Ricky Gervais has defended a joke he made about terminally ill children on his new Netflix special.
The British comedian made this joke on his new special, 'Armageddon', where he used the word "baldy" in a skit, which saw him discuss how he makes videos for sick children.
“I’ve been doing a lot of video messages recently for terminally ill children, only if they request it. I don’t burst into hospitals and say, ‘Wake up baldy’, Gervais can be heard saying in the skit.
Following this, a petition was launched by Change.org, demanding that Netflix remove this sketch from the special, which hits their screens on Christmas Day.
The petition has received nearly 6,000 signatures so far.
And that's a wrap on #Armageddon. Best tour ever.
Thanks to everyone who bought a ticket and to everyone who tried. You helped me break world records and raise millions for animal charities. Watch it on Netflix from December 25th. Merry Christmas. pic.twitter.com/kjynIhY963— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) December 13, 2023
Explaining his comments, Ricky Gervais said that the requests for the videos were through the charity, Make-A-Wish foundation.
“I always say yes. And I always start the video the same way. I go ‘Why didn’t you wish to get better? What, are you f****** r******* as well?'”, he said.
The comedian also insisted that he does not use such terminology in real life.
He said, “I don’t do that either, OK. These are all jokes, all right? I don’t even use that word in real life, the ‘R’ word".
Having mimicked someone saying ‘You just used it, Rick’. Gervais added, “Yeah, in a joke, that’s not real life is it? I’m playing a role".
Addressing his use of the word "baldy" in a recent interview, Ricky Gervais had this to say.
“In that little sketch, I’m becoming an idiot who would say that, and I don’t do that. I even say that in the skit", the comic explained.
He continued, “But it’s a reaction. They don’t analyse it, they feel something. That’s what offence is, it’s a feeling".
“That’s why ‘I’m offended’ is quite meaningless because what’s your argument? What do you want me to change? You’ve said you don’t like it, that’s fair enough".
When asked about the petition seeking to remove the sketch, Gervais remarked, “Good luck, that’s what I say to them. Good luck, I’ll even retweet it".
Ricky Gervais went on to say that he feels he needs to stop explaining his jokes to those who are offended by them.
“I do what’s funniest for the joke. I’ll pretend to be right-wing, I’ll pretend to be left-wing … whatever’s funniest for the joke, the routine to get my point across", he stated.
“And some people are confused by that because some people think that a joke is a window to the comedian’s true soul. It’s just not true. It’s a joke. No one thinks that with puns…".
He also added, “So just because I deal in sort of realism and taboo subjects they think I mean it more than I would if I was doing a silly playground job and I think I’ve got to stop explaining myself because I’ve noticed something that happens, of all the millions of people that watched it and loved it, a few don’t like it".
“If I give them special attention and try and placate them and try and explain to them, I’ve annoyed the other millions of people that got the joke, they’re offended. They go ‘No, you’ve ruined it for us.’ So, I’ve got a duty to the people that like it and get it".
“I wouldn’t sit down with a heckler, would I? If I was playing to 20,000 people and some person shouted, I wouldn’t stop the show and explain to them. I ignore them".
Earlier this week, Ricky Gervais also issued a warning about the topics covered in his Netflix special.
In this show, I talk about sex, death, paedophilia, race, religion, disability, free speech, global warming, the holocaust, and Elton John. If you don’t approve of jokes about any of these things, then please don’t watch. You wont enjoy it and you’ll get upset. pic.twitter.com/kYXBlZRggW
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) December 19, 2023
'Armageddon' has earned Gervais a nomination for the best stand up comedian on television category.
Will #Armageddon be the biggest stand up special of all time?
That's up to you 🙏 pic.twitter.com/cwE9fzfGvY— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) December 21, 2023
Ricky Gervais has been a regular fixture on TV screens for almost 20 years now, having created and starred in comedy classics, The Office, as well as After-Life.
