Happy Birthday, Mr. Idle!

He proudly proclaims himself the 'third tallest member of Monty Python.'
Steve Martin calls him 'my mentor.'
In 2002, he beat both Charles Barkley and Martha Stewart in a round of celebrity Jeopardy.

Happy birthday, Eric Idle!
Born: 29 March 1943.
Educated at Cambridge University.
Comedian, philanthropist, playwright.

My favorite E.I. quotes:

(On gay marriages) "It's about time they suffered too."

(On Monty Python) "Everybody was mad, but in a slightly different way, each had his own element of madness. But together we made this perfectly mad person."

"If the studios paid the artists, how would they ever be able to afford the executives?"

John (Cleese) once told me he'd do anything for money. So I offered him a pound to shut up, and he took it.

(On his favourite sexual position) "Flat on my back with my wallet open."

There was a time when we were almost universally hated by large sections of society. Now that we are the cuddly old farts of comedy, I rather miss the hatred.