John Cleese on Creativity

As the actor and writer behind Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and films like A Fish Called Wanda, John Cleese is among the most creative minds in entertainment.  He opens up about his writing process, why he often finds inspiration in the most unlikely of places, and how you can foster creativity in whatever you do.  He explains why overconfidence is the enemy of creativity, where he gets his particular disdain for pompous politicians and feckless authority figures, and why he says that people in charge are always uncomfortable around comedians.  John reveals how he and the Pythons came up with that classic "Dead Parrot" sketch, the curmudgeonly hotel manager who served as the real life inspiration for his character in Fawlty Towers, and the moment when he first realized that he was funny.  Plus he shares why he turned down a Lordship, why believes that Prince Charles will make a good king, and why you couldn't even pay him to have dinner with Prince William. Order his book CREATIVITY: A SHORT ANS CHEERFUL GUIDE on Amazon or wherever books are sold, and follow him on twitter at @JohnCleese. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.