The Londoner: U.S. TV producers are like generals in WW1, says Cleese

John Cleese says his experience with American TV producers who adapted Fawlty Towers and wrote out Basil “makes you realise how awful it must have been in the First World War”.

“You had people in charge, these generals,” Cleese explained, who had “no idea what they were doing” as he compared the producers’ ignorance with the failure of First World War generals.

The comedian recalled how, when US producers told him they’d bought the rights to Fawlty Towers, he’d thought to himself “cha-ching, this is good news”.

Until, that is, he asked them “are you going to change it? Do you think Americans are going to understand a small family hotel when they’re used to chain hotels?”

When they told him they’d only made “one change”, which was writing out the main character, he was in shock. “You couldn’t make it up, you absolutely couldn’t make it up,” he told Paul McKenna’s podcast.

Basil’s and Sybil’s lines were given to a new character, played by Bea Arthur, in ABC’s 1983 version Amanda’s by the Sea. Cleese branded their decision “insanity”.

Maybe don’t mention the war.

Model Vodianova’s lucky 13 guests at Paris wedding

Supermodel Natalia Vodianova married Antoine Arnault in Paris on Saturday in a civil ceremony attended by a handful of guests. Her witness, The Londoner understands, was Italian model Mariacarla Boscono. Space was tight as Vodianova, Arnault and their children left room for only 13 guests. The model, who is in London today promoting Locals.org, still plans a religious wedding with all her friends post- coronavirus. Bottoms up!

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Man of the people Russell Brand was rather amazed at the vocabulary of “working-class men” who used “surprisingly poetic language” like “apricot” and “cinnamon” to describe his dog Bear. Some of the the responses were definitely less soulful. One replied: “And I, as a working-class man, would like to poetically describe Brand as a ****ing ****end.” Namaste. Namaste.

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Pity the BBC Radio Wales producer who texted the comedian Rhys James, not their contact Rhys James, a Brit stuck in Italian quarantine, to ask how they were. The comic replied: “I’ve tested negative once but now they want me to prove I am strong enough to beat them in an arm wrestle to show I am actually back to full health.” The producer asked: “The Italian doctors have said that? Seriously?” Not quite, no.

SW1A

DESPITE its conference being virtual, karaoke was still served via Zoom last night, organised by Labour’s Animal Welfare Society, famed for 20 years of raucous singing. The session was dedicated to the poor grouse, which the Covid pandemic haven’t spared. There was huge enthusiasm for new leader Starmer (#karaoke4keir) and the finale was of course an enthusiastic rendition of Things Can Only Get Better.