WRONG BATTLE

John Cleese Insists Upon Reparations for the British at SXSW

The “Monty Python” actor didn’t seem to have quite the grasp on the history of colonization.

Actor and comedian John Cleese decided to upend the first in-person South by Southwest conference in two years by claiming British people deserve reparations for being colonized by Italy and France, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The conversation started with a joke about colonization by Black comedian Dulcé Sloan, to which Cleese, 82, earnestly insisted that the British were also slaves. As the panel, moderated by Portlandia executive producer Dan Pasternack, continued, Cleese began insisting that the British were owed their dues for “being oppressed”—despite the British Empire’s history of colonization. “I want reparations from Italy,” Cleese said. “… and then the Normans came over in 1066 … they were horrible people from France and they came and colonized us for 30 years—we need reparations there too, I’m afraid.” The bit ended after Cleese’s microphone was temporarily cut, after which he said he didn’t mind saying what was on his mind because he would be dead soon and didn’t mind global warming getting rid of the cold: “I don’t want to be cold ever again.” “Where you’re going you won’t be!” Pasternack said.