“Studio executives always treat people like me, and writers in particular, as though we live in some kind of ivory tower. And these executives think they know what audiences really like, despite the fact that I’ve spent my life in front of audiences. And the executives have never been in front of audiences, apart from sycophantic young junior executives who wouldn’t dare not laugh at their jokes. So the whole idea that they have some kind of practical knowledge that I don’t have is so ludicrous that it does not bear inspection.”
From his interview in The Onion:
http://www.avclub.com/content/interview/john_cleese
Sean K Reynolds 
I liked what he said about religion, too. :)
Great interview.
I still maintain that anyone who has had there life affected by a Hollywood writers strike never had much of a life to begin with.
(Yes, I am including the Hollywood writers in that sum.)
Broadcast TV provides information, entertainment, and education for millions of people all over the country who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Don’t knock its benefits just because of Jerry Springer.
And I’m not sure why it’s okay to dismiss the writers claims of being stolen from for 20 years, while it’s okay for other types of workers to strike….
Broadcast TV provides less information per minute than broadcast radio; and far less reading a newspaper. Given that something close to four out of every five television newscasts begin by saying “The New York Times is reporting that….”
But I was not knocking television as a medium, I was knocking the Hollywood writers guild… and the public that thinks the fact that they are on strike effects their lives. No new “Days of Our Lives” for months! When will it end!
Okay, so yeah, I feel snarky towards people that think that the lack of Hollywood television is a hardship for them. But I also feel snarky towards the union writers…
Look, the writers union signed a shortsighted contract, the union hasn’t been able to rework it to overcome the deficiencies in it for two decades, and the guildmembers are too foolish to leave the union and work for themselves. I’m really uncertain why I should feel bad.
Yes, I do dismiss the writers claims. The contract has been in place for decades, and new writers keep signing on the dotted line. Tough.
And for the record, I say the same thing to members of everyo ther union. Living in Michigan’s state capitol, quite literially in the shadow of a GM plant I know an awful lot of union members… I work in law, and interact with hundreds of government employees all day. All unionized.
If you sign up to join a union, and the union leadership signs a bad contract, then as far as I am concerned you signed a bad contract.
Caveat emptor.