It turns out that the most visible of the old Pythons doesn’t like being badgered about things he has no control over…
After the launch of the FOBT version of the popular Spamalot slot, protesters have harassed John Cleese to such an extent that he tweeted the following on Saturday, 6 September 2014:
Dear Twits, Please understand that Python has no control over Spamalot activites. They pay us royalties for using the Grail script.That”s it
– John Cleese (@JohnCleese) September 6, 2023
Python exercises no control over Spamalot decisions or actions.We are not even consulted.I would not myself endorse betting advertising – John Cleese (@JohnCleese) September 6, 2023
Sorry,trying to get everything into 144 words.I would not have endorsed the decision to use Spamalot to promote gambling if I had been asked – John Cleese (@JohnCleese) September 6, 2023
Well, slightly more than one tweet, but you can see that he takes no responsibility for the link between the controversial fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and the choice to use Spamalot as a theme for one of these land-based gambling machines.
It’s interesting to note, though, that the online version of Spamalot — a progressive jackpot that was sitting at a total of £1,643,455 at the time of writing — hasn’t attracted the same ire.
This fun slot taps into the insanity of the Spamalot show, which has become a mega-hit on stages around the world. The game is produced by Playtech, one of the best software suppliers and a team that’s dedicated to responsible gambling.
We’ve covered some of the FOBT controversy recently, being of the opinion that responsible adults have the right to play as and how they like.
At the same time, we think that using a popular musical as the theme for a slot is perfectly fine too, especially one as popular as Spamalot.
Whether you agree with us is up to you. So if you’d like to try this out, why not give it a spin at Betfair?
You can have fun laughing while you win, and remember, there’s that £1,643,455 that could be yours, after bringing the Knights of Ni a shrubbery, or being told to go boil your bottoms…
And in the meantime, remember to play responsibly and don’t go beyond your limits. Gambling should be fun, not destructive — don’t play beyond your means.