Ricky Gervais lashes out at ‘middle-class, elitist’ critics in new stand-up special

Comedian has previously been criticised for jokes about trans community

Ricky Gervais has hit back at critics in his new Netflix special Mortality, released on Tuesday (30 December).

The comedian and co-creator of The Office, 64, filmed the stand-up show at the London Palladium earlier this year, during which he took the opportunity to call out what he described as “middle-class” and “elitist” critics of his work.

He told the live audience: “It’s great to hear this sort of laughter again, because you probably don’t notice it as much as comedians, but we’ve had a really weird 10 years where we’re really second-[guessing jokes].

“People find anything offensive, but we pushed back and we won. So f*** them. Until the next time. They haven’t gone away. They’re just licking their wounds. They’ll be back with something madder. But remember who it is next time? Right?

“It’s always these sort of educated, middle-class, privileged, elitist, sort of people telling ordinary working-class people what they can and can’t do and say and laugh, not realising how important comedy is to ordinary people.”

Gervais’s comments come after his 2022 stand-up special Supernature was condemned for jokes targeting trans people.

The following year, his 2023 special Armageddon prompted a petition calling for Netflix to cut material about young people with cancer.

Gervais in 'Mortality' (Netflix)

Comedian Nish Kumar had previously hit out at Gervais during a 2019 stand-up show, saying: “F*** Ricky Gervais. F*** Ricky Gervais. What he’s doing isn’t edgy or interesting… he is the same as every other rich white dude comedian who gets too successful, runs out of ideas and decides to s*** on the latest minority group.”

Acknowledging that his fellow comedians have criticised him for “punching down”, Gervais said in his new show: “They’ve always failed. I’m too old now not to say what I want. I want to say and do what I want all the time. I want to do my favourite thing all the time.”

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His new special is likely to attract similar criticism, with the comedian covering topics including disability, paedophilia, racism, and child killers.

At one point during his set, Gervais said that while he considers himself to be anti-racist, he acknowledges he could have been a slave owner in another century.

He joked: “I’m willing to admit that if I’d have been born 300 years ago and I was white and wealthy, I’d have probably owned slaves. I’d be nice to them, so shut up, right? Yeah, I’d be the best slave owner. I’d dress them well. I would! In little suits.”

Gervais said that he would “have bants” with his slaves, meaning to joke around, but added that if one became too familiar, he would have to “punish” him.