Ricky Gervais in a spot of bother

[pasty]

I thought he'd made it clear that it wasn't?

Bad pasty

 

[NMH]

Pot calling kettle a mong

 

[Sam Ovett]

Love Ricky Gervais

 

[Gully]

Hate Ricky Gervais

 

[Billy the Fish]

Also, Gervais' films are utter SHIT.

Cemetary Junction is a great film.

The Invention of Lying was complete shit.

50% hit rate so far

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Cemetary Junction is a great film.

I really didn't enjoy it. I thought it was painfully average and extremely predictable. I can't believe they went with the standard 'boy meets girl, slight slip up 2/3rds in, happy ending' formula.

 

[clapham_gull]

Comedy is extremely subjective, if you don't find something funny it isn't... irrespective of anyone else's views.

What I find a bit odd about the fans of Gervais and Brand is they often find it impossible to comprehend other peoples opinion of him.

It doesn't go over my head either. There are far more intelligent comedians that I find funnier.

I do worry that majority of his audience don't actually see behind the offence though and try and engage with the ideas.

Bit like Little Britain, Al Murray or even Al Garnett.

He's not really clever enough (in my opinion) to pull it off.

I prefer Stewart Lee who incidentally Gervais has cited as a major influence. He's not in the same league... (in my opinion)

 

[Mental Lental]

Oh come on, who else has had the same impact in the last 10 years?

Name me one Briton.

Milligan, Cleese, Everett........Sessions.

 

[Beach Hut]

He is seriously funny, that Science program last week was brilliant.

Also his discussions on fat people is spot on.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I really didn't enjoy it. I thought it was painfully average and extremely predictable. I can't believe they went with the standard 'boy meets girl, slight slip up 2/3rds in, happy ending' formula.

Easy watching, happy ending, some amusing bits. Kind of what I liked about it.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

Ricky Gervais criticised over Twitter 'mong jokes'

Ricky Gervais has been criticised by disability groups for repeated use of the word "mong" on his Twitter feed.

The comedian's recent tweets have included phrases like "Good monging everyone", "Night night monglets" and "Two mongs don't make a right".

The word is sometimes used offensively about people with Down's Syndrome.

Mencap said using it could reinforce prejudice but Gervais insists the word has changed meaning and that he never meant to refer to people with Down's.

The Office star criticised "the humourless PC brigade" on his Twitter feed and said the term is now commonly used to refer to someone who is very stupid or idiotic.

Continue reading the main story We want people to know that such language can perpetuate discriminatory attitudes towards disabled people
Mark Gale

Mencap campaigns and policy officer
"The modern use of the word mong means 'dopey' or 'ignorant'," said Gervais in a statement. "It's even in modern slang and urban dictionaries."

On Sunday, he tweeted: "Well done everyone who pointed out that Mong USED to be a derogatory term for DS [Down's Syndrome], Gay USED to mean happy. Words change. Get over it."

However, disability charity Mencap called Gervais's tweets "very disappointing".

Campaigns and policy officer Mark Gale said: "When people in the public eye use words of this type [it] can be offensive to people with a disability and their families.

"We want people to know that such language can perpetuate discriminatory attitudes towards disabled people."

Down Syndrome Education International also said it was concerned and claimed many people would find it just as bad as offensive language related to race or sexual orientation.

It is also not the first time the 50-year-old has got into hot water for using the word.

During a 2010 stand-up show he used it to describe singer Susan Boyle, but following criticism again made it clear he was not intending to refer to people with Down's Syndrome.

Is this from the Daily Mail by any chance? Jesus...

 

[Brightonfan1983]

Milligan, Cleese, Everett........Sessions.

YES!

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Easy watching, happy ending, some amusing bits. Kind of what I liked about it.

Best thing about it was the sound track and that Elton John joke. 'Stop listening to music made by poofs, put some Elton John on!"

Ricky and Steve really do have a great taste in music, it must be said.

 

[clapham_gull]

Is this from the Daily Mail by any chance? Jesus...

.. but the Daily Mail would be on his side wouldn't it ? The war on PC and all that.....

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

This review pretty much sums up the press' attitude towards Gervais.

"We are meant to sympathise with Freddie and Bruce. If they're so ahead of their time in terms of sexism and racism, why should they still see homosexuality as fair game for sneering humour? Well, they're 22-year-olds in 1973, let's not ask for the moon. But Gervais and Merchant are established directors in 2010. Even if they didn't want to make their heroes as comfortable with differences of sexuality as with those of race or gender, why use low-level homophobia as a device for establishing their friendship and likability?"

Because the film is set in 1973, not 2010. Homophobia? They're showing it as it was for fucks sake, if they'd made them the tolerant brigade, they'd have pointed Gervais/Merchant out for inaccuracy. I didn't see anyone having a go at Billy Elliot for being homophobic? If I remember correctly, it was nominated for 3 Oscars, and the father in that particular story was as homophobic as they come. The director should know better, making a film in 2000 and showing the 1980's how it was. For shame.

Next they'll be making WWII films without the Nazis.

 

[brakespear]

Hmmm....whilst I would support the whole 'Massive over-reaction' side of the argument....I have to say I find Ricky Gervais about as funny as Dawn French or Stan Boardman.

edit: having thought about it for 10 seconds Stan Boardman is a bit unfair.....maybe Lenny Bennett.

 

[clapham_gull]

This review pretty much sums up the press' attitude towards Gervais.

"We are meant to sympathise with Freddie and Bruce. If they're so ahead of their time in terms of sexism and racism, why should they still see homosexuality as fair game for sneering humour? Well, they're 22-year-olds in 1973, let's not ask for the moon. But Gervais and Merchant are established directors in 2010. Even if they didn't want to make their heroes as comfortable with differences of sexuality as with those of race or gender, why use low-level homophobia as a device for establishing their friendship and likability?"

Because the film is set in 1973, not 2010. Homophobia? They're showing it as it was for fucks sake, if they'd made them the tolerant brigade, they'd have pointed Gervais/Merchant out for inaccuracy. I didn't see anyone having a go at Billy Elliot for being homophobic? If I remember correctly, it was nominated for 3 Oscars, and the father in that particular story was as homophobic as they come. The director should know better, making a film in 2000 and showing the 1980's how it was. For shame.

Next they'll be making WWII films without the Nazis.

Do you have a poster of him on your bedroom wall? Just asking...

Seriously I don't find him offensive or what he said offensive. He's a comedian and that's what they do. I heard far more shocking stuff in the Banana Cabaret.

But - poor man doesn't really have a very good response for what he said to be honest. It's about as weak as Bernard Manning's "I make jokes about all people" excuse. Not quite sure what he was thinking suggesting Susan Boyle looks like a mong - we KNOW exactly what's he inferring. The word definitely didn't a different meaning in that context did it ?

He can say what he likes in my mind, but failed in trying to explain it. He's making himself look a bit stupid. What was he thinking of those faces he was pulling on Twitter.

In fact why is he on Twitter anyway ? It's odd behaivour from celebrities - reminds me of an old music hall act addicted to performing.

Silly really - he probably was trying to be clever. I was quite impressed by the way he's used disabled people in comedy particularly in The Office. Brave and he pulled it off.

This time he's missed the mark. Sorry.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Do you have a poster of him on your bedroom wall? Just asking...

No, and as I've said before I hate this film. I just wanted to point out how much the press have it in for him.

I've not asked you to like him, or agree with me, and I think I've given some decent, fair responses to you over this thread.

Next question?

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

I like the way you edited your post to appear to have a well constructed argument, rather than reply to me directly.

To summarise; I like Ricky Gervias. He's done some shit stuff in the past, as well as some sublime stuff. I don't like Cemetery Junction at ALL (It's a rubbish film, full stop) and the mong joke wasn't funny. I've mentioned that, all through this thread, and the one thing I'm trying to get at is the papers having nothing to go on other than 'Ricky Gervais offensive shock horror' type stories.

And please, PLEASE never compare Ricky Gervais to Bernard Manning ever again.

 

[clapham_gull]

I like the way you edited your post to appear to have a well constructed argument, rather than reply to me directly.

I just added to it, leaving the sarcastic remark intact. Don't take offence....


.. Ricky wouldn't.