So, here it is an interview with the man who has given his life to making people laugh through some of the greatest characters in comedy history. This was the first time I have ever interviewed anyone of international fame and to say I was nervous would be a huge understatement. When I started I had a plan, a set of questions but after a short time I realized that the plan was not needed as we just began to chat about life, religion, comedy, politics and ……….well………..you will see and hear for yourself.
Click here to listen to the interview!
It was an honour to have spoken to the man who gave us Fawlty Towers, Monty Python and so many other moments of comedy bliss. You can downthingy this interview onto an eye pod or do something else that will allow you to hear it by clicking on something or other. I hope you enjoy it…………………there are points within the interview , where, if you close your eyes it really is Basil Fawlty talking to me…………………..it was something I will never forget.
Here are some pictures from the interview.
Goodnight
Your friends
John and Heidi
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
Well done my friend, well done!
Great interview John!! Congratulations! It wasnt easy right ? I put myself in your shoes and I imagine myself sweating like crazy for 15 minutes not knowing when to talk or not. I dont like to speak on the phone very much and less if it is so important. It was great to hear your voice and your laugh again.Do you know that all of us use to open the door of the cabin each time we hear you . One of us came running to the door Shhh John esta hablando! We loved to hear you.That movie that he mention about the funeral its currently showing on the Fine Arts Cinema here I think Im going to consider seeing it now because I really need to laugh out loud my husband and I were talking about that the other night and how much we need to laugh, but a belly laugh like you said and we thought of you that we need to see one of your shows. You need to consider to do a DVD “The best of John Heald” with the best moments from the shows to seld on the ship so we can take you home.
John – Loved the interview!!!
I hope you are over the flu bug or whatever it was. Did Heidi whip up a dose of your mum’s flu remedy? If I ever need that remedy, I hope I don’t have any peas, Brussel sprouts or eggs in the house. Yuck! The cure sounds worse than the illness.
Heidi – Beautiful photos, as always. And thanks for keeping the blog thingy going and taking care of John in addition to all the multitude of duties you already have.
Sue
What a great interview John! You did very well. i never realized, though, you had a high voice..I always imagined you had a deep voice. Go figure.
Elaine
Fantastic interview! Love the pictures, that’s the John we all know and love. (Glad you weren’t wearing a dress!)
Julie
WOW! What can I say, I just spent the best 1/2 hr. or more listening to you interviewing Mr. John Cleese! It was so good to hear your voice again too, and now I can not wait to see you in November. Fantastic! I agree with Nanette that Carnival needs to put together a DVD with all your humour (spelled correctly) interviews, etc. that you do, we would all love to take home a copy of our favorite CD in the world, so we can spend time with you by watching the DVD at home, when we can’t be with you on a cruise ship. Your manner, your voice, your jokes, just everything about you is so addicting, that is why you have so many loyal fans (650,000) to be exact! Congrats on the interview! Superb! See you in a few months! Linda & Mike the handyman
John,
Ok your a great friend to all of us bloggers, but now I think too most of the people who read your blog, because it brightens our day. We all are very proud to call you a friend and even more proud of you for such a great interview.
John and Heidi too,
Congratulations on a wonderful interview. I hope it is one of many more wonderful interviews to come!
I hope you are feeling better, and send your wife a rose for taking such good care of you. It must be difficult in a small space when one of you is not feeling up to par.
Heidi- I would go to Australia in a heartbeat if it was not for all of the creepy, crawly, poisonous things that live there-I understand your position completely. Actually, it was a good thing we were on a nice, safe, tour bus in Sicily when our guide started talking about the vipers that reside there. I made my husband scout around before I got off the bus to make sure there weren’t any slithering around the tires. The thought still gives me the heebie-jeebies. My first question to every guide the rest of the cruise was “What kind of poisonous creatures live here?” Irrational? You bet, but what can one do about it?
I hope none of the families of your Indonesian crew members were affected by the earthquake. It must be so hard to be away from family and friends in situations like that. My thoughts are with all of the people there.
One more thing- how did you get out of using tenders in Dubrovnik? I have to say, tenders are a bit of a hassle to orchestrate, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well they were run while we were on your cruise. Great work to all!
Good evening Mr. Heald. First of all, I must say that it was so great to hear your voice and now complete it with your photo of you. Your interview with Mr. Cleese was excellent especially the section where the two of you were joking about President Bush. I must say at least Mr. Bush can make a person a laugh unfortunately that is all he can do.Mr. Cleese and you really seem to hit in on and I could feel it during the entire interview. Congratulation my friend. I think I will have now go out and buy his book. Ciao.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
I haven’t even listened yet, but the pictures got me howling! My sweet husband thinks I have gone over the deep end.
Hope you are feeling better today, John.
Heidi, love your beautiful sunset pictures. What a woman you are, doing all you do, taking care of John and filling in for him on the blog.
Thanks for the laugh at the end of a long day!
John,
Loved the interview! Just as wonderful as was expected!
“The only normal people are the ones you don’t know.”
Classic quote.
Great interview John! Hope you are feeling better. Heidi you did an excellent job filling in for John while he was sick. Keep up the great work you two.
Great Interview…..We wish we were back on the Freedom…We miss you all….Our time together was too short….
We had a trip of a life time and will always remember our new friends…
R/
FrankC
John, It looked like you on the big screen this morning doing your Morning Show so you must be a little better. The webcam was a long shot but it looked like you. What did you do grab one of those special tea bags left over from your friendly tea lady of a couple months ago. So between Fatima and the Tea lady you should be cleaned out pretty good. I see Fatima has been sent an invite to join the Bloggers on the CONNECTION, LOL
“BIG” ED
Hi John,
Hope you’re feeling better. The John Cleese interview was great.
Brad and I have arrived home safely and thank you so much once again for a great time and your generosity.
The following is a bit long winded so I apologise in advance for the length.
While we had a wonderful time on the Carnival Freedom we just wanted to let you know of an unfortunate incident we had in Rome prior to the cruise and wanted to warn any other bloggers travelling there. It is extremely embarrassing to repeat but if I had been forwarned I would have been more careful. I feel like a complete fool but here goes.
We arrived at our hotel in Rome at 8am and after dropping off our luggage we went exploring. About an hour later we were stopped near the Piazza del Popolo by a well dressed (I mean in a suit!), middle-aged gentleman in a late model car asking for directions which we gave as we were holding a map! He thanked us and said how silly he felt as he was looking at his map upside down. He asked where we were from and told us he had an Aussie wife of 25 years. We chatted a little then he told us he was a rep for Calvin Klein here for a conference (he showed us a tatty brochure as proof) and he would like to thank us for our help by giving us 2 sample leather jackets he just happened to have with him. He also asked for us to please not sell them. After handing them over he then went on to say the hire car he was driving was given to him with no petrol and he didn’t have his credit cards with him (he even showed us his wallet) and could we please help him out with some cash. Brad offered 5 euro to which he laughed and said don’t insult me I need at least 50 or 100 euro at which point the ever generous, extremely naive and incredibly stupid me gave him 50 euro. He drove off and turned in the opposite direction to what we had said at which point Brad said I think we’ve just been conned. He said he felt uneasy about the situation which was why he had only offered 5 euro and he didn’t say anything when I gave the money as he didn’t want to embarrass me (it hasn’t stopped him before and now we’re 50 euro out of pocket!!!). I felt ill that I had allowed it to happen that easily. We have since spoken to our dinner companions on the ship who repeated the story almost word for word and they were near the Spanish Steps. When the conman knocked back the 5 euro they offered they threw the jackets back into the car and walked off. While I had intensively researched Rome and was prepared for pickpockets I wasn’t expecting to be conned. So as embarrassed as I am to repeat this story if this helps someone else then I am happy. While men may not fall into the trap a couple of unsuspecting ladies may. (As expected it turns out the jackets are not even leather…and tiny …so I can’t sell them anyway!!!!)
Look after yourself and Heidi and we hope to meet you again sometime.
Deb and Brad (the idiots from Aus)
Hey buddy!
Hope you’re over the crud, flu, virus, noro, etc. Whatever it is i hope you’re doing better.
Though i haven’t had a chance to listen yet, i can tell i’m in for a great time seeing how enthusiastic and how much fun you are having. Great pictures.
I am happy you were able to live out on of your dreams John.
Congrats! Happy Friday!
David
John, I absolutely love your voice. I liked the part in the interview when you were discussing President Bush. I hope you’re feeling better. Have there been a lot of sick passengers as well? Take Care
Cheri
Wonderful interview! Sounds like a conversation between two friends – very relaxed.
Hope you’re feeling better, John.
)
Hello to Heidi! Tell John you need a couple of spa days for taking such good care for him!
John Cleese as Dreyfus???? WOW, such a totally great part for him! That will be fun!
BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You lucky dog!!! The interview with the inimitable Mr. Cleese won’t replace an Aston Martin but it has to come close!
Well done, my friend, well done…
Regards,
Greg
Hi John and Heidi,
First let me say thank you Heidi for taking over for John. That was very sweet of you to take on another thing with all you already do. They say behind every great man, there’s a great woman and here’s the proof. John, I don’t know what I was more excited about. Getting to hear your voice instead of this talking software I have or listening to such a fun interview. Thank you so much for doing this for all of us. I’m going to try to find his books in audio format so I can read them. I hope you are feeling better. It’s such a drag to be sick. Try to do something special for Heidi because she is truly terrific. Here’s a great big feel better hug for you!
Leasa
LEASA,
John is in Venice maybe he will take Heidi to HARRY’S. She earned it. I see your trying to pull our legs again saying “find his books in audio format so I can read them”. We all know you don’t read a audio book you listen to it. I don’t remember John saying if he got that software to save his bleeding stubs. Maybe when he got it he had to talk even more and now his voice to the toll. So to save his voice for the shows he just said the heck with those poor stubs.
BIG ED
Hi John,
So glad you got to interview John Cleese. I imagine it would be a bit like me sitting down to write a song with James Taylor. I’ll download it when we get to Vancouver and I have better, (read faster) internet.
Thinking back to the Holiday, I was wondering if you ever heard from, or know what happened to Tim Cabral, who was the DJ onboard. I had heard he became a sound guy of some type. I also remember him being heavily involved with a beautiful little dancer and they were quite serious. He was from Massachusetts, like me, and we all hit it off quite well.
Hope you’re staying well…I look forward to hearing you go pun for pun and joke for joke with Messr. Cleese.
Aloha,
Dave
John Great interview-Thank You!
Hope you are feeling better.
Inez & Dean
Heidi, your kind and gentle care-giving had John back in blog business in no time, sorry to learn the couch didn’t treat you well, I’m sure one of the great spa staffers could help ease that pain, that is the very least John owes you. What awesome sunset photo’s thanks.
John, listening to the audio interview was an absolute blast, it’s obvious from the photos you and Mr. Cleese enjoyed chatting with each other, thank you for sharing. I’ll bet that conversation could’ve gone on for quite a while longer….Cheers, Ray
WoW! The Big Kahona(John) Exciting Interview.
My God Excellent interview with Mr Cleese.
I laughed when you guys told are Presidents binocular story.
To bad he was’nt wearing a funnel hat on his head.
Jeanne and I are counting the days down now till we go on Splender and I can wear my hat again,hope you will be on her John.
all The best to you and Hedi.
Ray Czenszak.
P.S Hello from my dear,dear,Dear! sister inlaw Barber and Bob and Linda.
Hi John! So glad to see you again. You were our cruise director on the ectasy in 1991 and on the liberty in Rome in 2006. We hope to see you on the Legend on Oct. 12,2008? Connie Rittman
Hi John & Heidi.
well just thought id pop in for the Craic! and what a suprise to hear whom you had interviewed, my God youre idol John, it was a great interview and you must be feeling elated that such a dream has been complete, well it never suprises me John what you will do next, because youre just one of a kind with all the ability in the world to be succesfull, and hey its near time you done an English equivalent to the Jay Leno show on maybe channel 4 at midnght, you would be a star at that, well you already a star, anyway just popped in to say hi to you both, myself & Es are off to key-west for vacation, looking forward to a bit of sun as its freezing here in Ireland, and to make it worse The Georgians nearly beat us in the Rugby world cup, nightmare stuff, well see you all soon, and the soon the better for you, so that you guys can have a break, stay well and hope you are feeling better.
Ken.