# Monty Python's Terry Jones diagnosed with dementia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700 "2016-09-24T03:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/1 "2016-09-24T03:25:05Z")
Sad news for Monty Python fans. A spokesperson for Terry Jones has revealed that he’s been diagnosed with a rare form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia, which has affected his ability to speak to the point that he is no longer able to give interviews. Based on the descriptions I’ve read in various reports, it sounds like his communication abilities are only likely to get worse from here on out. I’m very sad to hear this. I’ve always enjoyed Terry’s work, not only with Python, but also stuff like _Ripping Yarns_, and the various history documentaries he did over the years. I’ve seen this reported by a number of sources, but I suppose [CNN’s](http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/23/health/terry-jones-monty-python-aphasia/) is as good as any to link to. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/2 "2016-09-24T03:40:30Z")
Yeah, I read that today too. A brilliant, funny man. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/3 "2016-09-24T03:46:12Z")
One of the most overlooked members, but by all accounts a very strong personality and the single greatest driving force of the Python’s as a functioning troop. And of course Michael Palin’s writing partner of decades. Great talent, like them all. My best to him, wherever he may be. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/4 "2016-09-24T03:51:55Z")
Aaah, that sucks. I always really enjoyed his bits. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/5 "2016-09-24T04:57:56Z")
If you’ve never seen it, check out his _Wind in the Willows._. He directed and played Mr. Toad. Really well. And the weasels and stoats are positively delightful. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/6 "2016-09-24T05:56:35Z")
:mad:☹ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/7 "2016-09-24T06:33:22Z")
Sorry Terry. That CNN link sucked. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/8 "2016-09-24T07:21:28Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > If you’ve never seen it, check out his _Wind in the Willows._. He directed and played Mr. Toad. Really well. And the weasels and stoats are positively delightful. Seconded. Most Pythons cameo, but also great performances from folks like Steve Coogan and Anthony Sher. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/9 "2016-09-24T07:40:46Z")
I am so glad they did that reunion show a year or so back. I didn’t notice any problems with Jones, the whole troupe was amazing. So horrible to hear this. I hope he is not suffering. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/10 "2016-09-24T12:30:06Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > If you’ve never seen it, check out his _Wind in the Willows._. He directed and played Mr. Toad. Really well. And the weasels and stoats are positively delightful. Note that Netflix calls it _Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride_. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/11 "2016-09-24T12:35:29Z")
My favorite TJ line: \*"Well, if we took the \*\*bones \*_out, it wouldn’t be **crunchy** , would it?"_ :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/12 "2016-09-24T13:44:58Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > That CNN link sucked. Sorry. All the links I could find on a quick search had obnoxious ads and such. I apologize if it was tough to read. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/13 "2016-09-24T14:57:06Z")
I recall seeing in (I think) the “Making of…” documentary about the reunion a couple of years ago that Jones was worried about being involved because his memory was starting to go, so this is not a complete surprise. Fondest of very many fond memories is from his book about the Crusades, where describes an actual event : the heroic Crusader siege of a castle which was defended entirely by sheep. I struggled for breath from laughing so hard. Only Jones could have linked such a pure Python sensibility with an ancient long-forgotten event. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/14 "2016-09-24T15:12:55Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Seconded. Most Pythons cameo, but also great performances from folks like Steve Coogan and Anthony Sher. [Here’s my favorite scene from the movie.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxxnB5lrCQY) (Although, rewatching it just now, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I heard the line “He’s suffering from a dementia.”) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/15 "2016-09-24T15:38:07Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > So horrible to hear this. I hope he is not suffering. Here’s a link to a tweet with a screen capture of a message that Michael Palin posted to Facebook\* > It seems that Terry is still getting out and about, but his illness has progressed quite far \*yeah, I know. The modern world, eh? Edit: here’s the direct FB link [Michael Palin - Terry J has been my close friend and workmate for over fifty years. The progress of his dementia has been painful to watch and the news announced yesterday that he has a type of aphasia which is gradually depriving him of the ability to speak is about the cruellest thing that could befall someone to whom words, ideas, arguments, jokes and stories were once the stuff of life. Not that Terry is out of circulation. He spends time with his family and only two days ago I met up with him for one of our regular meals at his local pub. Howard Johnson, an American friend of Python, was in town and took this picture. Terry doesn’t say very much but he smiles, laughs, recognises and responds, and I’m always pleased to see him. Long may that last. | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/themichaelpalinpage/photos/a.624866127638964.1073741828.589950754463835/952322611559979/?type=3&theater) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/16 "2016-09-24T21:34:46Z")
It’s important to remember that even if communication is impaired there is still a person inside with feelings, wants and desires; who can still laugh and love; and who is still to be cared for and valued. The facebook post makes it sound like his friends and family are still trying to give him as full a life as possible, and that’s a small but worthwhile positive. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/17 "2016-09-25T00:16:10Z")
He’s quite the historian, I believe. A very smart man. I’m sad to learn of this. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/18 "2016-09-27T19:12:16Z")
Oh, shit \>.\< ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/19 "2016-10-02T15:09:09Z")
Oh man. I knew he was always one off but this is just horrible news. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monty-pythons-terry-jones-diagnosed-with-dementia/766700/20 "2016-10-02T21:16:57Z")
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