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"Loretta" scene being censored from Life of Brian stage remake

90 replies

zibzibara · 19/05/2023 09:25

John Cleese is forced to cut famous Life of Brian scene about men having babies from his new West End show

Cleese told an audience at his one-man show last week that when the scene (co-written with the late Graham Chapman) was performed at a read-through for the new show in New York last year, doubts emerged. 'At the end, I said to the American actors: 'What do you think?' And they said: 'We love the script, but you can't do that stuff about Loretta nowadays.'

'So here you have something there's never been a complaint about in 40 years, that I've heard of, and now all of a sudden we can't do it because it'll offend people. What is one supposed to make of that? But I think there were a lot of things that were actually, in some strange way, predictive of what was actually going to happen later.'

ALISON BOSHOFF: John Cleese made to cut Life of Brian scene from show

ALISON BOSHOFF: He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy. And it can be revealed that Brian, the man mistaken for the son of God, may be coming soon to the London stage.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12100471/ALISON-BOSHOFF-John-Cleese-forced-cut-Life-Brian-scene-men-having-babies-new-show.html

OP posts:
OP posts:
WickedSerious · 19/05/2023 09:28

There's a shock.

Redebs · 19/05/2023 09:33

Well!

Apollo441 · 19/05/2023 09:37

It's a great scene. I always felt it made a sharp point about reality and fantasy and it shoud stay in. Life of Brian is a universally acknowledged comedy masterpiece. Let the blue haired loons come for it. They need facing down.

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 09:43

They faced down Bishops, Evangelicals, the entire Christian establishment but not the blue haired mono-maniacals? Tell me, who's marginalised and vulnerable again?

Pudmyboy · 19/05/2023 09:48

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 09:43

They faced down Bishops, Evangelicals, the entire Christian establishment but not the blue haired mono-maniacals? Tell me, who's marginalised and vulnerable again?

Very well put!

SquirrelSoShiny · 19/05/2023 09:53

zibzibara · 19/05/2023 09:27

best scene of the movie!

Omg that's amazing! It was so prescient! 👀

ArabeIIaScott · 19/05/2023 09:55

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 09:43

They faced down Bishops, Evangelicals, the entire Christian establishment but not the blue haired mono-maniacals? Tell me, who's marginalised and vulnerable again?

Yep, bit of blasphemy's fine, but don't dare question the trans narrative.

Hagosaurus · 19/05/2023 09:59

I’ve so often thought that that scene was a great take down of gender ideology before it was even much of a thing.

#nodebate is still alive and kicking!

BluebellBlueballs · 19/05/2023 10:12

Voltaire said : if you want to know who controls you look at who you are not allowed to criticise.

nauticant · 19/05/2023 10:16

Be careful with citing that quotation:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Alfred_Strom#%22True_Rulers%22_quotation

Plasmodesmata · 19/05/2023 10:19

I don't see the problem with the scene. Judith even does the "be kind" thing.

But it lets you know how things have moved on, doesn't it - you can now criticise religion no problem.

BonfireLady · 19/05/2023 10:21

Urgh. Life of Brian has universal mockery.
If you remove the Loretta scene, then Brian on the cross has to go. And Brian with the Juniper berry man. And Brian's mum saying that he's not the Messiah... and.... and..... the entire script.

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 10:27

Quick look at that wiki on Strom (nasty piece of work), but interesting that his radicalism was aided by a teacher. Seeing too much of that at the moment.

On thread, I'm surprised Cleese is going along with this. Idle, definitely, he's always struck me as....not without principles, but in it for the money. Also, 'Loretta' is a trans character, who is mocked but also supported. Loretta gets the right for everyone to pretend that he is a woman. Cleese's character, the main naysayer, is reduced to ineffectual muttering.

Buttermightmelt · 19/05/2023 10:29

‘Symbolic of his struggle against reality’. Sums the whole movement up in one line!

CrossPurposes · 19/05/2023 10:31

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 09:43

They faced down Bishops, Evangelicals, the entire Christian establishment but not the blue haired mono-maniacals? Tell me, who's marginalised and vulnerable again?

It's surreal.

BonfireLady · 19/05/2023 10:32

Also, 'Loretta' is a trans character, who is mocked but also supported. Loretta gets the right for everyone to pretend that he is a woman. Cleese's character, the main naysayer, is reduced to ineffectual muttering.

Indeed. Very similar to the episode of the IT crowd which got banned where the transwoman ended up being vindicated. It's sad when comedy that is ultimately inclusive is reframed as bigoted.

Littlesprouts · 19/05/2023 10:38

Plasmodesmata · 19/05/2023 10:19

I don't see the problem with the scene. Judith even does the "be kind" thing.

But it lets you know how things have moved on, doesn't it - you can now criticise religion no problem.

This has a real parallel with the narrative of The Witch Trials of JK Rowling. The condemnation coming from one side then eventually the other.

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 11:42

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 09:43

They faced down Bishops, Evangelicals, the entire Christian establishment but not the blue haired mono-maniacals? Tell me, who's marginalised and vulnerable again?

Wow!! Excellent post!!

TheBiologyStupid · 19/05/2023 11:43

IcakethereforeIam · 19/05/2023 09:43

They faced down Bishops, Evangelicals, the entire Christian establishment but not the blue haired mono-maniacals? Tell me, who's marginalised and vulnerable again?

Absolutely this!

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 11:44

I too am surprised he's succumbed to this. Surely he doesn't need the money?

Redebs · 19/05/2023 11:46

nauticant · 19/05/2023 10:16

Many thanks for the warning.

Redebs · 19/05/2023 11:48

What's the blue-haired thing? Is it a common TRA choice?

slamfightbrightlight · 19/05/2023 11:49

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 11:44

I too am surprised he's succumbed to this. Surely he doesn't need the money?

I think he is a little hard up - £25m on three divorce settlements will do that to a man!

But I’m also not sure how much influence he actually has over the production, bar speaking out.

Faffertea · 19/05/2023 11:49

Questioning trans ideology is the new blasphemy.

I’m disappointed that John Cleese didn’t tell them to leave it in or lose him from the production. I can’t help feeling back in the day that’s what the Pythons would have done. In fact, what they did do with religious hard liners.