In his memoir, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography, Idle explained that he met Harrison at a screening for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “I had heard that George wanted to meet me, but I was somewhat shy of meeting him.” Idle wrote. “I was shy and tried to avoid him, but he snuck up on me in the back of the theatre as the credits began to roll. I hadn’t yet learned he was unstoppable.” (Excerpt from Farout Magazine)
George Harrison met ex-wife Pattie Boyd just before his death- Read More
“We began a conversation that would last about twenty-four hours. Who could resist his opening line? ‘We can’t talk here. Let’s go and have a reefer in the projection booth.’ No telling what the startled projectionist felt as a Beatle came in with one of the actors from the movie he had just projected and lit up a joint.”
Idle once told Rolling Stone, “It occurred to me later that we both played similar roles inside our groups with big power blocks. Once I was moaning a little bit on Brian, saying, ‘It was hard to get onscreen with Michael Palin and John Cleese.’ He said, ‘Well, imagine what it’s like trying to get studio time with Lennon and McCartney.’ I said, ‘All right. Absolutely. Got it. OK. Check. I’ll shut up now.’ Then it occurred to me that yes, in fact, we were slightly the outsiders, playing similar roles in our groups.”
After their friendship had blossomed, Idle was keen for Harrison to get on with his other rock star pal David Bowie.
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