Ricky Gervais has admitted ‘offending people makes it funnier for him’ as he hit back at critics who blast his controversial jokes.
The comedian, 65, is no stranger to making controversial, profanity-laden jokes and often faces backlash for his ‘offensive’ comedy.
Yet Ricky is barely fazed by cancel culture as he believes free speech is the ‘most important human right there is’.
Speaking to Romesh Ranganathan on BBC Radio 2, Ricky said: ‘I don’t tell people not to be offended, I tell them I don’t care if they are. Be offended if you want, it makes it funnier for me.
‘You can’t help by what you’re offended by but don’t don’t expect me to care. It’s a myth that I go out to offend, I never go out to offend. I just know that it’s probably going to happen because everyone’s different.
‘There’s nothing you can say, particularly anything that’s mildly interesting or contentious or your viewpoint, that someone somewhere won’t find offensive.
‘And times have changed. 20 years ago, if someone said I was offended by that, I probably would go, “Why? Now I go, “I know you are. Everyone is”.
Ricky Gervais has admitted ‘offending people makes it funnier for him’ as he hit back at critics who blast his controversial jokes
‘I’ve dealt with it too much, actually. I think the last couple of tours, I have dealt with cancel culture and free speech because I felt I had to. Now I don’t have to.
‘I’m ignoring it all, I shouldn’t even bring it into the room. Those people there who’ve paid hundreds of pounds-they’re not offended. I can play to a million people, not one complaint.
‘As soon as it goes on Netflix, 50 million people. Of course, there’s going to be someone who doesn’t like it. What am I going to do? It’s too late. I’ve been paid.’
His new show, Legend, is set to go around the world before being streamed on Netflix as part of a big-money deal.
The comedian is set to make gags about a raft of shocking taboo topics, including Jimmy Savile, suicide, and Hitler.
Ricky tested the new material at a special gig in London last month.
Joking about Savile’s depraved acts, Ricky told the crowd at Leicester Square Theatre: ‘He raped disabled children in comas. Then he died, and then we found out. People are angry, saying, “He didn’t see justice. He had a great life, and he got away with it”. Did he, though? Is that a great life?
‘If someone said to me, “Just f*** these disabled kids,” I’d go “Eugh”. So, in a way, I’m worse than him because at least he gave them a chance.’
Ricky is planning his most controversial stand-up tour ever as comedian is set to make gags about taboo topics including Jimmy Savile, suicide and Hitler
He added, ‘That is the worst thing I have ever said. That is the worst thing I’ve ever said.’
Moving on to joke that Hitler did some good things before the Holocaust, Ricky said: ‘I’m not defending him, but he did do some good stuff. Adolf’s early work… he sorted out the transport system, he invented the people car.’
As the crowd went quiet, he added: ‘All I’m saying is, whatever you think of this joke, remember I wrote The Office.’
He later said his nieces and nephews use the N-word, and he tells them, ‘Go to bed, you f***ing N-word.’
Moving on to say how he could convince internet trolls to kill themselves, Ricky continued: ‘I look at their profiles, and I think, “I could probably get them to commit suicide because they’re going to do it soon anyway, let me be a part of it, you little f***ing freak. Kill yourself, you little c***. I never would do that, but I’m thinking it.”’
He added that he would ask friends to help him die if he were paralysed, and joked he wishes he had a gun in his home for when he’s old.
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