A Load of BS on Sport: The Behavioural Science Podcast
A Load of BS on Sport: The Behavioural Science Podcast
John Cleese & Rory Sutherland on creativity and play
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John Cleese & Rory Sutherland on creativity and play

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Introducing John Cleese & Rory Sutherland

Today is a very special episode, and one that I've been looking forward to recording and sharing for months. Since launching this podcast, it's been my ambition to interview John Cleese, in part because he has plenty of no BS clear thinking on what it means to be creative - you would have thought so for the man who co-wrote Monty Python and Fawlty Towers - and in part because he is my comedy hero; which is a bit gushing I know, but since I'm the host of this podcast, I'll say what I like.

John's writing of Basil Fawlty in particular has had me enraptured since I first watched it in the 1980s. And if you ask anyone who knows me well, they will tell you, possibly with an air of resignation, that I am rather obsessed both by the brilliance of the writing and the panoply of characters but also the excess of Basil, his fire, his fury and his rage.

Please try to understand before one of us dies

But instead of just interviewing John, I thought I'd add an extra shot of brandy to the conversation and invite behavioural science's very own flame throwing alchemist Rory Sutherland, who also knows a thing or two about creativity. So here we have John Cleese and Rory Sutherland talking about creativity and play; and me holding onto the reins with a fairly relaxed grip.

Show notes

  • 5.45 mins: understanding creativity and its conditions

  • 6.45: money people vs creative people

  • 7.45: being childlike and playful

  • 8.50: embracing confusion

  • 9.30: why business decisions become boring

  • 11.00: be prepared to make mistakes

  • 11.15: how John found his own creative style

  • 12.15: influence of FT on me

  • 14.20: the power of the unconscious

  • 17.00: how do you access the unconscious?

  • 18.40: dilettante bees and random exploration

  • 23.50: creativity in teams or solo

  • 24.15: origin of the Dead Parrot sketch

  • 26.10: Graham Chapman’s funeral

  • 27:00: Dave Trott and the love of the obvious

  • 28.05: John’s view on woke people

  • 34.45: Rudolf Hess and Rory’s Mum

  • 36.05: Iain McGilchrist & right/left brain hemisphere thinking

  • 38.00: Making fun of Hitler

  • 39.45: commonalities between advertising and films

  • 43.05: Life of Brian backlash

  • 44.40: Brexit & Remainer certainty obsession

I hope you enjoy it!

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Next time with Chris Rawlinson

Next time, I’ll be talking with 42 Courses founder, educationalist, creative spark and all round lovely human being, Chris Rawlinson.

Entertain your brain - 42courses

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Be well and till next time,

Daniel

Discussion about this podcast

A Load of BS on Sport: The Behavioural Science Podcast
A Load of BS on Sport: The Behavioural Science Podcast
A Load of BS on Sport: The Behavioural Science Podcast dives deep into the psychology of what makes elite performers tick; how they think about success and failure, how they find and maintain peak performance, how they manage fear and adversity, how they make decisions under pressure, how they deal with risk and uncertainty.