John Cleese: What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

The question

What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

John Cleese

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

There are different kinds of happiness, but the simplest was when I was 13 because what one had to do was so obvious.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 October 2012 source ↗

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Adrian Dunbar Irish actor

My first year of drama school: a sense of freedom, doing something I wanted to do and being with lovely people.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 August 2022 source ↗

Romola Garai

In the orange blossom-filled streets of Seville, snogging on a park bench.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 2 February 2013 source ↗

Bill Maher

Right now, here with you. Let’s not ruin it by talking.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, May 2010 source ↗

Kelsey Grammer American actor

This morning, surrounded by my children and my wife, Kayte.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 June 2016 source ↗

More from John Cleese

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Question What trait do you most dislike in other people? Values & belief

Lack of self-criticism.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2014 source ↗

Question What does happiness look like for you when life is going well? Identity & self

The demise of the London Daily Mail.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 16 October 2014 source ↗

Question Which trait in yourself do you like least? Identity & self

Self-criticism.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2014 source ↗

Question What song would you want played at your funeral? Death & what remains

Tchaikovsky's 1812, sung by Barry Manilow.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 October 2012 source ↗

Question Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them? Values & belief

Michael Frayn – such modesty, talent, kindness and bottomless curiosity.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 October 2012 source ↗

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