John Cleese | Photo: Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers and Monty Python star John Cleese used a homophobic slur live on live radio today.
The actor was speaking on BBC4‘s Today program when he made the comment.
Speaking about the decline of iconic comedy series Monty Python, Cleese was asked: ‘In this climate, is it fair to say your cast wasn’t particularly diverse?’
‘I’m not allowed to use the word p**f, am I?’
Speaking about his co-stars, 78-year-old Cleese responded: ‘Well that’s true. As you know Terry [Gilliam] has decided he’s a black lesbian.’
He furthermore continued: ‘And Graham Chapman – I’m not allowed to use the word p**f, am I? – what have I got to say?’
Host Nick Robinson then responded by laughing and saying: ‘Right. Graham was homosexual and also dead. So that’s a certain amount of diversity.’
One Twitter user reacted by tweeting Robinson and saying: ‘Why did you laugh when @JohnCleese used homophobic language @bbcnickrobinson ? Do you think your LGBT listeners found it funny?’
Monty Python was a troupe containing Cleese, Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin.
BBC’s Head of Comedy puts Monty Python’s lack of originality down to a surfeit of education and racist bias
Unfair ! We were remarkably diverse FOR OUR TIME
We had three grammar-school boys, one a poof, and Gilliam, though not actually black, was a Yank. And NO slave-owners
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) June 20, 2018
John Cleese’s film roles include A Fish Called Wanda and Shrek the Third. The actor also used the offensive word on Twitter last month.
Cleese has been approached by Gay Star News for comment.
