John Cleese, certainly the tallest member of the Monty Python clan, recalls forty years of tomfoolery and buffoonery with his former costars and colleagues at this year’s rambunctiously joyful Tribeca Film Festival.

Cleese, who joined the cast comprised of himself, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin played a little prank on their interviewer-moderator-host, fellow Englishman, John Oliver.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cleese, along with his cast mates, played a rousing game of musical chairs, while moderator John Oliver attempted to engage the Pythons in a formal discussion relating to the perfunctory topic at hand. Not so, with these gentlemen.

“Hints of the zaniness to come” occurred when the Pythons made strange noises into their microphones at the top of the interview. Oliver dubbed this act of impromptu jam session “comedic beat-boxing.” Apparently, just a few minutes into the conversation amidst the group, Cleese walked offstage, without an explanation. Oliver responded with a quick rebuttal: “You’ll never see him. He’s walking down Columbus Ave. speaking into the microphone still.” Yet, moments later, Cleese reappeared, his hand popping out from behind a curtain and then shortly returning to another seat.

This strange behavior marked by acts of irreverence in the face of perceived authority is exactly what put the Pythons on the map in the first place. Cleese seemed to be the bandleader, as he continued to bounce about, switching chairs and claiming new ones as the interview slugged along.

Oliver maintained a steady hand as moderator of this wild, zany bunch. Eventually, the Q&A went completely “off the rails” and Eric Idle told Oliver: “John, I’m sorry about your career. It was going so well. You were doing so f—ing great until you fell for this offer.” Looks like the gang still has a few tricks up their sleeve.