--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trouble with the British is that they…" description: "\"The trouble with the British is that they are not interested in ideas. If Jesus came back today and offered to speak for an hour on British television,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/john-cleese-1768_british_the-trouble-with-the-british-is-that-the_1140389.jpg" --- # The trouble with the British is that they are not… ![“The trouble with the British is that they are not interested in ideas. If Jesus came back today and offered to speak for an hour on British television, they would say, "What! Another talking head?” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/john-cleese-1768_british_the-trouble-with-the-british-is-that-the_1140389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/john-cleese-1768_british_the-trouble-with-the-british-is-that-the_1140389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/john-cleese-1768_british_the-trouble-with-the-british-is-that-the_1140389.jpg) > “The trouble with the British is that they are not interested in ideas. If Jesus came back today and offered to speak for an hour on British television, they would say, "What! Another talking head?” [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker criticizes British culture for lacking curiosity about ideas, implying they dismiss intellectual discourse as mere entertainment. **In simple terms:** British people often reject serious ideas as just talk. Key Takeaway Encourage genuine intellectual engagement. Themes culture media intellectualism humor Mood ironic critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - media consumption - education reform - public discourse Key Concepts skepticism toward ideas media criticism Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if society valued ideas over entertainment? - How can we foster curiosity in media? A Different Perspective Dismissal of ideas can stifle progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-television/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [ “Is a Can Opener a Can Opener . . . ? As we explain in The Shaping of Things to Come,\[157\] one of the “trick questions” we use… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-frost/is-a-can-opener-a-can-opener-as-we-explain-in-the-shaping-of-things/) [Michael Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-frost/) > [“A general summing up, such as this, is highly characteristic of the old Oriental mode of approach to a religious and philosophical teaching, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmet-fox/a-general-summing-up-such-as-this-is-highly-characteristic-of-the-old/) [Emmet Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmet-fox/) > [“When a good idea is run through the filters and compressors of ordinary tunnel vision,it not only comes out reduced in scale and value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-a-good-idea-is-run-through-the-filters-and-compressors-of/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/many-of-us-are-faithful-to-our-ideas-about-jesus-christ-but-how-many/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We have to take risks in British television. It has to stop playing to the lowest common denominator and patronising people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/we-have-to-take-risks-in-british-television-it-has-to-stop-playing-to/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) > [And I grew up watching all the British ones so when you hear that from an early age, it makes it much easier than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-griffiths/and-i-grew-up-watching-all-the-british-ones-so-when-you-hear-that/) [Rachel Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-griffiths/) > [I like the differences between American and British television dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/i-like-the-differences-between-american-and-british-television-dramas/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [Much of what passes for quality on British television is no more than a reflection of the narrow elite which controls it and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/much-of-what-passes-for-quality-on-british-television-is-no-more-than/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [It's a funny thing, 'The Office,' because millions and millions and millions and millions of people didn't watch it. But culturally, it is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/it-s-a-funny-thing-the-office-because-millions-and-millions-and/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Astonishing times. Who would have imagined that the Crazy Gang would yield a Hollywood film star (Vinny Jones), a British television ever-present (John Fashanu)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-smith/astonishing-times-who-would-have-imagined-that-the-crazy-gang-would/) Giles Smith > [ \[British television series\] Hammer House of Horror. I used to really enjoy these one-off stories where often there would be an incredibly cruel twist.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/british-television-series-hammer-house-of-horror-i-used-to-really/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Reality TV killed the British television industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-john-jules/reality-tv-killed-the-british-television-industry/) [Danny John-Jules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-john-jules/) > [All Creatures Great And Small' is one of the most popular British television series ever made. When it was broadcast in the Seventies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-drinkwater/all-creatures-great-and-small-is-one-of-the-most-popular-british/) [Carol Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-drinkwater/) > [I never watched British television. I bought myself a satellite for French, Spanish and Portuguese TV, instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pires/i-never-watched-british-television-i-bought-myself-a-satellite-for/) [Robert Pires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pires/) > [I don't watch much British television at all. I mean, it's ironic because I used to work in it for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/i-don-t-watch-much-british-television-at-all-i-mean-it-s-ironic/) [E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/) ## More by John Cleese > [Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/too-many-people-confuse-being-serious-with-being-solemn/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. Now what I am suggesting is that we've advanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/years-ago-we-would-have-been-burned-for-this-now-what-i-am-suggesting/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it's okay... you're either free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-very-essence-of-playfulness-is-an-openness-to-anything-that-may/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Loving your neighbour as much as yourself is practically bloody impossible? You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Creativity is not the possession of some special talent. It’s about the willingness to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/creativity-is-not-the-possession-of-some-special-talent-it-s-about/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [England is a fairly envious little country and it's embodied in the press. They don't like anyone being more distinguished than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/england-is-a-fairly-envious-little-country-and-it-s-embodied-in-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-used-to-desire-many-many-things-but-now-i-have-just-one-desire-and/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-the-hard-thing-for-young-comedians-is-that-the-majority-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I wish you wusses would stop whining about your unhappiness. I'm really fed up with it. Pour yourself a scotch and pull yourself together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-wish-you-wusses-would-stop-whining-about-your-unhappiness-i-m/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/on-movies-i-like-to-involve-the-cast-in-the-writing-of-the-script-i/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I had a very, very difficult relationship with my mother, who was supremely self-centred. She was hilariously self-centred. She did not really take interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-had-a-very-very-difficult-relationship-with-my-mother-who-was/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nothing will stop you being creative more effectively as the fear of making a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nothing-will-stop-you-being-creative-more-effectively-as-the-fear-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I was very sad to hear of the death of Ronnie Barker, who was such a warm, friendly and encouraging presence to have when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-was-very-sad-to-hear-of-the-death-of-ronnie-barker-who-was-such-a/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) [Explore all 209 John Cleese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The trouble with the British is that they are not interested in ideas. 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