PYTHONLINE

I found that pic awhile back along with the history behind the photo. I can't remember if I posted the pic or not but if I did it would've been in a blog or forum somewhere and is buried by now. It's nice to see it again:)

If anyone is interested here is the story of the photo shoot in which this pic was taken:

Back in the seventies, Monty Python’s Flying Circus was cutting edge comedy, and I was a big fan. I’ve always been a fan of comedy, but not so much of comedians. Comedians are funny while performing, but in person, sometimes they can be downright obnoxious.
My theory was that the Monty Python guys were different; being British they would all be naturally funny and not at all obnoxious. But I had run up against seemingly nice, funny people, at least that’s what their public image was, who turned out to be anything but.
Michael Palin was my favorite member of the group, he seemed to have a subtle, yet way-out-there humor that appeals to me, and so I was hoping for the best.
I got a chance to photograph him while he was doing a press tour to promote ‘A Fish Called Wanda’. I knew that it would just be a guy in a downtown hotel room and a 10-minute shoot-and-get-out, so I prepared my blasé, met-and-seen-them-all attitude, but was still excited.
Knocking on the door of the appointed room; Michael Palin himself answered the door. It wasn’t some lackey; it was Michael Palin. It was the first time I had seen this happen. The door is always answered by a publicist, who asks you to wait a minute while the subject finishes another interview, or combs his hair, or talks on the phone to their coke dealer. No, Michael Palin was standing right there, smiling that familiar, show-lots-of-bottom-teeth smile.
I wasn’t prepared for this. I use the time publicists insist on to steel myself against any fan-type reaction to the celebrity du jour. This time I had to go straight into it, without as much as a faux jaded look.
Michael reached out his hand and said “I’m Michael Palin, a pleasure to meet you” in an exceedingly polite English way. I just smiled and stared. He said, “You must be from the San Francisco Examiner, she (the publicist) is just inside on the phone".
I opened my mouth to introduce myself, and started laughing. Not the kind of polite laughter that comedians come to expect, but full-on maniacal laughter.
He asked me if I wanted something to drink; my answer was hysterical laughter. He asked where I wanted to shoot the photo, more hysterical laughter. He must have thought the Examiner sent an absolute moron.
We walked back into the sitting area of the suite, where the publicist was still on the phone. Michael started doing funny faces to make her laugh. As I tried to compose myself, I realized that the room was rather dark, and holding a camera still while laughing was going to be a challenge. But by now my laughter was unstoppable. It only made it worse when I tried to stop, like trying to stop giggling in church. He continued annoying the publicist, but she managed to keep a remnant of her composure; I, on the other hand, was nearing apoplexy.
Managing to work up enough self-control to actually say something, I asked him to just stand in the doorway to the sitting area, since it had the best light. He stood there pleasantly posing for me, while I shot several frames. What I was seeing through the camera was not the man I had met; he just looked like a dull Englishman standing there in a doorway. My laughter was dying down to occasional snickers now. He looked like he didn’t know quite what to do, so I said, “Let me know when you've had enough of this.” He snapped back with, “That’s enough”.
I started laughing again. He repeated, “That’s enough”, and his eyes got big, and he advanced toward me. He was now swinging his arms wildly and doing pseudo karate chops at me. This just set off my laughter once again, but I managed to keep shooting. He closed the sliding doors to the other room while standing between them, and kept trying to get to me. He started yelling something in German, and fought with the sliding doors, making weird noises until he was right up against my wide-angle lens.
I was completely helpless, my eyes were all teared up and couldn’t breathe, let alone speak, and I was almost out of film. In just a few minutes I managed to shoot and reload three times. Knowing that by now I had to have some good pictures, and that I was looking more and more like a complete idiot, I ended the photo shoot on account of laughter, definitely a first.
Michael suddenly stopped his tirade, and turned instantly back into an English gentleman. It was like he threw some kind of Jekyll and Hyde switch. He politely asked if I was sure I’d gotten enough, I squeaked out, “Yes, more than enough”. He reached out his hand again, and I managed to shake it and looked for the door through my still tearing eyes.
I composed myself to some degree as I walked down the hall to the elevator. The elevator door opened and there was a crowd of tourists, I lost it again; they were all speaking German.

posted by: Chris Hardy
about Chris Hardy:
I have been a photojournalist for more than 25 years, working first for the Los Angeles Times, then for 22 years at the San Francisco Examiner and finally five years at the San Francisco Chronicle. Over the course of my newspaper career, I photographed major news stories from Super Bowls to the Space Shuttle landing to the Loma Prieta earthquake, as well as a wide range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders. Sometimes the stories behind the photos are as interesting as the photos themselves. Here are a few of those stories…

P.S. in case there are new replies between this one and the post I'm replying to...
the pic I'm referring to was posted by MontyPython93 and it's a pic of Michael stuck between the doors of a closet.

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No spam please. Graham doesn't like spam.

that's a lot of words xD
But it was fun reading :D Thanks

Awww, I love that pic!=P

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No time Toulouse!

I love that film, one of his best!!!

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

I wonder why...
:D

please do credit, if you use a scan of me... lol
the file even says "scan preview"!

I didn't remembered it was yours.
I saved it a long time ago.
How can I condone my mistake?
:)

I only remember so many pics that were passed. Have so many. I know of a load that christina has given me but not all of them. I think it helps for the person to speak up for the credit in order to get it sometimes.

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

At university, we have to take care a lot what we use for essays... even pictures... therefore my system is "copy a picture and write down who has posted it"

Sorry, my life is soo consumed of shit I would need baby step directions at this point :D But what is the easiest way to do that?

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

i am "copy the picture" .. then it says "copy the file - and there you can still change the name - and that would help"

i just find it sometimes really sad, seeing screencaps of mine on pages.. and people do sometimes even use them as their own work - which i find pretty awful and unfair!

i like sharing.. but i do dislike it when you see your work somewhere... and nobody cares that you have taken the time to do the scans or the screencaps!

It's not an artwork or a photo...
They just screen caps, anyone else could do them.. well scanning is a bit different, takes time and effort - but still not our work.
Don't want to offend you anyway

Of course it is not an artwork or a photo.

but it has been work... one did - which can take a long time to get the right shot.

And i do find it very offensive of you now to say "hey, that's nothing"

Because I do share a lot - especially here - when i came to pythonline, the galleries had only about 20 pictures ... now some of them have over 200...

And most of the time, especially for python productions, I post them here to show others productiones the fans might have not seen yet...

and if you check sites like livejournal - where people make icons with the screencaps of someone, they do say too: please credit.

Because that should be done, if you respect a person who has taken the time for making something for you... to use!!!

P.S.: Yes, everyone can do it - but not everyone cares to take the time to do it and post it!

it has no point to debate about that - we have different opinions, that's all.

Certainly I don't post that much as you do and probably I won't. And I didn't checked PO that thoroughly so I had no idea that most pic in the galleries were posted by you.

And as I said, still no offense. I am sorry that you took it personally, because I like your stuff too and respect what you do here on PO, e.g. I heard about American Friends first from you (ran into the trailer on youtube... but never knew you made those caps.)
I would update my post corrected but sadly I can't edit it already.

Anyway I like to share too - even if I'm neglecting it these days - but still don't stick to crediting. All I want is to make the other drool, that's far enough for me :)

Peace!

You are right Pixie, at this point there is so much posted here on P-line that there is really no way to tell who posted what unless it is actually stated in the post itself.
So lets not argue about who posted what, this is a happy occasion :D

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

I think it is the best if we simply continue posting...

:)

:)

digging Flickr again

cute!

I think it is one thing if someone pops out a cap or two and posts em on a site but I was once sent an entire file of caps from an entire movie. Every scene and dam near every move Michael Palin made in this movie was in this file. I will keep the issuer annonymous. The time it must have taken to do that?!?!?!?! That does deserve some credit :)
Thank you issuer, you know who you are :D

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

*haha*

believe me - that took me hours... but it was worth it - american friends has so far been my absolute favourite movie!

and, i will continue posting - even if people do not care!

So much for anonymity :D

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

to the name of the file.
But I'm forgetting about it all the time.

Michael laughing!
Couldn't be any better.
Cheered me up a bit, thanks!

One of my favourites to!=P

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No time Toulouse...:)

have to agree. 8D

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Please be gentle with me, I come to pieces, literally!

I recently got GBH but haven't had the time to watch any of it yet...now I feel like I have to MAKE TIME!!!

*stares*

this will keep the drool flowing for a little while :) Lovely! as he is always :)

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Anything goes...

actually that was the purpose...
Can't let the drool dry out from the blog... :)

I've got the OCEAN next to me!!! awww I can't resist to that NAKED BODY!!! *DROOOOOOOOLS* *covers eyes with hands, not for shyness but for despair!*

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"Consider... consider the lily"

you covered your eyes, but I bet you take a peek every now and then :)

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Anything goes...

I'm avery naughty girl.... OMG I'm becoming too naughty.... pleeeeaaasssseee HELP! *lick the screen on naked Michael's pic*
EDIT: does he wear any pants in the second picture?? 0____0
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"Consider... consider the lily"

NO PANTS!

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Anything goes...

NO PANTS?!?!?!??!?! *looks over the edge of the pic!*

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"Consider... consider the lily"

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Anything goes...

I wanna see him! *tries to jump into the photo*

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"Consider... consider the lily"

take a deep breath and relax, think of... ducks. Rubber ducks.

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Anything goes...

Rubber ducks were for John originally I thought, hmmmmm....... the storyline is now changing. I wonder whatever happened to me bag o quarters and pointed sticks?

I GOTTA FIGHT DA LION!

one of these days we need a BIG bag of quarters and some bananas.. no, I mean pointed sticks :) I've been trying to catch you but it's sometimes very difficult with you (or is it me?) on the "wrong" side of the planet ;)

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Anything goes...

I know now it's not the moment, but i want to clearify that rubber ducks are moving evry where for the summer season! so you'll find them everywhere!
thank you

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"Consider... consider the lily"

rubberducks on him?? rubber duck who cover his INTIMATE parts??? hmmmm it may be... BUT IT'S ALWYAS TOO NASTY!!!!! lol

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"Consider... consider the lily"

loved the show
and the music!!!

Wery well ritten. This film shows, how terrific actor Michael is actually. And Robert Lindsay!
Well deserved Bafta for him, Michael could get one too.
And at least I can say - oh, I m watching this very good political drama, while Michael is running around nekkid... and wet.. :))