TheJohnCleese.com: And now for something completely different: one of those good news and bad news announcements. I've been anticipating the opening of John Cleese's personal Web site, as he's one of my favorite comic actors and humorists. TheJohnCleese.com is up and running and, alas, what a deadening disappointment from the Monty Python mogul.
Mr. Cleese insists on a $50 per year fee to visit his performance wares and journal. Fine. That is his choice to make and mine to absolutely refuse to pay. Sheesh, man, good luck to you, but you are doomed to fail and your site is already on my road to faded memory. There's no compelling reason for me to return.
I've been watching the humorous Internet for many years and my gut feeling is certain disaster for a pay John Cleese site. Keeping a Web presence acceptably fresh is far more time consuming than it looks, especially when the product relies on creative material. When the money doesn't materialize, as appears to be his motive, I'm confident it won't be long before Cleese loses interest and ceases his promised frequent updates, having caused ill will, alienating a sea of fans.
It's imperative he find a way to make a completely free site rewarding for himself and viewers or die.
Meanwhile, among a smattering of free items, primarily photographs, there is a cute Flash toy allowing visitors to instruct Cleese on how to walk silly, utilizing the specialized moves "Toe Dry Twist," "9.8 Quarter Quarter," "Lost Change," "Low Bridge," and "The MJ."
Go: The John Cleese: Do the Silly Walk
Note: After you land on the navigation page at The John Cleese, click "Do the Silly Walk."