- Elon Musk joked that his Twitter business model takes inspiration from Monty Python.
- The billionaire made the comments in response to a tweet doubling down on charging for Twitter verification.
- Monty Python member Eric Idle is among the prominent figures to criticize Musk's plan for a paid service.
Elon Musk joked that one of his planned changes to how Twitter operates was inspired by the British comedy troupe Monty Python amid ongoing scrutiny of his early choices as the social media platform's new owner.
In response to a tweet in which he doubled down on charging users $8 per month to remain verified on the platform, Musk joked that the business plan was based on a sketch from the surrealist British comedy troupe Monty Python.
"Totally stole idea of charging for insults & arguments from Monty Python tbh," he said, sharing a clip of a sketch featuring comedians Michael Palin and John Cleese in which a man visits a clinic where people pay to have arguments and engages in a long, meandering debate with a professional arguer.
Since finalizing the $44 billion deal last week, Musk has fired a series of executives, prompted layoff fears, and teased a series of changes to the platform.
The most discussed is his decision to charge verified users to keep their symbolic blue ticks, which signal they are who they say they are.
Critics say that paying to be verified on the platform could give fake accounts the opportunity to pose as influential or public figures and spread misinformation.
Amusingly, one prominent figure to criticize Musk's plans to charge users was Monty Python member Eric Idle. Idle, who does not appear in the sketch Musk shared, tweeted Monday to say he'd likely leave Twitter if he had to pay.
"I'm sure Elon will want to start making his money back," Idle wrote in a tweet on Monday. "But if he charges me to entertain you, and he let's the orange monster back, I think I may decline," he added, apparently referencing Musk's reported plan to reinstate Donald Trump's account.
Author Stephen King blasted the proposed fee this week, saying he'd quit the social media platform if he was forced to pay to keep his verified status.
Representatives for Musk and Twitter did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.