Lets start with technology.
What was your home computer growing up?
I reckon youd have been a ZX Spectrum person.
Do you know what, we didnt have a home computer!
I am so old, because Im 47…
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… thats not old!
But for computers, the most computer-y thing I had was a Game And Watch.
Do you know what that is?
Of course I know what one is!
Yeah, but they didnt hang around!
It was one of the most boring games in the world.
You leap across four or five turtles, watch the fish come up, eventually it becomes impossible.
Then you play it again.
And play it again.
When you eventually got a computer, was that 10 or 20 years down the line?
Yeah, I was way behind on all these things!
When I first started writing, I delivered the scripts typed up.
I probably didnt have a computer at all under 1998, 1999.
Its Tom Hanks who collects typewriters, isnt it?
I suspect youd get on with him.
[Laughs] I was in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, in their storeroom.
I saw some wonderful things in their storeroom, including Tina Sparkles dress fromStrictly Ballroom!
And they have a full collection of typewriters.
The act of moving it was key.
How that was considered better than the other typewriters that existed already?
Enormous great big steel balls of letters, just made to be broken.
Yet we find ourselves now in an era of updates to technology for the sake of updates.
Whereas even 20 years ago, it was powered by function.
Its an obsession of mine.
Ha, politics then!
Now, less so?
That politicians seem more bulletproof when it comes to comedy, facts and campaigning.
I think its because the reality tunnel now is so specific.
That does have an enormous effect.
Now thats changed in the last 90 years.
Its become exaggerated remarkably.
So few people control your world view.
You yourself have a commitment to analogue things.
In theBig Issueyou write a radio column.
One of your podcasts is about books.
Analogue pursuits in their own way.
Is that a deliberate anti-reaction to the way the world is going?
I dont know, Im not entirely sure.
But then again, I love the fact that podcasts exist.
The book thing: I do think its important in terms of remembering how to concentrate.
Its like that thing where you press never remember password.
Its the nearest I approach to being a deity!
My ability to quote my number as I walk into my local Oxfam!
Theyre commissioning films on that basis now.
Its an interesting thing to see a reaction against it as well.
A few years ago, I was writing something.
And every night I was watching a film that I felt I should have seen before, but hadnt.
That youve seen that theres something better, but you may not be able to afford it again.
But then cinema is more accessible now.
And remains with you, for months after youve seen it.
I used to rant about this in stand up.
That everything becomes an immediate satisfaction, and then its forgotten.
Im reading Alan MooresJerusalemat the moment.
Its an enormous work, longer than the Old Testament.
And Ive started to have a dream about it.
Every moment I pause, I sit in my room and try and read 50 or 100 pages.
It is an incredibly rich and ornate work of art.
And yes, I find myself dreaming about strange evenings with Alan as he explains the book to me.
Shall we move onto science, then?
Tell us aboutQuest For Wonderand where that came from.
Thats how we met.
Hed originally seen me at a book club, reading out from Syd Littles autobiography.
Then we talked about making a science documentary: what inspired scientists to interrogate the universe?
I think weve done 150 interviews now with scientists, and scientific people.
From that, Melinda Burton had met some puppet makers.
She suggested making puppets of me and Brian [Cox] and doing some fun stuff with them.
I was insanely jealous and cried.
After a short sulk, the interview recommenced].
I havent had to do that since I worked with Carmen Silvera from TVsAllo Allo!
Quality namedropping, that.
We thought it might be nice if the Science Museum let us, which fortunately they did.
We werent allowed to touch everything, but we thought wed make a little six-part film.
Were always trying to find different ways to get children involved in science.
His strange, fluffy wonder.
It was done for next to nothing, we called in a lot of favours!
We were limited, there were lots of things wed love to have done that were out of reach.
And how is the tour with you and Brian Cox?
That starts in the UK in September.
48 or so dates this year, and then bizarrely an arena tour!
Its not my tour, its Brians tour I should stress.
He said to me a few months ago, do you want to come along as well?
I thought why not!
Well probably change it for the UK from what weve been doing in Australia.
I think well keep developing it over the tour.
Its a lot of fun.
But I dont feel the pressure of touring around on my own doing a two hour show.
All the cliches youd expect, too.
Or about dark energy.
And seeing that this idea that we live in a post-fact world… we need more things like this.
It turns out that lots of people really like the idea of facts.
They like the idea that science brings the least-wrong answers.
It doesnt necessarily bring totally correct answers, as we know.
But last night, we were doing an event after the show, and theres such excitement.
There used to be a stigma attached to liking science, and I love that comedy is puncturing it.
We mentioned before about the means of production being in peoples hands.
Last night, Brian was given this painting by someone who came to the after-show event.
A beautiful painting of a constellation.
Anything that you might do.
Whether you just want to write something, and you could stick it up on your own blog post.
They dont cost much now, for a second hand telescope.
A lot of it is the fun of the ride as well.
Thats what gets left off.
People say that theyve read a book, didnt manage to finish it, it was really hard.
Where you think that thats interesting, but Im not sure I understand it.
But the journey, before I hit this particular wall, was fun.
And its the league of books where people get to chapter one and go no!
How far can you get through a book?
And then you push it.
You marathon read it!
One last question, then, a Den Of Geek tradition.
Do you have a favourite Jason Statham movie?
Oh, whats the one that starts off where hes a tramp and he breaks into a flat?
But I actually think hes brilliant.
A lot of my life is in hotels, back from a gig at 1am.
And I love that kind of action actor.
Theyre meant to be.
Normally, I dont like action exploding films.
But there is a point of preposterousness!
Its a bit like pulp literature.
I love that and love art house stuff as well.
Theres something about the ride of pulp literature thats also like watching a Jason Statham movie.
The first time I sawCrank, I thought well done everyone.
Robin Ince, thank you very much!
Find Quest For Wonderhere.
you might find an episode below these words too…
