Australian comedian and composer Tim Minchin has described the current era as 'post-jokes', expressing concern over the rise of nationalism and its impact on comedy. The 42-year-old, known for his work on the musical Matilda, said he plans to return to live comedy next year after a hiatus since 2010.
Minchin, who was born in Northampton but raised in Perth, said he finds the global political climate 'pretty bleak'. He criticised nationalism, calling it 'poison' in a globalised world, and singled out Donald Trump, Brexit, and Australia's stance on same-sex marriage as examples.
The entertainer recently posted a song titled 'I Still Call Australia Homophobic' amid the country's postal survey on marriage equality. He described the survey as 'indistinguishable from deliberately trying to hurt the LGBT population' and said it has caused damage regardless of the outcome.
Minchin also reflected on his Hollywood experience, which he said has been challenging. He spent four years working on an animated film for DreamWorks that was ultimately cancelled, leaving him 'grieving the loss of time and art'. He joked that his move to Los Angeles to avoid fame 'worked too well' and 'screwed my own career'.
The father of two is relocating to Sydney at Christmas, having lived in LA for four years. He said he misses London, his 'favourite place', and plans to create a new live show for 2018, tentatively titled 'Post-Jokes Jokes'.
