That’s generous. Carlin was actually counterculture. Gervais is incredibly mainstream, saying incredibly mainstream things and acting like they’re outrageous for some reason.
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I'm thinking more on the atheism angle. Gervais seems to have a similar interest to those of Maher and Carlin - although Carlin was a bit more nuanced and clever about how he went about it.
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I enjoyed it, but somewhat disappointed. From the rave reviews, I was expecting a classic.
Because of who he is, it appeals to a massive audience and the "being offended" stuff whilst not new, needs to be heard by a lot of the population! There is a part of me that think there has been dozens of comedians doing this "being offended" stick for the last 2-3 years but their audience is small so Gervais is just putting his spin on his and showing it to a larger audience.
I already know several friends who don't watch stand up, that are commenting about this special.
Because of who he is, it appeals to a massive audience and the "being offended" stuff whilst not new, needs to be heard by a lot of the population! There is a part of me that think there has been dozens of comedians doing this "being offended" stick for the last 2-3 years but their audience is small so Gervais is just putting his spin on his and showing it to a larger audience.
I already know several friends who don't watch stand up, that are commenting about this special.
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To be fair the bit about the kids was to do with him not wanting any, and explaining why. I didn't enjoy the Caitlyn Jenner bits and zoned out didn't really pay attention to the last half hour, but I got a laugh out of the whole description of how celebrity kids end up and then contrasting that with adopted kids, which was amusing because a lot of celebrity kids do end up that way and adopted kids have become popular for some celebs (Angelina Jole/Brad Pitt, Madonna).
I didn't chose to watch it on my own (watched it at a friends) as it's not exactly my taste but thought that segment was one of the better ones. The bit at the end with the adopted kid having broken in, as soon as he mentioned adopting a kid you could see those jokes coming a mile away. I wouldn't really classify it as racist, just dark as it was used in the overall story contrasting it to how a white kid would be perceived by social services. Overall a bit hit and miss, imo.
The show was like watching a new South Park episode. Desperately trying to be edgy and provocative, while completely losing any sort of feeling for what he was actually trying to say. Basically just self referential masturbation without any purpose or artistic value whatsoever.
Apart from the office hes not funny at all to me, i just want to punch him.
He's still capable of making me laugh but his stand up has gone backwards progressively since Animals. He hasn't gone the usual route of a stand up comedian and that is to be admired but in terms of his craft hes pretty average, he has great timing but his material is really weak. I reckon if he condensed his stuff into say a 30 minute set he would come across very funny but it ends up being elongated down the unfunny athiest/ooohhhh offensive route too often.
Humanity was average.
Humanity was average.
I've never liked a full set of his stand up, and this one is the same. Some good parts, but a lot of it comes across as really forced to get a rise. He seems desperate to be offensive and he obviously manages to do that, as the whole internet is talking about it, but it doesn't come across as naturally as when guys like Stanhope, Bill Burr or even Frankie Boyle do it. He often comes across as try-hard as David Brent does.
His TV shows are great, but on a stage he's more miss than hit, and a bit of a bellend.
His TV shows are great, but on a stage he's more miss than hit, and a bit of a bellend.
Was thinking recently that stand-up comedians are all deeply unpleasant people who honed their talent for comedy as a way to make people like them. Which works great the first few times you meet them but, over time, you realise how much of a prick they are and grow to hate spending any time in their company. Then you have the "difficult second album" factor, where observational comedy works best when it's relatable but stops making sense when it's about the trials and tribulations of life as a rich celebrity.
All of which means that comedians have a very short shelf-life and - no matter how much you enjoy their work at first - you'll end up disliking them. I really thought Louise CK was one for the ages but saw him life last year and was kind of disappointed. He just doesn't seem as funny as he used to (NB this was something I decided long before the #MeToo fuelled drama)
Gervais is the same. I used to laugh like a drain at his podcasts and some of his TV shows (The Office, Extras) but stopped finding him funny a while back. He's just comes across as an unfunny dick-head now. Don't think I'll bother watching this, despite the reasonable reviews.
I still like Bill Burr, mind you. Probably hate him by this time next year.
All of which means that comedians have a very short shelf-life and - no matter how much you enjoy their work at first - you'll end up disliking them. I really thought Louise CK was one for the ages but saw him life last year and was kind of disappointed. He just doesn't seem as funny as he used to (NB this was something I decided long before the #MeToo fuelled drama)
Gervais is the same. I used to laugh like a drain at his podcasts and some of his TV shows (The Office, Extras) but stopped finding him funny a while back. He's just comes across as an unfunny dick-head now. Don't think I'll bother watching this, despite the reasonable reviews.
I still like Bill Burr, mind you. Probably hate him by this time next year.
It was all a bit meh. Funny in places but he's just so in love with himself - Remember when I did the Golden Globes? That was great wasn't it!
Or pretending to his partner that he is going to tell worse jokes than he actually did. Or going on about Caitlyn Jenner for way too long. Or how mad his older brother is.
I think comedians need to push the boundaries of PC for sure but it can be done in such a way that is intelligent and doesn't pick the easiest targets.
Or pretending to his partner that he is going to tell worse jokes than he actually did. Or going on about Caitlyn Jenner for way too long. Or how mad his older brother is.
I think comedians need to push the boundaries of PC for sure but it can be done in such a way that is intelligent and doesn't pick the easiest targets.
I still listen to the old XFM podcasts with Gervais, Merchant and Pilkington.
I like The Office, Extras and the Pilkington stuff (pre Idiot Abroad), but everything else (i.e. his stand up) I don't rate, and he seems a bit of a knob. But then most celebrities are, tbh.
I like The Office, Extras and the Pilkington stuff (pre Idiot Abroad), but everything else (i.e. his stand up) I don't rate, and he seems a bit of a knob. But then most celebrities are, tbh.
I'm a big fan of Gervais. I'm a huge fan of the Office, I rate Extras higher than most seem to. I thought his earlier stand ups were great, but I was underwhelmed by this. There were funny parts, but considering the amount he spoke about older material and his twitter feuds, the whole show seems like it could have been written in a day or two. Considering how long it's been since he had a stand up tour, I was hoping for, or even expecting, something far better than this.
I thought this was ok, not incredible or anything, but an ok watch overall with some very funny moments.
I find the tweets posted higher up a bit disingenuous, also. I'm sure he often goes on there to get people worked up (he admits as much himself), but there are also loads of idiots who get offended by the slightest thing. It may seem ridiculous on here, sure, but a lot of the material he talks about seems genuine given the idiocy of the average twitter user.
I find the tweets posted higher up a bit disingenuous, also. I'm sure he often goes on there to get people worked up (he admits as much himself), but there are also loads of idiots who get offended by the slightest thing. It may seem ridiculous on here, sure, but a lot of the material he talks about seems genuine given the idiocy of the average twitter user.
I liked the bit with the dogs in the beginning.
His bit about Noah's ark still makes my cry with laughter even thinking about it. Haven't seen any of his recent stuff though.
Also:
"They say the camera adds at least 10 pounds"
"well stop eating fecking camera's!"
Me in stitches.
Also:
"They say the camera adds at least 10 pounds"
"well stop eating fecking camera's!"
Me in stitches.
It was pretty underwhelming, funny in parts, but really dragged in others. Which is a shame cos I like his awkward style but the material was all a bit meh.
The only part of the whole Bruce Jenner part I found funny was when he’d constantly go ‘come ere Brucie boy’ and do that little uppercut motion. But that’s more due to my partly juvenile sense of humour, otherwise it seemed to go on for ages.
His atheist stuff is really boring too, it’s very witless and more in the mould of ‘ahaha you believe in religion you’re so dumb and I’m so inherently smart’.
The only part of the whole Bruce Jenner part I found funny was when he’d constantly go ‘come ere Brucie boy’ and do that little uppercut motion. But that’s more due to my partly juvenile sense of humour, otherwise it seemed to go on for ages.
His atheist stuff is really boring too, it’s very witless and more in the mould of ‘ahaha you believe in religion you’re so dumb and I’m so inherently smart’.
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I find the way he goes on about kids and cancer very tiresome and cheap. Its like he knows he will get a controversial groan out of the audience so he goes with it, really lacks intelligence to do that as it shows he is out of ideas for genuine laughs. The Caitlin Jenner stuff went on abit too long, and it also grates on me the way he laughs out really loud at a joke he’s said like he has thought of it on the spot when we all know it’s rehearsed.
That all said, i found the show pretty funny and entertaining.
That all said, i found the show pretty funny and entertaining.
This is, so accurate. Especially in relation to things like millennials, sjw’s & political correctness.
Also I couldn’t get past the first 15 mins or so, by then again I’ve never found Ricky funny tbh.
I was always disappointed when he was on the 11 o'clock show tbh. It meant it wasn't peak Ali G.
Not really seen anything he's done since Extras, which was great at times. His Hollywood romcom bollox and other self-indulgences, I'm never going to bother with.
He needs a bazalini-esque tagline.
There's an argument this can apply to a lot of art in general, albeit not necessarily when it comes to liking someone on a personal level.
A lot of the best albums/movies/books will often at least be influenced by personal experiences, and on the whole the perspective of someone who's struggled to achieve something/who is struggling to achieve something is always going to be a lot more interesting than a rich person telling you how cool and great it is to be rich. And in addition to that, artists themselves who've been in a terrible position but who've made good of themselves may be a lot less incentivised to make interesting material because financially they no longer need to. But a lot of them will ride on their reputations and continue putting out the stuff that made them famous, while not really putting all that much thought into it at all anymore. Because they no longer need to.
On the comedy front, it reminds me of a Scottish one I like, Kevin Bridges. He's excellent and I - and many other Scots - find him very, very funny, but now he's made a success of himself and is doing quite well financially, it becomes a lot more difficult to take his poking fun at elite Glasgow types seriously when he - by default - has pretty much become one of those elite Glasgow types, even if it's just by virtue of having done well for himself. And while he's not exactly made anyone dislike him yet, a lot of people may soon feel his takings on working-class Glasgow life don't really amount to much anymore when he's no longer really part of that lifestyle, only vaguely connected to it.
The same probably applies for a lot of 60s music artists who look silly by default now when they're up onstage singing anti-establishment type songs. First, what they're signing about mostly isn't relevant anymore, and second, it's difficult to take their anti-establishment vibe seriously when they're dodging tax and have become fairly inoffensive, mainstream figures of that establishment they once mocked.
So, yeah...Gervais is a dick, or something.
Watched it on Thursday night, didn't realise it was a Netflix exclusive til I saw it up there, but it was on Netflix so makes sense.
I normally love Gervais' stand up, and I'm 50/50 on his other work, loved Derek and the stuff with KP, hated the Office and Extras. This gig was a bit poor in comparison to his earlier ones, felt he humblebragged once too many times about how extortionately rich he is and as much as I'd like to think it was part of the act, I can't help thinking it was based on seriousness and he really can't shut up about how he's considerably richer than yaaaaaaoow! (and me). I'd kinda zoned out halfway through and don't remember how it ended. Think I'll stick to Animals if I want a laugh at his stand up. Still a lot better than a lot of the stuff that passes as comedy nowadays, especially on Netflix. I made the mistake of watching Russell Howard on it for about ten minutes a while back, that's ten minutes I'd love a refund for. Still, they've got some old/rarer Bill Hicks and Richard Pryor stuff on there so Netflix does have some good stuff in amongst the Howard's and Silvermans.
I normally love Gervais' stand up, and I'm 50/50 on his other work, loved Derek and the stuff with KP, hated the Office and Extras. This gig was a bit poor in comparison to his earlier ones, felt he humblebragged once too many times about how extortionately rich he is and as much as I'd like to think it was part of the act, I can't help thinking it was based on seriousness and he really can't shut up about how he's considerably richer than yaaaaaaoow! (and me). I'd kinda zoned out halfway through and don't remember how it ended. Think I'll stick to Animals if I want a laugh at his stand up. Still a lot better than a lot of the stuff that passes as comedy nowadays, especially on Netflix. I made the mistake of watching Russell Howard on it for about ten minutes a while back, that's ten minutes I'd love a refund for. Still, they've got some old/rarer Bill Hicks and Richard Pryor stuff on there so Netflix does have some good stuff in amongst the Howard's and Silvermans.
Saw it live last year expecting it to be a rocking good show as he hasnt done stand up in 8 years or something. But, I was left wanting more. As in, it underwhelmed.
The problem I had with it is I already knew he goes to on the offense and tries to make people uncomfortable for laughing at him. I mean the guy built a career off of it. So it was more of the same but, less offensive. I chuckled at a few things but for the most part it could have been done better. Don't think he cares though. I read he banked something like 15 million for the show.
The problem I had with it is I already knew he goes to on the offense and tries to make people uncomfortable for laughing at him. I mean the guy built a career off of it. So it was more of the same but, less offensive. I chuckled at a few things but for the most part it could have been done better. Don't think he cares though. I read he banked something like 15 million for the show.
With "apparently", everything is possible.
Average comedy set, half decent lecture which it kind of turned out to be.
I liked it.
The bit about Bruce Jenner being a murderer and his mums funeral was hilarious.
The bit about Bruce Jenner being a murderer and his mums funeral was hilarious.
Wasn't as good as his old stuff but its still funny. As usual, the caf critique pretends the subject holds itself to some high standard in order to pull it down.
Well said!
It always baffles me that people get annoyed that he talks about stuff that has happened in his life... It's a bit harsh to call someone self obsessed for talking about their experiences, on stage, where the whole point is people have paid to sit down and have him talk at them..
One thing I will say though, is I'm not a fan of comedians trying to push their political agenda on stage, turn their stand up into a lecture and try make some profound point as if they're there to educate the audience rather than make them laugh. Frankie Boyle is increasingly like this, he's constantly working in his political agenda into his set and takes time out of making jokes to try let everyone know how great a person he is because he's got some liberal views. At least Gervais and Frankie Boyle have the advantage of being funny despite this annoying habit, Russel Howard is an example of a sanctimonious twat on stage whilst also not having any good material.
One thing I will say though, is I'm not a fan of comedians trying to push their political agenda on stage, turn their stand up into a lecture and try make some profound point as if they're there to educate the audience rather than make them laugh. Frankie Boyle is increasingly like this, he's constantly working in his political agenda into his set and takes time out of making jokes to try let everyone know how great a person he is because he's got some liberal views. At least Gervais and Frankie Boyle have the advantage of being funny despite this annoying habit, Russel Howard is an example of a sanctimonious twat on stage whilst also not having any good material.
I thought it was surprising good. I really like The Office but I never really liked his early/previous standup. I could never get on board with his whole 'God is illogical and I'm such an intelligent atheist!' shtick, that really grated on me. People should grow past that phase sooner than he did. I couldn't really fault this special though, may even watch it again.
Rewatched a lot of his stuff, he really didn’t have to stretch too far out his comfort zone to portray David Brent so well. Absolute narcissist and just dying for approval. Still, his timing and lack of giving a feck just appeals to me as far as comedians go.
Comedians that try to be funny by offending are just not funny. I don't get it. It doesn't offend me but if it did then why would I find it funny? Is the expectation for me to enjoy it? I certainly don't enjoy being offensive... so I really don't understand.
Not sure you can blame the Caf for this one in fairness.
But doesn't that totally miss the point that what they are saying isn't meant to be offensive? Finding something offensive and funny are both subjective, the intent of what they meant is down the speaker and given it's a comedy show....it's usually to be funny.
I agree with most of this to be honest. Only a set few comedians I can say I still like years after they've made it big. Dave Chapelle is still likeable, along with people like Martin Lawrence and Kevin Bridges. I don't think their the funniest comedians, but they come across as not being too far up their own arse.