The comedian talks about his work with Stephen Merchant.

Question: What's your advice for successful collaboration?

Gervais:    Yeah.  It’s great to collaborate as long as I always get my own way and the people [probably] know that.  They tolerate me.  No, it’s… it’s a lonely process, writing.  I mean, I do a lot of writing by myself, my stand-ups all by myself, Flanimals.  I write the words and then it’s illustrated by my friend Rob Steen.  That’s a collaboration, obviously, “The Office” and “Extras.”  There’s a collaboration… My new film “This Side of the Truth” is a co-write and direction with Matthew Robinson.  So it depends, really.  It depends.  But yeah, it’s fun… it’s fun, you know, being with someone, me and you against the world.  That’s what’s fun about it.  You’re trying to please… please yourself.  That’s the fun.  You got to be a complete fascist.  No room for democracy.  So a collaboration is when it works, it’s amazing, it’s sublime.  And when it doesn’t, stop. 

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