Editing Eric Idle (section)

===Monty Python (1969–1983, 2014)===
{{further|Monty Python}}
Idle wrote for Python mostly by himself,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/the-life-of-python-monty/|title=The life of Python}}</ref> at his own pace, although he sometimes found it difficult to present material to the others and make it seem funny without the back-up support of a partner. The other Pythons usually worked in teams and Cleese admitted that this was slightly unfair&nbsp;– when the Pythons voted on which sketches should appear in a show, "he (Idle) only got one vote". However, he also says that Idle was an independent person and worked best on his own. Idle himself admitted this was sometimes difficult: "You had to convince five others. And they were not the most un-egotistical of writers, either." He occasionally wrote with Cleese.<ref>{{cite web |title=For Eric Idle, life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/eric-idle-interview-monty-python-bbc-biography-always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life-a8570116.html |website=[[The Independent]] |date=6 October 2018}}</ref>

Idle's work in Python is often characterised by an obsession with language and communication: many of his characters have verbal peculiarities, such as the man who speaks in [[anagram]]s, the man who says words in the wrong order, and the butcher who alternates between rudeness and politeness every time he speaks. A number of his sketches involve extended monologues (for example the customer in the "Travel Agency" sketch who won't stop talking about his unpleasant experiences with holidays), and he would frequently spoof the unnatural language and speech patterns of television presenters. Idle is said to be the master of insincere characters, from the [[David Frost]]-esque Timmy Williams, to small-time crook Stig O'Tracy, who tries to deny the fact that [[organised crime]] master Dinsdale Piranha nailed his head to the floor.

The second-youngest member of the Pythons, Idle was closest in spirit to the teenagers who made up much of Python's fanbase. Python sketches dealing most with contemporary obsessions like [[pop music]], sexual permissiveness and [[Recreational drug use|recreational drugs]] are usually Idle's work, often characterised by [[double entendre]], sexual references, and other "naughty" subject matter&nbsp;– most famously demonstrated in "[[Nudge Nudge]]". Idle originally wrote "Nudge, Nudge" for [[Ronnie Barker]], but it was rejected because there was 'no joke in the words'.<ref>Comment made by Eric Idle during an interview shown on the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC-TV]] program "7.30 Report" on 28 November 2007.</ref>

A talented guitarist, Idle composed many of the group's most famous musical numbers, most notably "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]", the closing number of ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian|Life of Brian]]'', which has grown to become a Python signature tune.<ref name="Eggers">{{cite news |title=And now for something completely difficult ... |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/sep/13/theatre |work=The Guardian |date=13 September 2006 |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> He was responsible for the "[[Galaxy Song]]" from ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life|The Meaning of Life]]'' and "[[Eric the Half-a-Bee]]", a whimsical tune that first appeared on the ''[[Monty Python's Previous Record|Previous Record]]'' album.