Oddly, I do have a problem with authority. I find it very difficult to knuckle down and follow rules. Which are the classic symptoms of someone who has a troubled relationship with their father. And yet, I never had a problem with my father.

The moment I'm perceived to be even a tiny bit successful, my career will go down the pan.

Everyone said to me growing up, "You're like an American. You have to go to America. That's your spiritual home."

I've never been to a shrink. But my parents were very psychologically literate - my father had undergone Freudian analysis - and we often talked about other people in psychological terms, so I picked up a lot of that.

People in London think of London as the center of the world, whereas New Yorkers think the world ends three miles outside of Manhattan.

I wouldn't describe myself as a master of anything.

I really like the Observer. I think I'd love to have a column with a broad reach that would enable me to do some proper reporting, but keep it on sort of a humorous level. I've always had a very happy experience writing for them.