Tim Minchin: 'Tell stories and stop calling people scum'

The Australian actor, musician and comedian is writing a new TV series called Upright.

Tim Minchin admits he’s not great at focusing on one thing.

"How are you going to put this together?” He asks. “Because I talk and talk, and you ask some big questions. You’re really going to suffer in the edit."

But perhaps it’s that very trait that’s given him such an incredibly diverse and distinguished career.

The Australian musician, comedian, writer and actor is probably best known as the man behind the hit musical, Matilda and a collection of cheeky satirical numbers that have now racked up millions of views on YouTube.

His most popular song just happens to be the one he likes the least. Entitled Prejudice, it starts off about a taboo word comprised of "a couple of G’s, an R and an E, an I and an N", but goes on to convey the burdens of having ginger hair.

Another one calls Cardinal George Pell a coward for not returning to Australia to face a Royal Commission inquiry.

"There have been times where we’ve had to send the police around to someone’s house who’s made a death threat and stuff.

"I’m not scared. Theatre is a place where you can have a complex, irony laced, hilarious discourse. That’s why it’s joyous and I feel confident when I have an audience in front of me that I can say what I want to say without upsetting anyone because I am setting the parameters of the world."

The 45-year-old has written books, released an album and created a television show. A lolly scramble of works that may seem disconnected, but all have the same effect — they’ll make you think.

Minchin effortlessly communicates some of humanities biggest issues through music and laughter. He talks about social media’s influence, confirmation bias, tribalism, bigotry, racism and sexism.

A deep dive into some downright nasty subjects but served up with a generous dollop of whimsy and flare and devoured immediately by an ever-growing number of fans.

"It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a musical or a TV show or a theatre show. If you’re interested in the underneath ideas, like what a good way to live life is or how you bring meaning to a meaningless universe as I always say, then it should always be in there.

"I have an ongoing interest in ideas and a parallel interest in what is one’s responsibility when one has a platform."

Minchin is a self-confessed nerd. And he says he’s been one all his life.

"I just think it’s who I am. I really like reading books, I’m interested in science, I’m a data nerd. You can either put that aside and pretend to be a rock star and be all broody, or go 'OK, I’ll put it in and if people like it, I’ll sell tickets'."

And that decision to be authentic has paid off.

"I’m a nerd quoting Kurt Vonnegut and talking about the Greeks. I do a 10-minute rant on confirmation bias and algorithmic editing and people are laughing the whole time. And then I get to play a song, drink wine and go home to bed! I mean, what the hell! How did I pull that off?" he laughs.

It’s Minchin's hope that people can have constructive conversations, and that viewpoints stop dividing us.

"People who care about progress or the underdog and minority groups and stuff. Because of the internet, we’ve become very sure of our moral untouchability - that we are right and those disgusting Trump voters are bad people, for example.

"It’s more and more extreme tribalism. We need to check ourselves. Check our own ideas. How are you dealing with the people who disagree with you? To what extent is self-righteous rage the best mechanism to reach out and get those people across the line?

“If you want to reach out and teach people, you can’t tell then they’re scum."

The actor, musician and comedian says writing the series Upright is the best thing he’s ever done.

Minchin now lives in Sydney with his wife Sarah, and two kids. They returned to Australia after a rough year in L.A.

His $140 million-dollar DreamWorks animated film, scrapped, so close to completion. Another Broadway musical, Groundhog Day, also stopped in its tracks.

But Minchin is not one for self-pity.

"It was tough in my incredibly privileged life." He laughs. "But yeah, it was a loss of a lot of work."

He returned down under and created TV series, Upright, about two misfits travelling across the Australian desert. It’s a story of forgiveness, and for Minchin, a sort of art, imitating life.

"You make mistakes and it turns out to be something beautiful."

A work that wouldn’t be here, had it not been for the misfortunes of Hollywood. He says it’s the best thing he’s ever done.

"We take our hard stuff and we tell stories to make it better. It doesn’t always work but we try to tell stories and that’s why art is so important, and stories are so important.

"The crap that happens is fertiliser for future flowers".

Australia is where Minchin thinks he’ll stay, having suffered a bit of home dysphoria from travelling around the world for too long.

A time perhaps, to lay down roots and see what else blossoms.

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