Quote: zooo @ November 17 2011, 2:49 PM GMTThird? Has he already done it twice?
He has, and he's promising to be even more ruthless this time. Sounds promising 
Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes Page 5
Quote: zooo @ November 17 2011, 2:49 PM GMTThird? Has he already done it twice?
The first year was when he did this introduction: 'I like a drink as much as the next man, unless the next man is Mel Gibson-!' And on comes Mel.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ November 17 2011, 2:59 PM GMTThe first year was when he did this introduction: 'I like a drink as much as the next man, unless the next man is Mel Gibson-!' And on comes Mel.
Twas a funny gag. Just as it was when Jonathan Ross used it (albeit with a different target) at the British Comedy Awards years ago.
You're turning into the BCG Bin Laden Walker.
A legendary bogy man only coming out of hiding to strike, then vanishing again.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ November 17 2011, 2:40 PM GMTWhy wouldn't it be for real?
Why would anyone pretend to be arrogant?
It's tongue in cheek for comic effect. Do you really think someone so successful wouldn't either be intelligent enough to hide their arrogance, or have the people around him to tell him to tone down the arrogance for better PR if it was just unintentionally coming out? I mean, how many celebrities unintentionally do anything on TV? It's almost all manfactured.
Potentially the people who don't like it are people who are themselves arrogant and feel threatened by the arrogance of others...
Quote: Vader @ November 17 2011, 6:28 PM GMTIt's tongue in cheek for comic effect. Do you really think someone so successful wouldn't either be intelligent enough to hide their arrogance, or have the people around him to tell him to tone down the arrogance for better PR if it was just unintentionally coming out? I mean, how many celebrities unintentionally do anything on TV? It's almost all manfactured.
Potentially the people who don't like it are people who are themselves arrogant and feel threatened by the arrogance of others...
He's set this whole schtick up in an attempt to infuriate the arrogant? Somewhat grasping at straws there, surely?
Anyway, as the old saying goes, 'If it looks like a c**t and sounds like a c**t, then it probably is a c**t'.
My concern is that a genuine comedy talent, Stephen Merchant, risks having his reputation tarnished by this self-righteous prick.
I just think it's ball achingly obvious when Ricky is putting on an act and when he's being sincere. I genuinely am utterly flummoxed that everyone can't see it equally easily.
He's sincere most of the time in interviews, it's not like he puts on the act 100% of the time. It's more 70/30.
Quote: zooo @ November 17 2011, 7:02 PM GMTI just think it's ball achingly obvious when Ricky is putting on an act and when he's being sincere. I genuinely am utterly flummoxed that everyone can't see it equally easily.
He's sincere most of the time in interviews, it's not like he puts on the act 100% of the time. It's more 70/30.
Trouble is, he appears entirely sincere in his belief that using pejorative terms against the mentally and physically disabled is socially and comedically acceptable. As, depressingly, do some members of the BCG. 
I hope you appreciate the strength it took not to respond in the obvious manner to that. 
Quote: Tim Walker @ November 17 2011, 7:08 PM GMTTrouble is, he appears entirely sincere in his belief that using pejorative terms against the mentally and physically disabled is socially and comedically acceptable.
Which specific occasions do you mean?
As some people seem to think he goes around calling disabled kids 'mongs'. Which isn't what happened at all.
But anyway, it's such an unpleasant subject to talk about. Let's not.
If you're looking for blunt put-downs delivered with just the right amount of cruelty Don Rickles is your man. He's charming, too. Ricky G, in my opinion, is just not funny enough. Take the line I heard from the previous Globes on TV tonight. I'm paraphrasing...'..I look round the room and see the results of all the work that's been done...by cosmetic surgeons..' You saw that coming down Broadway. The pause was too long and the tag delivery was down beat. I know the man has many admirers on here and I've watched everything he's done. But I remain one of the few unconvinced.
Quote: Tim Walker @ November 17 2011, 7:00 PM GMTHe's set this whole schtick up in an attempt to infuriate the arrogant? Somewhat grasping at straws there, surely?
Anyway, as the old saying goes, 'If it looks like a c**t and sounds like a c**t, then it probably is a c**t'.
My concern is that a genuine comedy talent, Stephen Merchant, risks having his reputation tarnished by this self-righteous prick.
That last sentence was suggesting people who don't think it's an act are the real arrogant ones to discourage people from saying he's arrogant. Though in all honesty I think the comments of his detractors say more about them than it doe about Gervais.
As I said before, it's all tongue in cheek, of that I'm as sure as anyone can be, like zooo. Would someone who's arrogant and took themselves seriously really behave in such an immature manner as he does with the likes of Robin Ince? Personally I don't think so.
As for Merchant, no-one's forcing him to work with Gervais, and working with such a big name must help a lot with getting stuff commissioned, so I wouldn't worry too much for him.
Also Tim, I seem to remember you saying that great comedians laugh at themselves, which I, and others, am certain is what he is doing, so you should be happy!
As for 'Mong-gate', all this stuff was on his Science DVD which came out a year ago, so it's funny that people are only complaining about it now he's repeated it on Twitter. You'd think people would know what to expect either way, especialy since he posted pics of himself as a 'mong' about half a year ago, which were carried by the Sun.
He always says his morality never takes a day off and he can justify everything he does. That being the case, he shouldn't have apologised, or shouldn't have said it in the first place, and put more thought and research into these things.
Quote: Vader @ November 17 2011, 8:34 PM GMTHe always says his morality never takes a day off and he can justify everything he does.
Except he doesn't seem able/willing to explain how his great moral compass leads him to consider using words and images to ridicule and mock the mentally and physically disabled acceptable. His only defence so far is to plead ignorance of the nastiness of the word "mong", which is frankly pathetic.
He may well be able to justify everything he does to himself. However, if one starts from the (delusional) assumption that one is always right, then of course it follows that one can justify everything one does. Tony Blair used this kind of defence.
I was a huge, huge fan of Ricky Gervais ten years ago. The fact I have fallen out of love with him and his current comedy may well be just my loss. But I don't think my sense of humour has changed or narrowed. I don't think it's really me that's changed much at all. I used to find him intelligent and funny... and now I don't. So what changed?
I think "Mong gate" was very cruel. Why didn't they just make the gate out of wood?
Quote: Tim Walker @ November 17 2011, 7:00 PM GMTMy concern is that a genuine comedy talent, Stephen Merchant, risks having his reputation tarnished by this self-righteous prick.
Oh get a grip, did Ricky piss on your chips in the 80's or something?
Gervais is just as funny as Merchant if not funnier. Listen to the podcasts, radio shows etc. If anything Merchant has been riding on his coattails.
Quote: zooo @ November 17 2011, 2:49 PM GMTI don't know why, you'd have to ask him. I think it works well as a persona though.
I asked him and he said he's not putting it on so you're wrong.
Quote: Dr Sanchez @ November 18 2011, 1:41 PM GMTOh get a grip, did Ricky piss on your chips in the 80's or something?
I wouldn't be surprised if chips tasted better after Gervais had pissed on them, he's such a vinegary and sour bastard.