Variety accidentally claims Terry Gilliam died, director has the best response

Uh oh. It happened again. Another website accidentally published their prepared obituary for a celebrity. This time, the ‘victim’ was director Terry Gilliam, who just couldn’t resist putting his fantastic sense of humor on display after he heard about it.

Several Twitter users took screenshots of the obituary before Variety took it down. The headline read “Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam, director of Brazil, dies at XXX.” Variety later tweeted an apology, but missed out on an incredible chance for some Monty Python jokes.

“Variety incorrectly published an article stating that director Terry Gilliam passed away. We're deeply sorry for the mistake,” the tweet read. There were no jokes about whoever was responsible being sacked or someone yelling “But I’m not dead yet!” Come on, Variety staffers, didn’t you guys watch Monty Python? (Twitter users have already made these jokes, by the way.)

Anyway, Gilliam, 74, is alive and well and even still working. He responded to the Variety snafu on Facebook, writing, “I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING DEAD especially to those who have already bought tickets to the upcoming talks, but, Variety has announced my demise. Don't believe their retraction and apology!” He also included a picture of himself lying in a coffin with a mysterious hooded person holding a sign that reads “He was only 30! Bad reviews from Variety aged him!”