Video summary
In this discussion, Jimmy Carr explores the optimal relationship between creators and their inner critic, drawing a parallel to Walt Disney's legendary three-room studio setup: one for raw creativity where no bad ideas are rejected (with the notable exception of anti-Semitism), another for management and execution, and a third specifically reserved for criticism. Carr argues that when engaging in creative work, such as writing jokes or developing concepts, it is crucial not to invite the critic too early; instead, one should allow an idea to fully form, explore various angles, and undergo multiple iterations before subjecting it to judgment. He suggests that outsourcing this critical function—much like a comedy audience effectively edits a performance in real-time by deciding what lands well—is a smart strategy for maintaining a healthy relationship with failure. This approach prevents the work from becoming an identity-level issue, allowing creators to let go of ideas easily and understand that many "precious" concepts must be killed during development because they simply do not resonate or are too weak to survive audience scrutiny. The conversation then shifts to the challenges facing modern creativity due to a lack of nuance in contemporary media and society. Carr highlights self-censorship as a significant barrier, noting that comedians often refrain from making risky jokes for fear of being taken out of context by journalists who strip away the comedic setup or sarcastic delivery. He cites the Roseanne Barr controversy involving Theo Von as an example where a joke about Jews was reported as a serious statement rather than part of an escalating bit designed to mock ridiculous claims, illustrating how bad-faith reporting can damage free speech and artistic expression. Carr contends that while anything can technically be taken out of context by someone upset, the current digital landscape has amplified this issue; whereas previously such remarks might have resulted in a simple eye-roll or refusal to buy tickets from an individual, today they trigger widespread public outrage and moral panic. Carr further examines how technological advancements are eroding privacy and spontaneity, comparing modern surveillance states like China's—where facial recognition can identify individuals based on gait alone—to the performative nature of social media life in the West. He argues that because everything is recorded or broadcastable, people no longer think privately; instead, their internal monologues become slightly performative as they constantly consider how every thought might be shared online. This constant stimulation leaves little room for boredom, which Carr identifies as a vital state for creativity. The modern condition of being addicted to activity and productivity prevents individuals from sitting still or engaging in the necessary mental downtime required for innovative thinking, contrasting this with past habits where one could simply wait while doing mundane tasks like boiling water without feeling compelled to multitask via email or podcasts played at double speed. Throughout the dialogue, Carr emphasizes that boredom is not merely a lack of entertainment but a critical component of the creative process, suggesting that society has become over-stimulated and unable to engage in deep reflection. He reflects on how the fear of missing out (FOMO) and the pressure to be constantly productive have replaced the quiet moments where ideas can germinate naturally. By analyzing these shifts from Disney's structured studio environment to today's hyper-connected, surveillance-heavy world, Carr concludes that reclaiming space for boredom is essential for preserving creativity in an era dominated by instant gratification and external validation. Ultimately, he advocates for a return to low-stakes environments where failure does not define identity, allowing creators to experiment freely without the immediate pressure of digital permanence or societal judgment.
Read the full video transcript
what do you think of the relationship
that we should have with our inner
critic I mean I think it's it's
interesting Walt Disney had three
different rooms so he had a room to be
creative right just come up with ideas
no bad ideas great other than some of
the anti-Semitism anyway so he's got his
ideas room and then he's got his um he's
got his management room well how how do
we make those room how do we make those
ideas happen how are we going to make
that stuff happen and then he had
another room for criticism
and I think we should sort of think
about the inner critic like that the
idea of going if you're trying to do
something creative don't let the critic
in too
soon wait until you've had the whole
idea wait until you've let the
management get involved a little bit
wait until you've tried to write the
whole joke and ComEd it from a few
different angles and tried it twice
before you critic you criticize it and
Outsourcing your critic I think is it's
smart I mean comedy does it with the
audience really they make the decision
as to what the show is they do the
editing for
me so you got a much better relationship
with failure with that it it engenders a
much better relationship with failure
yeah because it's not identity level
yeah the jokes of the bullets I'm the
gun like easy come easy go yeah so you
you let go of it you know but also when
you're doing something creative you got
to kill a lot of
babies they're all very precious to you
and you think they're fa it's a fabulous
little idea and that's nothing audience
just stared at you okay
the next one yeah that was swinging a
Miss yeah great but that isn't that kind
of a nice attitude for it's hard though
when you've made something that's you if
it's a movie or a a book that you've
worked on for years but that super smart
uh guy trying every chapter as he goes
along that's super smart yeah low stakes
low pressure creativity is something I
wonder whether it's played into by this
sort of concretizing of every thing that
you've ever
said throughout all of time being there
that it doesn't feel like the ephemeral
can be ephemeral anymore you can't just
blast it out it's iPhones at a comedy
show are kind of the enemy of creativity
censorship is not a problem in
comedy self-censorship is a huge problem
people not saying the unsayable risky
thing that could be the funniest [ __ ]
[ __ ] because they're worried well if
that's taken out of context what if
people don't understand I mean like why
do people like comedy there's a lot of
nuance in comedy isn't there there's no
Nuance in the modern world there's no
Nuance in in you know what's reported in
the media it's all a weird newsp and
then in comedy it's like you can say the
craziest [ __ ] and people know it's not
yeah there's no hate in his heart just
fun did you see uh Roseanne get popped
for that little bit she did with theovon
she was making a joke about the Jews and
she basically said that not enough of
them were she she was
it was the most probably the most
egregious clipping of a bit yeah I
didn't see it so I can't really comment
but the idea of like the bad faith
argument that journalists make of going
I know it's a joke it was in a comedy
show at a comedy club that's the context
it was a joke and they go okay well
let's report it as if it was a statement
that was made ladies and gentlemen can I
get your attention make comment here
about no no one said
that she' made a bunch
of
obviously sarcastic very
over-the-top opposite statements it was
like and the pigs will fly and the sky
is green and the D D D D du basically
for for ages and ages and ages and ages
and ages and then at the very end said
like and not enough Jews su su suming it
was part of it was an ever escalating
statement about the Ridiculousness of
some of the claims that were being made
with some some something and they just
took the bit at the end yeah and I was
like come on you know I'm all for saying
you know this needs to be able to stand
up on its own like we things can be
taken in a little bit of isolation but
not that much
isolation yeah it is interesting though
isn't it the idea of you go well you
could take anything out of context and
someone's going to be upset as well also
you've got how much access to people now
everyone's got to say it used to be that
would have been an eye roll and a touch
from someone right someone said that not
for me thank you won't be buying a
ticket I won't go and now it's the the
idea of saying I don't like that seems
very reasonable to me no one should have
access to that seems like a different
thing so you know the free speech thing
is you go well until we find a better
system we have to have free speech what
about the Chinese system that's a good
system yeah I mean I mean that's the
world we could be living in you know
where I mean it's you know Charlie
Brooke has a mate of mine and those kind
of black mirrors where people are
getting so social points and then it's
happened I it's happening right now it's
unbelievable it's
like 1984 is happening right now you
know that they've got in China Gate
analysis that can work out even face
covered wearing clothes can work out who
someone is with about 90% plus accuracy
just from the way that they walk so
hiding your face hiding everything
dressing differently doing whatever
isn't sufficient to protect you now
they've fingerprinted your uh yeah
movement it's interesting that thing of
like the micro the macro so you can't
move privately but I think maybe with
social media now you can't think
privately because everything's um it
becomes slightly performative
and there's no
boredom you're constantly stimulated I
think we're slightly over stimulated as
a society like being bored is really
good for
creativity being a bit bored and a bit
like listless you know sometimes I look
even now it happens but it used to
happen more previously at how many
things I'll be doing at once so I'll be
replying to an email whilst I'm waiting
for the cattle to boil I'll be setting
the dishwasher away whilst listening to
a podcast at two times speed
and I'll be waiting for somebody I'm
like I've got like I'm literally waiting
for five things to happen doing three
that's the modern condition though isn't
it that you're you're so uh addicted to
activity to doing something and feeling
like you're being productive and
actually just letting yourself kind of
sit having some time just to think it's
the Charlie Monga thing isn't it the
idea of waiting and just having time
just to think and do
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