So . . . John Cleese complimented me on a video I made. NBD.
Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM
18 mm · 1/180 s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600
Strobist: Canon 430EX II, 1/16 power, on camera, STO-FEN diffused
One of the big highlights of my work year was meeting — and being complimented by — John Cleese. Y’know . . . Monty Python’s Flying Circus?
Jason Lamb is a HUGE fan of Monty Python and, when he heard that John Cleese was coming through Victoria on his Last Time To See Me Before I Die tour, we worked together on a pitch/plea video to convince him to come in to The Zone for an interview.
Why a video? ’cause Mr. Cleese needs no publicity for his tour (typically the reason to grant interviews). He sold out EIGHT SHOWS in Victoria.
So, Jason’s hope was that a solid showcase of his love for all things Monty Python might convince John to agree to an interview. The trick was getting the video in front of him.
After being denied through his traditional request, the video was created and spread as far and wide as we could get it using the power of the gigantic megaphone which is The Zone.
It eventually reached his tour manager, who got it in front of John. WHO THEN AGREED TO COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW.
Here’s the video:
And here’s the audio from the interview (no cameras were allowed during the interview, but he graciously let me take the shot above):
I was the first person to greet Mr. Cleese as he arrived at our station. I shook his hand, led him up to the control room, and giddily accepted his compliments on the comedic timing in the video.
But the Cleese-ness didn’t stop there.
Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
70 mm · 1/180 s · f/3.5 · ISO 1250
Strobist: Canon 430EX II, 1/16 power, on camera, STO-FEN diffused
After the interview, John mentioned that his daughter Camilla was in town, also doing comedy, and that we should look her up for an interview.
We did just that. We also let her team up with Dylan on Dylan vs The World — a daily quiz game show on The Morning Zone — and the shot above is Dylan and Camilla high-fiving after getting an answer correct.
Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM
20 mm · 1/180 s · f/3.5 · ISO 1250
Strobist: Canon 430EX II, 1/16 power, on camera, STO-FEN diffused
=)