Simon Amstell on finding joy, why everyone should have therapy and his new film Benjamin

Simon Amstell made his name as a stand-up comedian and presenter, best known for his stint on 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks'. Now he's a fully-fledged film-maker, taking on veganism in his 2017 film 'Carnage', while his latest venture, 'Benjamin', is a semi-autobiographical look at a gay man struggling to find intimacy. Krishnan talks to him about how therapy helped him see the joy in things, his creative process and why he's turned off by politicians.
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[@mayaamis]

I haven't seen Simon for years and years, since "Never Mind The Buzzcocks" days, he was the most brilliant hilarious wittiest host I've seen and clearly really smart guy, great to see him and hear more about him here

[@MagicleeDelicious]

His standup specials since the Buzzcocks days are really funny. There are 3 of them. The most recent one is currently on Netflix.

[@emmatempest8099]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@emmatempest8099]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@emmatempest8099]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@johndifrancisco3642]

I only saw him for the first time a few weeks ago. It was a stand up bit when he was younger, I think it was "Do Nothing" live. He brought me so high and low that I felt like I knew him. I actually worried about him because I could tell where he was drawing from. I commented how great he was, looked him up to make sure he was still alive and I ended the comment with "I'm glad he's not dead". It made me feel great to see him so happy and laughing now.

[@tommymarco9988]

Had the same reaction. Only saw his work Do Nothing in the last week. And now I'm here.

[@JaySpangler]

Great interview. Simon is one of my favorite humans.

[@thegentleman4873]

I find him utterly disgusting

[@aitzi6732]

Mine too :)

[@marcelcyrus3391]

A trick : watch movies at Flixzone. I've been using it for watching all kinds of movies these days.

[@garyleonel8726]

@Marcel Cyrus Yea, I've been watching on flixzone} for years myself :D

[@lightdweller1]

@@thegentleman4873 Why disgusting?

[@aalever]

So I'm basically desperate to relive my youth because I feel that being old is killing me (I'm 43). I miss my younger glory days of youth and freedom and opportunity. I don't feel I'm living life with the vigor and wonder that I used to, I'm settled down and far from that being the dream I'd always longed for, I'm consistently looking for the greener grass. I don't appreciate what I have and reletenlessly pursue a past of potential alternative lives. I spent far too many nights long into the early hours, slightly fizzled on booze, with too long to spend thinking about what I could have done better, what I could have become, but with a vague sense that I don't appreciate enough of what I have. Watching this inspired me to share this openly, on the vague hope that someone would say they feel similarly, and help me process my emotional state. Can anyone else relate?

[@sshep86]

Hey man. Sorry for being extremely cliché. But that's pretty much a mid-life crisis. Although I can't help you, I'm sure there are people willing to talk about it with you somewhere. Maybe it's worth contacting a therapist or help group? Stuff like that is available online. Alternatively, you could buy a motorcycle. ;) Take care my man.

[@chrislawuk]

You will get to relive it. I promise. But first - now - is the time for being middle aged and loving it. There is obviously something, perhaps more than one thing missing, and perhaps longing for what is currently impossible in this phase of life (“reliving my youth”) stops you from the hard work of finding out what that thing is or things are.

[@EnergyChat]

Adhd? 😂 sounds relatable, try to split your life and past and future into blocks, and figure out what the highs and lows have been, and try to imagine what is the most appropriate thing to do in each upcoming block, then do it. No one cares what u do though as long as you dont die too soon and are there for your kids/parents. Everything else is an illusion that boils down to dreams and joy. Remembering jumping out of a plane is the same thing as imagining it. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

[@aalever]

Four years on, I'm 47 now. Yearnings of youth still haunt my dreams, but I've pretty-much climbed out of the state I was in back then. It was indeed a midlife crisis. I don't think it will ever completely go away, but it doesn't dominate my thoughts any more. The key to improving the situation, for me, was embracing being old. Grew a grey (ish) beard, accepted my age, accepted that I'm not young anymore, and (importantly) focussed on the benefits of age. Oh sure, being old sucks, physically. There's just nothing good to say about it - it's worse than being young in every way. But mentally (not in terms of raw brain horsepower, but in terms of wisdom, common-sense, experience, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, less ego and testosterone, etc) I'd much rather be where I am now than where I was when I was younger. There's still mental health issues related to being stuck in a rut and so on, but they've replaced my younger feelings of being lonely, of feeling like I have something to prove, of showing off all the time. Thank you to those who have commented in earnest - the internet isn't always full of trolls :) (queue trolls ;) )

[@anitamitchell3452]

Just now learning about this young guy. If you haven't seen his movie Carnage ... please look it up and watch. Thank you for sharing this interview. It is very enjoyable.

[@painkiller8639]

Also if you want, watch some Never Mind the Buzzcocks, really good program with him as the host ^^

[@TheTwistedStone]

@@painkiller8639 Buzzcocks was never the same without him. :(

[@Flamingpiano]

Shout out to all the peeps getting therapy.

[@lightdweller1]

He’s so young still, yet already so intelligent, creative, uniquely expressive and talented with a good grasp of the human condition. He will keep growing and go on to do magnificent work that will liberate others. I find him always so refreshingly transparent and authentic. He’s totally in the flow of life 💕

[@lookhowshegobbledthat]

Bring back NMTB with Simon Amstell, thanks.

[@veritystow3110]

What a genius!! Benjamin is my favourite film, with a sensitive and intelligent writer like Simon it makes for a witty, profound and truthful love story.

[@lillianconstantine6287]

What a fantastic human being.

[@ChazShinRa]

Yes

[@simongalloway5743]

FatBoySkin No.

[@TheDudiest3Dude]

he starts interviewing the interviewer - class

[@sunnylittletina]

🎉Yay🎉 Simon is fantastic! Bold, fearless, hilarious ✨

[@michaeldeane9029]

Listening to this is great therapy..

[@hadleystirrup2618]

Love so much about this. Simon is my favourite living Englishman and Krishnan comes across as such a lovely man too.

[@johnablett6633]

I adore Simon Amstell.

[@aitzi6732]

Me too

[@elleeme9451]

Am I the only one who had no idea he was gay until this interview? Great chat, great insight and a wonderful guy from what I've seen of him.

[@hadleystirrup2618]

Love the bit from when Krishnan is momentarily lost for words, around 32 mins. Simon's laugh then is an example of the joy of which he speaks. Hope Simon persuaded him to try therapy again, though not sure he needs it!

[@Katy-sh3ru]

Simon therapising Krishnan ♥️ I would have done the same. He would make a great therapist. Brilliant interview. Also- Krishnan- I've loved you since Newsround. Please think about going back to therapy if you need it! Xx

[@willgracie4697]

thank you both for honesty and laughter xxx

[@MelliaBoomBot]

Fantastic interview but more of a conversation which does not distract from the content. Fabulous..Thank-you

[@MagicleeDelicious]

Wonderful! Thanks for posting this. Please give us more from Simon.

[@JWAChicago]

Simon is lovely and (I think) incredibly sexy. Glad he is continuing to create. He has tremendous talent and beautiful honesty.

[@rickyfreeman88]

lol is this simon?

[@joco2826]

Hey Simon

[@Singinbluebird]

I love British people....they're enlightened and funny, self revealing and real.

[@MrCt40]

Simon is very talented and very sarcastic ... !

[@Tarahastingshassan]

Thank you Simon you answered the question so well and this was a brilliant interview! 💕❤️

[@lalaalalala]

i’d never heard of this fellow until tonight. he is such a fascinating person

[@buninthe7424]

I love these podcasts for so many reasons but what I love most is that the people on the episodes inspire me, yet despite Krishnan attempting to encourage them to be direct about how they're changing the world, everyone is reluctant to do that and more able to acknowledge the things they are trying to achieve and the decisions that they made that have helped them somehow. I've come to the realization that even those who inspire me seem intimidated by 'big' dreams and they are still achieving amazing things and making a really positive difference. As a 19 year old with a lot of different dreams that all seem almost completely intangible and as a person drifting through life hoping it all leads somewhere worthwhile in the end, the collective reality of the people in these podcasts is really comforting. I don't know if that makes any sense but I felt I needed to write it.

[@ghostfox148]

Love his honesty

[@stevesandford1437]

Simon Amstell strikes me as the kind of person who came to PERFORMANCE by accident!!! (He was never supposed to be GOOD at it!!!) That's why we LOVE him!!! (He's a bit on the outside looking in!!!) IT WORKS!!!! xx SF

[@evenberg8499]

I love this gentleman. :)

[@RiienBlue]

Such a deep thinker. Wonderful conversation. I totally can see myself in Simon. I’ve seen. Interviewer also did a great job. Thanks for your work! Again, very insightful!

[@greenGaming_uk]

watched from beginning to end and kept interested and entertained, really enjoyed!

[@lecharcutier3637]

Incredibly intelligent bloke

[@annalouise53]

wonderful interview!

[@gangapoornima]

Yay Simon Amstell

[@Tommy-zk4sz]

I used to really like him on buzzcocks should bring that back was good tv and rewatchable

[@mrSam3ooo]

Imagine young NMTB-Simon met today's Simon. He would absolutely crush him (while secretly looking up to him)!

[@me7690]

Love Simon so interesting and amusing

[@lin_is_a_bird]

I love Simon!

[@TomRotherhamMusic]

beautiful

[@Tarahastingshassan]

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! ❤️👍💕

[@francobosisio2898]

loved this

[@andrewpaulgoti]

Don't Look Up tackled the funny in climate change thankfully. Disappointingly however, none of the cast nor the director are vegan and in fact make an absolute mockery of the raison d'etre of the film by openly defying one of the main drivers of climate change - animal agriculture. In one movie cast interview a few of them fantasise about eating Philly cheese steaks and Leo just sits there not countering them. No courage of his convictions. It made the whole endeavour seem like a disaster capitalist movie, without taking the solutions seriously in real life. Carnage: Swallowing the Past on the other hand, actually addresses the solution to climate catastrophe and is much funnier than DLU. Hats off to you Mr. Amstell for speaking both your truth and THE TRUTH Fantastic interview

[@matthewontherocks]

Searched for what he's doing recently after catching up on his Buzzcock days

[@milky2sugars]

What a legend

[@mandlarae276]

I would pay to watch a docu of Krishnan on ayuascha

[@nadiyajohnson5816]

Anyone here from Netflix?

[@SimonKelk]

I understand him

[@Zoe-pp2wj]

I really enjoyed his netflix show. I had no idea that he was famous

[@daddyaf945]

My therapists both stated that they couldn’t see any reason for us to continue. What is that supposed to mean?

[@Katy-sh3ru]

They should have discussed it with you!

[@Zerofightervi]

They are probably a rubbish therapist.

[@AaronSaltzer]

He reminds me of Jesse Eisenberg.

[@gresach]

He was always incredibly funny but seemed bitter and unkind to those poor NMTB guests. So happy to hear him now, as he seems to have mellowed right out, and found something

[@saulibus1]

Lets talk about therapy

[@avedic]

He _must_ get on the DTFH...

[@lorah3005]

👌👍❤

[@joefuller9160]

A very cool nerd

[@CJCappella]

Hmm... Didn’t realise he was gay. I need to date this man.

[@GaryMcCaffrey]

How many coats has Krishnan got on?

[@GIBBO4182]

He’s got hair like my Nan

[@bobstar6837]

Zombieland 3.

[@mrsbrownandhercat]

Who?

[@hertzollner2756]

Why is he wearing a wig?

[@andrewgibbon-williams7974]

This is THE funniest, cleverest man in the UK. Better still, he's gay and Jewish. Sadly, the interviewer, a Channel news staple, is THE most bumptious Asian-Brit in the UK media. I met him. Full of himself. No humility coming out of HIS mouth!

[@hellodolly2551]

Andrew Gibbon-Williams he’s not getting Simon at all. He’s so serious

[@garethmorgan3665]

Why are you so concerned with their ethnicity? It comes off a bit weird, mate.

[@gesedvgswgsdrg]

he is very slimier to Jesse Eisenberg

[@cityandsuburb]

Hahahahahahahahah.....!!

[@mynameismark25]

"hey facebook!"

[@gummybrain]

Is it just me or is Simon looking like a lesbian history teacher here?

[@cynic252]

apart from his nonsense about veganism and eating meat as disgusting he is a lovely man

[@Brokers_Anonymous]

I want to like him, I just can't. It the air of smugness!

[@MrBraddles3128]

Each to their own. He’s definitely smug but he does it hilariously. If I was ever on the receiving end though, I feel like I’d hate him. Until then, I’m still a fan.

[@ainemurray1191]

CA I think he’s pleased that he’s reached a point that probably felt out of reach and was very difficult to achieve for a long time and I think that you read that as ‘smug’ says more about you than it does about him

[@jimmmymeadowno7787]

he used to be well funny when he was n his 20s. these days not so much

[@rasputinswalloper475]

If I'm being brutally honest I don't find this guy remotely funny.

[@DHGr33t]

Maybe because this isn't his stand-up but just an interview?

[@61shirley]

Jesus Christ is the cheapest and best therapy you can get. His teachings are second to non, he is the ultimate archetype. He doesn't have to be real to be effective.

[@cityandsuburb]

@@fintanstack2154 Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhhahahahahahahahahahaha......!! "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME....???"....

[@thedolphin5428]

He's gone all new agey, pretentious, preachy. Dreadful stuff he does nowadays.

[@sircliff323]

He's just another wannabe comedy jew in love with his own misery back story

[@cityandsuburb]

Fantastic Cliff...& so fuckin' true.....!!

[@remotefaith]

Name 5

[@sophiebailey4891]

Ok...

[@cityandsuburb]

How cripplingly fuckin' embarrassing...... What on earth propelled his career to the level of film-direction - he does not posess the level of character or intellect to warrant such validation....... SO HOW....? (My diatribe was, of course completely rhetorical.....)