I consider myself to be first and foremost a comic writer. The way I entertain myself - especially in those long and grim hours in the office - is to write stuff I find funny.

Film seems to be a medium designed for betrayal and violence.

Look, when I look back, from 20 onwards, I was actually having a pretty good time, I have to say.

It's always a risky business inviting somebody on stage. You never know what they're going to do. I try to avoid letting people join me onstage because it can be very distracting, and overly theatrical.

It's an Australian thing to be dismissive. We find that endearing. Americans don't. They believe what you say.

There's an element to songwriting that I can't explain, that comes from somewhere else. I can't explain that dividing line between nothing and something that happens within a song, where you have absolutely nothing, and then suddenly you have something. It's like the origin of the universe.

Hamlet got a gun now.