Seen and Unseen: Is the woke mob coming for Ricky Gervais?
Raymond Arroyo is here with a special Thursday edition of Seen and Unseen.
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Ricky Gervais isn’t backing away from controversial comedy.
The comedian doubled down on his long-held defense of free speech during a recent radio interview, saying he has no interest in changing his material to avoid offending audiences and arguing that backlash only adds to the joke.
“I don’t tell people not to be offended; I tell them I don’t care if they are. Be offended if you want, it makes it funnier for me,” Gervais said during an appearance on BBC Radio 2.
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Ricky Gervais speaks onstage at the Season 3 Premiere of Netflix’s “After Life” at the BFI Southbank in London. (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/, File)
The 65-year-old comic, whose stand-up specials have frequently sparked criticism over jokes about politics, gender identity, religion and celebrities, rejected the idea that he intentionally sets out to provoke audiences.
“You can’t help by what you’re offended by, but … don’t expect me to care. … It’s a myth that I go out to offend. I never go out to offend,” he said. “I just know that it’s probably going to happen because everyone’s different.”
Gervais argued that virtually any opinion can offend someone.
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Ricky Gervais at the 2012 Golden Globes(Paul Drinkwater/NBC
“There’s nothing you can say, particularly anything that’s mildly interesting or contentious or your viewpoint, that someone somewhere won’t find offensive,” he said.
Reflecting on how reactions to comedy have evolved, Gervais said audiences today are quicker to take offense than they were two decades ago.
“And times have changed. Twenty years ago, if someone said I was offended by that, I probably would go, ‘Why?’ Now I go … ‘I know you are. Everyone is.'”
Ricky Gervais tells the Los Angeles Times how he gets away with his offensive comedy., File)
While Gervais has frequently addressed cancel culture and free speech in recent stand-up tours, he suggested he is ready to move on from the topic.
“I’ve dealt with it too much, actually. I think the last couple of tours, I have dealt with cancel culture and free speech because I felt I had to. Now, I don’t have to,” he said.
“I’m ignoring it all. I shouldn’t even bring it into the room. Those people there who’ve paid hundreds of pounds — they’re not offended. I can play to a million people, not one complaint.”
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Ricky Gervais at the 2020 Golden Globes in Los Angeles(Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal
Gervais insisted the outrage over his comedy doesn’t come from the crowds filling his shows. It comes after his specials reach a much bigger audience online.
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“As soon as it goes on Netflix, 50 million people. Of course, there’s going to be someone who doesn’t like it. What am I going to do? It’s too late. I’ve been paid.”
The comic has long dismissed calls to tone down his material, repeatedly defending free speech and arguing that comedians shouldn’t shy away from controversial subjects.
Earlier this year, Gervais reignited debate by reposting one of the most memorable lines from his 2020 Golden Globes opening monologue, taking another swipe at celebrities who use awards shows as political platforms.
“If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech,” Gervais told the star-studded crowd. “You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.”
Reposting the quote on X, Gervais added a jab of his own: “They’re still not listening.”
