All Of It (WNYC): "An Unfunny* Interview with Tim Minchin"

Host: Kusha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Tim Minchin
Date: August 23, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It spotlights Tim Minchin, the acclaimed musician, composer, comedian, and actor, in the midst of his first solo North American tour in over a decade, "An Unfunny Evening with Tim Minchin and His Piano." The conversation navigates Tim’s relationship with comedy and music, his eclectic career, reflections on loss, and the values underlying his new book. Minchin’s candor and humor illuminate both the artistic journey and the deeper questions of fulfillment, grief, and gratitude.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Tim Minchin's Return to the U.S. Stage

• Tour Context:
  After over a decade, Minchin returns for a 13-city solo tour, culminating with shows in New York City at Town Hall (Aug 25-26).
• Tour Title – Managing Expectations:
  The show is titled "An Unfunny Evening with Tim Minchin and His Piano" to clarify it's not a stand-up or purely comedic set:

  "I just wanted people to know that I’m sort of expanding outwards. That said ... I can’t really help but be funny when I talk. But I’m not playing my old punchliney songs. The songs are quirky but not punchliney." (05:03)

2. The Artistic Journey: Comedy, Musicals, and Piano

• Minchin's Diverse Range:
  Known for musicals (Matilda, Groundhog Day), TV work, live comedy, and songwriting. The setlist for this tour is a curated mix:

  "I play my favorite song from Matilda, which is called Quiet... I do some tunes that people have probably never heard. I play one from 1997, when I was 22 ... So I’m just kind of telling the story of the journey I’ve traveled a bit." (06:09)

• On His Relationship with the Piano:
  Tim reflects on being mostly self-taught and continually improving:

  "Apart from anything else, I’m just getting better at piano still, which is a real pleasure. And a big part of this concert is kind of proving to people that I’m an actual pianist and not just a clown." (07:08)

  • On learning and growth:

    "I taught myself to play by writing... I’ve always taught myself by writing and playing. I feel like I’m just in the middle of the journey." (08:53)

• Unpigeonholing Himself:
  Tim discusses the challenge of moving beyond being labeled solely as a comedian:

  "Trying to un-become a comedian ... is maybe almost impossible. ... I think I’ve achieved something that’s quite hard to achieve." (12:54)

3. Artistic Responsibility and Gratitude

• On Artistic Freedom and Luck:
  Minchin attributes much of his career's breadth to both luck and the success of Matilda:

  "Even if you don’t believe everything is luck, I’ve had so much luck ... Matilda gave me the freedom to do things like worry about my craft and stepping sideways, knowing that I’m kind of going to be okay." (12:54)

• Audience Relationship:
  He feels responsible for rewarding audience loyalty by always giving his all:

  "I take the responsibility of that really seriously ... I always try and make sure whatever I’m doing, I really throw myself into it." (07:08)

4. Reflecting on Loss: The Passing of His Mother

• Inspiration in Family and Loss:
  The iconic song "White Wine in the Sun" is highlighted as a touchstone for listeners and Tim alike.
• On His Mother's Influence:

  "They just made me know that I’d be alright if I took risks, I wouldn’t end up on the street ... All you have to do is make them feel safe." (17:24)

• On Performing After His Mother's Death:
  Tim shares the clarity found in continuing to perform in the wake of grief:

  "If I have a tribe ... it’s this, it’s theatre, it’s performing ... there isn’t Ten Commandments, there’s just one. The show must go on. Whether you’ve missed a flight or lost a tooth or lost a mum, you go on." (22:01)

• Connection with Host:
  Kusha shares her own loss, deepening the conversation about how gratitude, purpose, and craft interplay in the wake of grief.

5. Creativity, Ambition, and New Projects

• Insatiable Drive and Creative Identity:
  Minchin speaks about his wide-ranging passions and the “self-competitive” drive behind his career:

  "If I wasn’t me, I’d be jealous of my career, which is how I know I’m on the right track." (15:04)

• On Not Wanting Fame for Its Own Sake:

  "I don’t want to be Ed Sheeran. ... I’m incredibly happy with how known I am." (16:09)

• Upcoming Book – "You Don’t Have to Have a Dream":
  Inspired by his viral 2014 university speech, the book collects three pieces on his life lessons and authenticity.

  "The lesson number one is you don’t have to have a dream. It’s all about being incrementally ambitious ... being really passionate about what you’re doing right in front of you." (26:29)

  • Audiobook is on the way:

    "I think you can even pre-order the audiobook if you want, just to show me your intention to listen to it." (29:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On pain and performance:

  "I was in such bad pain last night ... The fact that I was able to get dentistry this morning for three hours in the chair and then be able to be on stage tonight is just ... I’m in a very, very good mood. Maybe it’s partly the numbing agent." —Tim Minchin (04:09)

• On identity beyond comedy:

  "In the 30 odd years I’ve been a professional artist, I’ve only really focused on comedy for six or seven of them ... I just wanted people to know that I’m sort of expanding outwards." —Tim Minchin (05:03)

• On motivation and satisfaction:

  "If I wasn’t me, I’d be jealous of my career, which is how I know I’m on the right track." —Tim Minchin (15:04)

• On meaningful contribution:

  "All the studies show that human happiness correlates most to making a meaningful contribution to your community." —Tim Minchin (24:24)

• On loss and performing:

  "If I have a tribe, if I have a community, it’s this, it’s theater, it’s performing ... there isn’t Ten Commandments, there’s just one. The show must go on. Whether you’ve missed a flight or lost a tooth or lost a mum, you go on." —Tim Minchin (22:01)

• On practical ambition:

  "If you’re really passionate about what’s in front of you, the next opportunity will arise. And if you set your sights too far in front of you, you might miss those adjacent opportunities." —Tim Minchin (26:29)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Tour Introduction & Personal Challenges: 03:52–06:04
• Songwriting & Piano Craft: 06:55–10:54
• Reflecting on Artistic Growth: 12:54–17:04
• On Loss & Performing Through Grief: 17:04–24:24
• New Book and Philosophy: 26:18–29:14

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is candid, reflective, and peppered with humor; Minchin’s self-deprecation, gratitude, and thoughtfulness infuse the episode. He toggles between philosophical insights, personal anecdotes, and playful banter, matching the show’s goal of exploring culture and its creators with authenticity and warmth.

Listeners are left with an intimate understanding of Tim Minchin's evolving artistry, his persistent curiosity, and his humanist reflections on creativity, loss, and purpose.