Ricky Gervais has dismissed criticism of his controversial jokes. The 65-year-old comedian, who is known for his BBC television mock documentary series The Office, said in a recent radio interview that offending people doesn’t bother him, adding that it “makes it funnier” for him.
Ricky Gervais says comedians should not change their jokes simply because some people are offended
Speaking during an appearance on BBC Radio 2, Gervais explained, as per Fox News, “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.”
Despite backlash over his jokes about politics, gender identity, religion, and celebrity culture, the comedian denied that he deliberately sets out to provoke audiences. He said that while people cannot control what offends them, they should not expect him to care. He added that it was a myth that he set out to offend, saying he simply knows it is likely to happen because everyone is different.
He further stated, “There’s nothing you can say, particularly anything that’s mildly interesting or contentious or your viewpoint, that someone somewhere won’t find offensive.” Discussing the evolution of comedy, Gervais, who has been a comedian for almost three decades, said audiences today are more likely to take offense. “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.'”
Gervais said he had spent too much time addressing issues such as cancel culture and free speech during his recent tours. He said he now chooses to ignore the debate, saying the people who attend his shows are not offended and that he can perform for a million people without a single complaint.
In February, Gervais sparked debate by sharing a line from his 2020 Golden Globes monologue, criticizing celebrities who use award ceremonies to deliver political messages. He wrote on X: “If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech.” Gervais is currently working on his upcoming Netflix series, Alley Cats, and taking his stand-up tour, ‘Work In Progress ‘, across the UK.
TELL US- SHOULD COMEDIANS HAVE THE FREEDOM TO JOKE ABOUT ANY TOPIC?
Reported by Meenakshi Sengupta on Reality Tea.
