Eric Idle - Criticism

Criticism

In recent years Idle has been criticised for commercialising the legacy of Monty Python. In Slate, Sam Anderson wrote in the article "And Now for Something Completely Deficient" that though Idle "has earned a spot in Comedy Heaven for his Python days... his jokey 'exposure' of his own exploitation (he has called tours 'Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python' and 'The Greedy Bastard Tour') is more irritating than funny." Of Spamalot, Anderson opined that "Python was formed in reaction to exactly the kind of lazy comedy represented by Spamalot – what Michael Palin once described as the 'easy, catch-phrase reaction' the members had all been forced to pander to in their previous writing jobs".

Spamalot had mixed reactions from other Python members. John Cleese lent his support by voicing God in a recorded performance that was integrated into the musical. Michael Palin observed: "It's a great show. It's not ‘Python’ as we would have written it. But then, none of us would get together and write a ‘Python’ stage show." Terry Gilliam had a mixed reaction to the show, calling it "Python-like". Terry Jones described it as "utterly pointless and full of air".

In 1998, Idle appeared in the lead role in the film Burn Hollywood Burn. The film was nominated as 'Worst Picture of the Decade' in the Golden Raspberry Awards (known as the Razzies) – and was awarded five Razzies including 'Worst Picture of the Year'.

In 2000 The AV Club gave the album Eric Idle Sings Monty Python: Live In Concert the title of 'Least Essential Solo Album' of the year.

There has also been criticism of Idle from the other Rutles, who reunited for the Archaeology album in the mid-1990s without him. On the Channel 4 programme What the Pythons Did Next, Rutles drummer John Halsey (aka "Barry Wom") said that he had to switch off Idle's The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch after ten minutes. Neil Innes was more diplomatic on the same show, saying "we used to think he had delusions of grandeur, now we know it's only grandeur".