ Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion.’

Less surprisingly, he added: ‘Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.’

Holly Gilliam, a media lawyer, took over the Monty Python brand in 2014 and co-produced that year’s reunion show, Monty Python Live (Mostly) — One Down, Five to Go, which sold out the O2 Arena for ten nights.

Idle ha long been feuding with Cleese and his intervention further exposed a rift in the Pythons, while complaining that streaming services do not pay enough in royalties.

Writing on social media, the 80-year-old said: ‘I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.

‘I think the serious problem are the Spotifies and the  UTubes.  Copyright ain’t worth jack shit any more.’

One fan suggested another money-spinning comeback, but Idle said: ‘I’m doing no more Python.  I gave already. Ungrateful bastards.’

And when another suggested a Netflix retrospective documentary he said: ‘Fuck Netflix and fuck documentaries.’

When it was reported last year that Cleese was working on a stage production of Monty Python's Life of Brian, Idle tweeted: ‘I have nothing at all to do with this production or adaptation. Apparently Cleese has cut the song. Of course.’ Idle wrote the classic Always Look On The Bright Side of Life for the crucifixion scene.

This weekend, Idle pointed out that he hadn’t seen Cleese for seven years, one fan said: ‘That makes me sad’. To which Idle responded: ‘Why. It makes me happy.’

‘I still love and am proud of what we did as Python,’ he wrote. ‘It was a very unique group.  I think of us as an ex Liverpool team. We played together well. Way back in the day.  But it was never very supportive of people’s feelings and emotions. Not Brothers.  Colleagues.’

Idle’s daughter Lily supported her father calling out the state of the Python finances, writing on X: ‘I’m so proud of my dad for finally starting to share the truth. He has always stood up to bullies and narcissists and absolutely deserves reassurance and validation for doing so.’

Published: 13 Feb 2024