AUDIO: Eric Idle Discusses His NOT THE MESSIAH, SPAMALOT, Why Audiences Love Bagpipes and More with WQXR's Elliott Forrest

Eric Idle, famous member of the absurdist-comedy collective Monty Python, recently joined forces with composer John Du Prez to create "Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)," a zany pastiche based on Monty Python's 1979 film "The Life of Brian," and Handel's Messiah. The oratorio, which premiered in 2007, comes to Carnegie Hall for two performances, Monday and Tuesday (12/15-16), with the Collegiate Chorale. The cast includes Idle and notable Broadway veterans Victoria Clark and Mark Kudisch.

Idle joined WQXR's Elliott Forrest to talk about the piece, and other topics including: Making his Carnegie Hall debut in a drag role; Why "The Life of Brian" is not against Christianity, as some of the film's critics have argued; Why audiences love bagpipes; The history of the song, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," which, Idle says, has become the number-one most-requested song at funerals; Working with the late Mike Nichols in the Tony Award-winning musical "Spamalot" and elsewhere; Future plans in music and comedy. And more...

Listen to the full interview below.