"I'm afraid I'm not that interested in trans folks," he admitted when pressed to "be upfront" about his views on Rowling's controversy.
"Does [that] sound hard-hearted?" he asked.
He later complained that critics showed a "complete lack of perspective" as well as a "complete lack of a sense of humor," asking, "Heard a woke joke yet?"
Cleese later admitted his "understanding is superficial," but wrote, "When a woman who was once a man is competing against women who have always been women, I think she has an advantage, because she inherited a man's body, which is usually bigger and stronger than a woman's.
"Does that prove phobia?" he asked his critics.
His fans were outraged at the statements.
"Oh, man. I've been a fan of Monty Python & some of your other work for years and it's so disappointing to see you take such a hurtful stance on this issue," tweeted one.
"Trans people are being attacked & invalidated from every angle, & instead of being supportive & uplifting? You say this."
