Award-winning British comedy writer Jane Bussmann has a memoir called The Worst Date Ever or How it Took a Comedy Writer to Expose Africa’s Secret War. That pretty much says it all, having written for shows such as South Park and created the world’s first internet sitcom titled The Junkies…
Jane’s FODI session Bono and Bob. Get Out of Africa is sold out, but you can stil catch her in our festival finale, How To Solve All The World’s Problems In An Hour alongside Jason Silva and Jesse Bering.
Q: What is a dangerous idea?
A: That the charity industry prolongs war and means a nice life for the big charities themselves.
Q: What are you looking forward to seeing at FODI?
A: All Women Hate Each Other - I hope there’s hair pulling.
Q: Strangest question you’ve been asked?
A: “Got time for a drink?” What on earth would I be doing instead?
Q: Favourite book and why?
A: ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’. Takes the edge off flights with nothing to watch but Emily Blunt movies. It’s probably not her fault.
Q: Most important idea of the last 10 years?
A: M-PESA. Sending money and saving money by text message – wages, gifts, phone bills, the lot.You don’t need a bank account so it puts everyone in the game and will make banks irrelevant one day.
Q: Is it ok to steal an idea?
A: Much better to advertise its inventor and make them some damn money. Then they might have another one.
Q: Rapid technological development can cite fear in people, what advancement are you scared of?
A: People going further than tagging you on Facebook photos and using real time camera to show the world your every move. Why in fuck’s name is Facebook allowed to tag?
Q: What potential change excites you?
A: Property prices coming down to real property values so normal people could live in city centres again.
Q: Twitter is _____ and Facebook is _____
A: Twitter is a useful way to annoy people in power but a bloody boring way to make people read your journal and Facebook is an abomination.
Q: Mac or PC?
A: Mac.
Q: Best thing you’ve seen or heard this week?
A: Die Antwoord’s video for ‘Baby’s on Fire’.
Q: Favourite Youtube clip?
A: Bono dancing at the Festival in the Desert. I can’t stop laughing.
Jane Bussmann will appear in the FODI finale How To Solve All The World’s Problems In An Hour, Sun 30 Sept Tix $25. More details after the jump.