If you're famous, you have to [be overly generous], otherwise people say, "Eric Idle came in and only left me $4." I always tip more than people expect.

Americans like to think 'Python' is how English people really are. There is an element of truth to that.

You could write a joke in the pub at lunchtime and watch it performed on television that evening.

Even if you've written something for print, I think it's good to try [it] out on someone because it changes. You can think it's hilarious and they can tell you it's not.

I always have a feeling you should move the playing field and the minute you know what you're doing, you're wrong. Therefore, I wanted us not to try to follow Spamalot immediately, but to do something different. This is perfect because it uses all the same skills, like story telling and lyric writing and music writing, but it's presenting it in a different form. And of course it gives me and John a nice chance to perform and show off which is also fun.

I didn't want to be big Mr. Ego walking around.

John Cleese once told me he'd do anything for money. So I offered him a pound to shut up, and he took it.