Terry Gilliam, the legendary filmmaker and Monty Python member, says Donald Trump’s return to power has disrupted not just politics but comedy itself. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 84-year-old director explained how Trump has changed the cultural climate. According to Gilliam, comedians now feel freer to make jokes without the fear of backlash that has dominated recent years.
He pointed to what he described as a “narrow, self-righteous” mindset from woke activists that, in his view, has made comedy feel risky. “That’s frightened so many people,” Gilliam said. “They’re timid about telling jokes or making fun of anything because they’re told it’s punching down. But it’s just finding humor in humanity.”
Gilliam’s latest film, The Carnival at the End of Days, was meant to be a bold satire tackling cancel culture, self-righteousness, and modern sensitivities. The plot follows Satan trying to stop God from destroying humanity. But Trump’s resurgence has forced the filmmaker to reconsider parts of the script. “He’s messed up the movie,” Gilliam said. “He’s turned everything upside down. He is the carnival now.”
The film originally included the tagline “Great fun for all of those who enjoy taking offense,” but Gilliam said that no longer fits. He joked about adding a disclaimer noting it was written during the “Trump lost years” between 2020 and 2024. He also admitted the script may need rewrites, since some parts now feel dated.
Speaking to Deadline, Gilliam said, “We may have to rework some of the story. The satire targeted woke culture before Trump took over again. Now everything’s changed.” He added that this shift has made it even harder to get the film produced. “We’re living in a very nervous world. Executives are scared to offend anyone, so I started looking elsewhere.”
Despite recent remarks, Gilliam has criticized Trump in the past, calling him a “conman” and an “idiot” in a 2018 interview. His frustration is more about the broader state of comedy and free speech. Over the years, he’s pushed back against political correctness and what he calls oversimplified narratives blaming white men for the world’s problems. “When I say I’m a Black lesbian in transition, people take offense. Why?” he once joked.
In a 2023 interview, he said people were forgetting how to laugh and losing their sense of irony. “Activists are very self-righteous. If you don’t agree with them, you’re suddenly a transphobe or a homophobe. No! I’m a phobe-phobe. I hate hate—that’s what I hate!”
Gilliam’s take paints a picture of a comedy world still trying to figure itself out—caught between changing cultural expectations and the unpredictable impact of political figures like Trump.
