Armando Iannucci
Armando Iannucci
Armando Giovanni Iannucci, OBEis a Scottish satirist, writer, television director and radio producer. Born in Glasgow, he studied at Oxford University and left graduate work on a PhD about John Milton to pursue a career in comedy...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionScreenwriter
Date of Birth28 November 1963
enjoyed event hear home lovely quite room sensation stand
I started quite young at school, compering a charity event at an old people's home. I would do stand up and impressions and enjoyed the laughter. It's very addictive. It's a lovely sensation to say something and hear a whole room laugh.
almost aware mimicking
When I started off, I always used to do parodies and impressions, mimicking people... and then institutions. You become aware that some institutions have their own language. You almost define yourself by how you speak.
quickly saw
I briefly thought of becoming a priest but quickly saw that would be ridiculous.
good intelligence
Never underestimate the intelligence of the audience; make good programmes, and they will come.
cool watches
My 11-year-old thinks I'm cool because he watches things I've made on YouTube.
believe consistent labels member policies saying signing sorts
I hate the idea of labels and saying you are member of one party or another and signing up to all sorts of policies that you don't have a view on or don't believe in. Because I'm not a politician, I don't have to be consistent in what I say and how I behave.
easy pieces
I find it an easy way into writing pieces is to think what the character's voice is like, and start from there.
films opposed tempting tv
When you do a movie as opposed to a TV show, it's always tempting to think everything has to be big and exaggerated and spectacular. And in fact, a lot of the funniest comedy films have been very intimate.
bbc element feels money open somehow
There is still an element of the BBC that feels it is somehow wrong, or it will be open to criticism, if it makes more money.
call felt therefore turning
When I'm making something, I've always felt in charge and therefore able to call the shots. But what you've got to do is stop that turning into arrogance or despotism!
writing thinking laughing
Write what makes you laugh not what you think will make someone else laugh.
journey meditation listening
Listening to classical music is a journey not a state; it's an activity not a meditation.
worrying-too-much facts politician
There's something inherently comic about the fact that politicians make things worse by worrying too much about something.
fall office going-away
What's funny about that office is it's entirely dependent on how close you are to the president, because the president decides what your role will be. If you get on with the president, that's great; if you fall out with the president, power can go away.