Michael Palin here explains why jihad terrorism works, and why it is on the rise worldwide today. “You can’t parody Islam, says Palin: Monty Python star believes religious sensitivities have increased so much it would be impossible to make Life of Brian today,” by Alasdair Glennie for the Daily Mail, December 29:
During his Monty Python days he poked fun at everyone from the Establishment to Christianity.
But thanks to the threat of “˜heavily armed” fanatics, Michael Palin has admitted there is one comedy taboo he is too scared to break- Islam.
The 70-year-old said religious sensitivities have increased so much since his comedy days it would now be impossible to make 1979 film Life of Brian – which satirised the life of Jesus – let alone laugh at Muslims.
He said: “˜Religion is more difficult to talk about. I don’t think we could do Life of Brian any more. A parody of Islam would be even harder.
“˜We all saw what happened to Salman Rushdie and none of us want to get into all that. It’s a pity but that’s the way it is. There are people out there without a sense of humour and they”re heavily armed.” ….