Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Blue Moon]

Monty Python's Eric Idle discovers that Elvis was a fan

There's a Q&A interview with Eric Idle of Monty Python fame in the Playbook section of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis today. Spamalot, a stage musical inspired by one of the films of the Monty Python comedy troupe and created by Idle, has a Memphis engagement.

The last Q&A item is reprinted below. In all the years that Elvis's having been a Monty Python fan has been talked about, it's a wonder those guys hadn't heard about it. Idle's comments about his reaction to having only recently learned that Elvis was a fan - what beautiful thing to say.

Q: If you had realized that Python would become the legend it is, is there anything you might have done differently during your heyday?

A: Well, I would have tried to meet Elvis because he loved Python. I met Linda Thompson (Elvis' former girlfriend) the other day and she said that Elvis knew all the Python sketches. He would watch all-night Python. He would learn and recite them. Took the tapes on his plane. He would call people Squire from the "Nudge Nudge" sketch.

I said to Linda, "What? You're kidding!" She said, "No, we'd be up all night. He'd make me learn these things and we'd laugh and laugh and laugh." And I just felt so happy. I mean, I knew we had the Beatles but Elvis as well! You know, Elvis saved my life when I was 13 or 14. He saved all our lives." Source: EPE

[Barbara Lea]

Elvis sure had wide interest in things didn't he? FairyTale!

[Wanda June Hill]

He loved to laugh. I never got into any Python things so after he tried to interest me, I didn't get it because I had never watched any of it...he gave up on me on that one.
He liked to watch kind of to me, "off the wall humor" but then I didn't like the Three Stooges and Jimmie always laughed at them. To me it was just stupid-maybe because they hit each other or something, whatever to me it wasn't funny. It takes all kinds of people and their senses of humor to keep things going and "light" so to each their own. I know Elvis' sense of humor could border on the ridicules pretty often! But who cared as long as he was laughing!

wjh

[Barbara Lea]

I Love the Three Stooges, Laural and Hardy, Abbot and Costilio, and many others. So me and Elvis would of had a time watching all of them. Now as for Python, I really don't remember him. FairyTale!

[Sarena]

I know Elvis' sense of humor could border on the ridicules pretty often! But who cared as long as he was laughing!

Laughter is healing and relaxing. Laughter can save us many times in this crazy world

And as you quoted, Laurie, in return Elvis saved US many times!!!!

[Rainbow Light]

Elvis sure had wide range of things he enjoyed including comedy, don't mind some of the Python stuff but only some, it's kinda crazy but great that Eric Idle paid a nice tribute to Elvis by saying what he did!

An offshoot of Python was John Cleese in super silly mode/mood as madcap hotel manager in UK classic comedy "Fawlty Towers", I can't help wondering if Elvis would have liked this too as it was kind of crazy ridiculous humor but can't see how he would have been able to see that as such unless it was on an early form of video back in the 70's, not sure!

Anyway, as Wanda said, who cared as long as Elvis was laughing?!!