| Schedule |
Activity |
Notes |
8:30
AM
station: WPDH
DJs: Kevin Karlson & Pete McKenzie |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Kevin and Pete. This is to support the Poughkeepsie
show.
Wake
up live on the radio.
|
|
9:40
AM EST
station: KQRS
interviewer: Tom Barnard
|
Phone
|
Eric
to call Tom. Interview is live. Last time through the
market the interview with station help ticket sales
dramatically.
Let's
hope it works this time Tom, the Greedy Bastard's are
tracking you…
|
1:00
PM EST
station: WCZX Mix 97
DJs: Bob Miller & Brian Jones |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Bob and Brian. This is to support the Poughkeepsie
show. Station leans 60/40 women, 25 and up.
This
one was cancelled. Which is sad because I lean to women
of 60/40 too. As Frankie Howerd once said. I like older
women: they're more grateful…
|
1:15
PM EST
station: clear channel interviewer: Jay Wulff |
Phone
|
Eric
to call Jay. Stations that will use the interview: WRKW-FM,
WKIP-AM, WELV-AM, and WRNQ-FM
This
is the guy who wanted rating!
|
1:30
PM EST
publication: The Edmonton Journal (major daily)
interviewer: Todd Babiak |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Todd. This is to support the Edmonton show. |
1:45
PM EST
publication: The Edmonton Sun (major daily)
interviewer: Mike Ross |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Mike. This is to support the Edmonton show. |
2:00
PM EST
station: JACK FM station
contact: Matt O'Neill |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Matt. This is the presenting station, #1 in
the market. This is to support the Calgary show. |
2:15
PM EST
station: 96X (FM radio)
DJs: BJ and Shannon |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call BJ and Shannon. Ask for Mike McKenn's studio
when placing the call. Live to tape for morning show. |
2:30
PM EST
publication: Calgary Sun (major daily)
interviewer: Lisa Wilton |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Lisa. This is to support the Calgary show. |
2:45
PM EST
publication: Fast Forward Magazine (weekly magazine)
interviewer: Martin Morrow |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Martin. |
3:00
PM EST
publication: The Gautlet (university paper)
interviewer: Jeff Kubik |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Jeff. This is to support the Calgary show. |
3:15
PM EST
station: CBC radio
interviewer: Bill Roach |
Phone
|
Eric
is to call Bill Roach. |
3:30
PM EST
station: Mundo LA/La Guia Familiar
interviewer: Gabriel |
Phone
|
Eric
to call Gabriel. This is to support the LA show. Gabriel
is an Argentinean Monty Python fan. |
3:45
PM EST
station: IGN FilmForce
interviewer: Ken Plume |
Phone
|
Eric
to call Ken. Feature piece - website receives approx.
400k unique visitors per day. Interview will be 30 minutes.
Ken
kindly relents to let me have a bath and a cup of tea
and then send his questions in writing. I think he gets
a much better deal. See below.
|
1.
I know that you have a dreaded list of questions from an
endless stream of interviews (which are a blurry mass of
repetitive babble, I'm sure). Is there anything you *haven't*
been asked...
No.
...that
you wish someone eventually would?
No.
2.
In your journal, you discuss having to do a top-down rejiggering
of the show, which resulted in you axing quite a few of
the new bits in favor of "crowd-pleasing Python"
bits. If you even perceive it this way, do you regret the
creative straightjacket the Python legacy places on you?
Well
not really. People are paying to see a show and I want
to give them the best they can get. It's an interactive
thing. We drag the show towards them and they reward us
by enjoying it more.
3.
Exploring the previous question a bit more, especially in
reference to the press,
do you in any way regret the Python legacy?
What's
to regret? It was a good show, and we have great fans
who still love what we did.
4.
Michael has his travels, Terry J. has his politics, Terry
G. has his insanity, and John loves money. What is your
personal passion?
I
love my family, my wife, my kids, my dogs, my home, my
life. I am a very happy and contented man. I have been
very blessed in my life and rewarded with good friends
and good health. I am grateful and happy to be able to
share this.
5.
You've performed in a great many settings in a fair number
of countries (France, England, the US, Canada, Australia,
etc.). Can you describe the differences in comedic tastes,
and how it affects your performance?
Not
really. I listen to the audience and try and bounce with
them. All audiences are different. But they are all homo
sapiens.
6.
I regret never having had the ability to see one of your
stage shows (sadly, you don't seem to make it down to my
"neck of the woods"). Has there been any thought
to preserving one of the performances on DVD?
We
taped the last show Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python in
Washington D.C. and I spent ages editing it and Warners
bought it and it sits in the same vault with Can't Buy
Me Lunch. I think they must be waiting for me to die to
clean up on the retrospective releases…
7.
In all seriousness, I've often thought that you have the
ability to deliver quite a powerful dramatic performance
onscreen, if given the chance. If the opportunity presented
itself, is it one you would feel comfortable pursuing, or
has that direction either a) never interested you or b)
never occurred to you?
I
got the opportunity to do some serious acting in Alan
Smithee for the director - but he was removed and it was
all cut out. I enjoyed doing some serious acting in a
short film about a year ago for Andrew Tsao. But mainly
people say they really love Monty Python and then offer
you shit…
8.
What drives you as a performer? You could easily live off
you laurels (and residuals) if you were so inclined. What
makes you go out on the road, locked in a tour bus, knowing
that a new day brings a new city full of people to entertain?
Well
I couldn't easily live off my residuals. I have a child
to educate and eventually put through college and so I
have to work or earn for another few years at least. I
am planning to spend next year on Spamelot during which
time I shall be unable to take on other work, and will
earn only per diems, so I have to earn a little money
now to keep my family fed and happy.
9.
Is there a difference between the comedy you write for yourself
and the comedy intended purely for an audience? Or are they
one in the same?
Life
is a comedy when watching and a tragedy when experiencing.
10.
What was the impetus for compiling "The Pythons"
book?
I
think basically Greed. The Publishers were greedy and
asked us and we were greedy and agreed.
It
seems like most of the necessary ground has been covered
in previous books - either "Monty Python Speaks"
or the "Kim Johnson Collection: Volumes 1-1,200".
Was
it merely an aesthetic choice, so the bookshelf holding
my copy of "The Beatles Anthology" can finally
be balanced?
I
think the Publishers were hoping to get a follow up success.
But I think your bookshelf was an issue.
11.
I was told by someone who attended that the recent screening
of "Can't Buy Me Lunch" that it was a huge success
with the audience.
It
was. They ate it up. Very satisfactory for me, since I
wrote it, produced it and directed it entirely for nothing.
Not much of a Greedy Bastard am I? But it was great to
watch it with an audience and enjoy their laughter, while
my wife and son and daughter were all there (and are all
in it in small parts…) The only person who has seen
it was George, and that alone makes it worth having done.
What
will it take to get it released?
A
miracle…
12.
What is the current status of "Remains of the Piano"?
(Feel free to belittle that company - the one that rhymes
with "gratis" - as much as you want)
The
Remains is Reamed. I could revive it, but frankly I am
sick of hanging around listening to people bicker and
lie. I have other things in my life that I can do. I am
grateful to be free of the paralyzing numbness of dealing
with "the money" for month after month. I think
you have to have a great deal of sheer bloody minded persistence
to keep going in these things, and I simply don't believe
it's worth the aggro. We got close. I got wet. They walked.
I could sue. I might. But people lie all the time. It
seems to be part of the business. I'm happy not to be
in it currently.
And
now for the silly (or a sad attempt, anyway)...
13. If Arnold can be governor, in the rather sad Pantheon
of American Politics (also known as "Circus of the
Stars"), where do you fit in?
I
have the same birthday as the former British Prime Minister
John Major. I wrote to him once on his birthday and said
that but for a quirk of fate I could have been Prime Minister
of England, and he could have been the Man in the Nudge
Nudge Sketch from Monty Python. I hoped he wasn't too
disappointed…
14.
If there's one film or TV performance you could have stricken
from the obelisk, what would it be?
You
know none of it matters. Nothing lasts. Everything is
just future debris. All this fame business, people talking
about "their careers" and "their work"
- it's all bollocks. You have a life, you have a little
window in the world to peep out at the stars, and make
some sense of it all, and experience it and enjoy it,
and make love with beautiful people if you are lucky.
America is so obsessed by fame they elect a second rate
actor. And Arnold.
15.
Do you have any openings for an assistant? I wash cars and
make a decent sandwich... You're my only salvation from
an American economy out to get me...
I
think your only chance is to get out there and encourage
people to get rid of this shitty government and get your
country back.
Thank
you again for your time and assistance. I hope your recovery
is speedy, and the time away from the phone (and out in
the world) was enjoyable...
-Kenneth Plume
I
am most grateful for your kindness. The time was great.
I got to have a bath and watch the ballgame and get off
the fucking phone, which is a device I dislike…
