That's him off Yoko's Xmas card list then!
Another beautiful friendship, blasted by an incautious word... :
Kevin, thanks for reminding me of that Yoko comment. I'd read it and forgot where. I really have to organize all my Beatles notes, as I've now read probably 70 books...
Thursday September 6th 1979
This evening all the Pythons meet at Anne's.... As we sit around, it's John who asks, 'Isn't there someone missing?' We all agree that we have this sensation whenever the Python group assembles nowadays. The unknown Python. The present 'seventh' Python (taking over from Neil Innes) arrives a moment or two later in the person of George Harrison. To Odin's for a nice meal and too much wine. George tells tales of the Beatles - of the hugely dominant Yoko who has reduced J Lennon to a housewife, of George's liking for Paul and his 'ego', and Ringo who's....'You know, very simple'. Other little glimpses into the lives of the rich and famous - like the fact that George admits (with a smile acknowledging the absurdity) that he doesn't buy clothes any more. Clothes come to him. And, having once again outlasted all other diners, we meander back to Park Square West. It's a full moon and the entire kerb is taken up with Python cars - George's little black Porsche, John's dirty Rolls, my Mini, Terry J's yellow Volkswagen Polo, Gilliam's mighty yellow Volkswagen tank and G Chapman's rented Mercedes. Loud farewells, door slams, car tyres reversing on the road and the Python fleet heads off in the moonlight to find a way out of Regent's Park.
Saturday October 6th 1979
Drop in on George at Friar Park. He's about to have his breakfast (onions, egg and peppers (green)). I apologise for arriving too early, but George (half-way into a new beard) assures me that he's been up a while, and out planting his fritillaries. He takes the gardening very seriously and has a bulb catalogue, which he refers to now and then in between telling me of the $200 million suit the Beatles are bringing against the management of Beatlemania, a live show in the US using their look-alikes. He hasn't heard that Brian is No. 1, but is greatly chuffed at the news and shakes my hand. 'Now you can all have one of these,' says George, nodding round at Friar Park. 'The trouble is,' I have to say, 'I'm really happy where I am.' 'Nonsense, Palin,' replies the Quiet One, 'you'll have a mansion and like it!' I enjoy George's company and I think he mine. Despite all his trappings he's a down-to-earth, easy-to-please character.
The thing that's so brilliant about Michael is that he kept a diary and took notes! I love things that are captured accurately in time, because the memory does change. I was shocked at how much I've rewritten my own history-- misremembered important conversations and dates, that I would have sworn in court were accurate. So it's wonderful to have this snapshot of those ideas and comments, given as they were at the time.
