Topic: Ricky Gervais podcasting

[UntouchableLuis]

Awful stuff compared to what he put out earlier in his career. The Office, Extras, Xfm/podcasts are all genuinely brilliant pieces of comedy that I'll rewatch year after year but virtually everything he's put out since then has been mediocre to shite.

All his recent stuff just smacks of laziness to be honest

I get why people have lauded Afterlife - it is emotional and Gervais has always done emotion well in every series he's made.

Series 1 was excellent IMO for the most part - it was a good mix of humour and sentiment. Series 2 just felt like a poor and lazy rehash with the wore 'c*nt' thrown in wherever possible to see how many people he can offend.

Since 'Derek' Gervais seems to have these weird fetishes about deranged/mentally unstable/creepy characters such as the guy who wanders into the media room every so often in Afterlife (was also in Derek) or just hideously crass characters like the therapist in Afterlife. They aren't needed.

In the Office you had crass characters like Finchy and Tuffy but it was counterbalanced by genuine good people and impressive acting. In Afterlife none of the characters seem to be that likeable or have any sort or chemistry - it actually feels like Gervais is just trying to shoehorn in any actors he obviously seems to like and know well as most of them appeared in his other work from the last 10 years or so.

[Nitramdorf]

I liked it. I think some bits hes got bang on. The bit about not wanting people to show sympathy was spot on. I've had a rough couple of years and someone asking me how I am makes me cry, I just cant help it.

I agree with you untouchableluis about the swearing. Was a bit too much. Once Mrs. Meldrew had had a go, that should have been it.
Although I laughed, Joe Wilkinson wanting to use the bathroom was a bit mad.
I did like the dogshit bloke, when he said "this is the least of my problems" I genuinely laughed out loud.

Does anyone know if hes had a falling out with Stephen Merchant? As they dont seem to work together anymore.

[Tonyh8su]

I actually preferred Season 2 to Season 1. I thought it was all too sentimental in Season 1. Season 2 was a lot funnier, but I genuinely idolised Gervais' earlier work as listed above but I actually think since he made "The Invention of Lying" his work took a nosedive.

[BER]

Whatever happened to punching up in comedy?

[meady1981]

I didn't know he was an atheist

[TepidT2O]

I didn't know he was an atheist

[Hendollama]

There goes Ricky Gervais, I must remember to thank him.

[UntouchableLuis]

Thought parts of his latest stand up on Netflix were brilliant but others were barely even stand up - more him having a tirade against certain aspects of society. There's only so many times he can use the athiest and 'I'm very rich' stuff before you lose interest a bit...Still better than most comedians. Dare I say i preferred Jimmy Carr's attempt to get cancelled this year.

[Zlen]

I was entertained, but it was several levels below for example Dave Chapelle’s latest specials.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Hes capable of making great TV, although its a shame he hasnt done so recently.

As a comedian hes awful, because Gervais himself is thoroughly unlikable

[Phineus]

I think Merchant really tempers he worse tendencies as a writer as After Life hasn’t an ounce of subtlety and is really self indulgent … find it hard to believe he truly sees it as his best work, hopefully that’s just marketing.

Saw the new comedy special … few lol moments but same stuff again really.

[CraigDS]

I went and watched that tour live, was actually much better than the Netflix version of it IMO.

[Igor Tripod Biscan]

I found his special desperately lazy.  All the stuff about trans people (and Dave Chappelle) utterly shite.

The whole 'free speech', 'it's only jokes', 'you should be able to laugh at anything' ideology to be tiresome.  The Daily Fail are hailing it as a backlash against cancel culture....that should be a good indicator of how off the mark it is.

I'm no fan of James Acaster but he nailed it with his description of the edgy comedian

[Dench57]

The Daily Fail are hailing it as a backlash against cancel culture....that should be a good indicator of how off the mark it is.

[Snail]

A pair of twats kissing the arse of a twat.

[AndyMuller]

Stephen Merchant carried him for years.

[gerrardisgod]

Just going through the old shows again, up to Karl attempting to break the world record for putting the most burgers in his mouth at once

When Steve starts having the conversation with the cashier in McNasty's

[rowan_d]

Well get me in the book then

[iamnant]

Just going through the old shows again, up to Karl attempting to break the world record for putting the most burgers in his mouth at once

When Steve starts having the conversation with the cashier in McNasty's

Where are they available to listen to?

[TheKid.]

https://open.spotify.com/show/34mXWuUCEa2UzTft5vxxLp?si=12u1nF1TQLCd64LenDy6ug

[ShrewKop]

Never mind your beard, where’ve you been for three days?!

[WhereAngelsPlay]

He's no Scholar that's for sure.

[El Lobo]

Never mind your beard, where’ve you been for three days?!

Right go on then, let’s do hairy Chinese kid

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I just can't get past his voice. Not sure there has ever been anyone more annoying.

Perfectly cast as the annoying shithouse David Brent.

The problem he has is that he is David Brent.

Just read he's from Reading. Does everyone around there speak like that? Imagine that every day

[TepidT2O]

I just can't get past his voice. Not sure there has ever been anyone more annoying.

Perfectly cast as the annoying shithouse David Brent.

The problem he has is that he is David Brent.

Just read he's from Reading. Does everyone around there speak like that? Imagine that every day

Yeah pretty much the local accent

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Yeah pretty much the local accent

Kinell

[TankEngine10]

Just going through the old shows again, up to Karl attempting to break the world record for putting the most burgers in his mouth at once

When Steve starts having the conversation with the cashier in McNasty's

Absolute classic. I probably relisten to the XFM episodes more often than is strictly necessary/healthy.

Shame Ricky has turned into such a miserable wanker over the last decade.

[GreatEx]

After Life ... could have sworn the early episodes were good but by season 3 it just feels like homework. Since it dropped on Netflix I've watched two, maybe three episodes. I liked his sex worker friend, where did she go? Anyway, can't stand the thought of this miserable c*nt opening his laptop again to watch yet another video of him and his dead missus laughing like hyenas at his irritating childish antics. What a fucking nauseating pair, no wonder there's no friends in any of the videos.

[El Lobo]

I think he took it a little too seriously when people have said in the past he can act a bit (when Brent was getting a bit emotional, or in Extras) and so...in every fucking thing he does, he cries. He kinda went from writing mainly funny shows with some nice/sad moments thrown in, to just depressing dirge. I mean that and Derek still had some funny bits, and some genuinely touching bits, but by christ it was miserable.

[rowan_d]

Funny how Ricky made a career out of relatable cringe-comedy, but its the surrealism of the quotes and scenarios in the podcasts that will be making me laugh when I'm 60

'As me or as a worm?' is just the perfect encapsulation I think. As annoying as Ricky is a lot of the time, the show is massively elevated by the way he clearly just loved being in a room with Karl trying to poke comedy out of him.

[UntouchableLuis]

Anyone see him at the M and S arena tonight? Thought it was hilarious. Brilliant stuff.

[Livbes]

Anyone see him at the M and S arena tonight? Thought it was hilarious. Brilliant stuff.

Yep. Thought he was absolutely brilliant. I was crying all show. I’m certainly not his biggest fan or seen much since he was on the 11 o’clock show but mates are. Really glad I went, probably tops the best stand up I’ve seen and I’m a huge Kev Bridges fan.