Posted on 05/28/2023 5:01:47 PM PDT by grundle
The scene in question can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgp9MPLEAqA
John Cleese refused to bend the knee to the outrage mob who called for a joke to be removed from an upcoming stage version of Monty Python’s "Life Of Brian." The controversial scene features a man claiming that he is a woman and he can have a baby.
Cleese is working on a stage production of Monty Python's "Life of Brian," a 1979 movie about a man who is mistaken for Jesus Christ. However, actors allegedly told Cleese that one scene would need to be cut out of the reproduction for it not to be offensive in today's social environment.
The scene in question features a character named "Stan" – who wants to become a woman and have babies.
"I want to be a woman," Stan declares. "From now on, I want you all to call me Loretta."
Cleese's character Reg bewilderedly asked, "What?"
Stan fires back, "It's my right as a man."
When asked why he wants to be a woman, Stan explains, "I want to have babies."
Reg quizzically replies, "You want to have babies?"
Stan shoots back, "It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them."
When Reg informs Stan that he "can't have babies," Stan plays the victim, "Don't you oppress me."
Cleese's character notes, "I’m not oppressing you, Stan, you haven’t got a womb. Where’s the fetus going to gestate? You gonna keep it in a box?"
Other characters agree that Stan can't have babies, but argue that he should have the "right to have babies."
Reg responds, "What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he can't have babies?"
Another character says, "It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression."
Reg quips that Stan has a "struggle with reality" for thinking he can give birth to a baby.
Critics claim the scene in the movie from 44 years ago is "transphobic."
Despite the controversy, Cleese confirmed that he would not be removing the questionable scene from the upcoming stage show of "Life of Brian."
Cleese wrote on Twitter, "A few days ago I spoke to an audience outside London. I told them I was adapting the Life of Brian so that we could do it as a stage show ( NOT a musical ). I said that we'd had a table reading of the latest draft in NYC a year ago and that all the actors – several of them Tony winners – had advised me strongly to cut the Loretta scene. I have, of course, no intention of doing so."
Cleese slammed the media for "misreporting" him about cutting the Loretta scene from the new version, "Amazingly none of the British media called to check."
Cleese said of the actors in the upcoming production, "These were absolutely top-class Broadway performers and they were adamant that we would not get away with doing the scene in NYC! I asked them, 'Are Python fans not going to come because we're doing a scene they've been laughing at for 40 years.'"
The Monty Python comedian said, "Producers tend to be scaredy-cats, and they don't remember that the protests in NYC when 'Brian' was released meant we never needed to do publicity!"
Yeah the original protests were for the anti Christian slant and mockery of the film. Funny how times have changed.
I dont think it slammed Christianity as much as it slammed the idiocy of people in general.
Over 40 years later, and people still get this wrong. The "Brian" character in the movie is not "mistaken for Jesus Christ," although he is erroneously identified by some as being the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.
In fact, Jesus is respectfully portrayed in the movie -- preaching the Sermon on the Mount -- although some of the more thick-headed among his audience don't get his message. The actor playing Jesus, Kenneth Colley, is better known for his turns in a couple of the early Star Wars movies.
Oh, I suppose that in the opening scene, where the Magi at first show up at the wrong stable, it might be said that the newborn "Brian" is "mistaken" as the newborn Jesus, but that error is quickly corrected.
Maybe. But I’ve only heard him talk about Trump so I said only what I know! :-)
That may be the case but it’s what got the protests going regardless if mistaken.
Sincerely, Loretta, or, Stan.
One religion has simply replaced another. I remember when Christians were upset by that movie. Now that we are in a post Christian society, the new dominant religion in the West is flexing its muscles over what it sees as sacrilegious.
Oh yes that is correct. There is/was debate if it was blasphemous. I myself am not 100% sure on my take.
“I wave my privates at your auntie”
” claiming that he is a woman and he can have a baby.”
Wrong. He just wants to be one.
Substitute “white people” for Romans, and have a BIPOC character saying the line, and it is absolutely spot-on relevant today.
You got it, Loretta.
Good.
John is a liberal. John is also an artist and a very creative person, who made his living off of humor. Hes not going to turn on what made his (great) career great. He would be repudiating himself. And he finds nothing wrong with his humor, so why should he. Most others do not either. The extreme woke has a problem with everything. They are just hating everythigpng and everything is a problem, if you find the right angle to view it from. So these are the people that are The Implacables. The Inappeasables. So don’t waste any time on them at all. Nothing will work.
One of the top 10 funniest movies ever. Best scene was the graffiti scene. 2nd best the Biggest Dickus scene.
John is a liberal, not a Communist. A lot of Communists call themselves liberals to trick people.
I wonder what Graham Chapman would think of all this, considering he was always “out” even when he was with Python.
Did you not read my first sentence?
Classic scene that predicted the future.
Cleese may be a lib but he’s a fair guy and he won’t cave like our side normally does.
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