Crumb
c/politicalmemes · by yesman@lemmy.world · 199d

Ricky Gervais doesn't know what a celebrity is.

Can someone please explain how a talent-free dumbass like Ricky Gervais is successful? Is there some kind of social program in England to promote mediocrity?

96 points · 10 comments · view on lemmy.world

10 Comments

BillyClark@piefed.social · 34 pts · 199d (3 replies)

Gervais is cleverer and more talented than he lets on. That's really about it.

He projects this image of a guy who thinks he's smarter than he is. It's a weird act and a lot of people get confused by his success as a result.

I can guarantee that the irony of him being a celebrity talking out against celebrities talking out is not lost on him.

yesman@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 198d (2 replies)

If Gervais is acting dumb, then he's brilliant. But why does he "act" the same way, no matter if it's a TV role, Presenter on an awards show, or just him hanging out on a Podcast or something.

Is he like a professional wrestler doing Kayfabe?

What is even the difference between a stupid man and a clever man method acting an idiot?

BillyClark@piefed.social · 11 pts · 198d (1 reply)

Lots of comedians have a similar gimmick. Steve Carell is great at it, which is probably why he was so good at the same role that Ricky had on The Office. Norm MacDonald was famous for being too smart and hiding it, but he did it slightly differently.

Maybe the closest other person I can think of to Ricky Gervais's method is Zach Galifianakis.

As for why he always acts the same way, that's exceptionally common for comedians. They just turn some switch to "on" and that's how they act. For an extreme example, think Gilbert Gottfried. He always acted the same, with the same voice, whether it was a role or just him hanging out, but it wasn't his normal voice. He did that voice whenever he was making any appearance. If you look, you can find occasional clips of him using his normal voice. There's one from the Howard Stern show where he left them a voicemail.

I think most comedians, when they turn that switch to "on", they just become a more extreme version of their own personality.

Gervais didn't start out pursing comedy as a career. He got into it rather late. And I think that strongly affects his persona, as well.

What is even the difference between a stupid man and a clever man method acting an idiot?

For a comedian, it's pretty easy to tell if you're paying attention. The clever man will think of something funny that other people wouldn't think of, but the content may be stupid. The stupid man will say stupid jokes that everybody else was thinking at the time.

Denjin@feddit.uk · 5 pts · 198d

Clever or not, Gervais is still an arsehole.

Zombie@feddit.uk · 20 pts · 198d

Ricky Gervais grinds my gears at times, especially that laugh. But "talent-free dumbass"? Shite.

He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), and Life's Too Short (2011–2013) with Stephen Merchant. He also created, wrote, and starred in Derek (2012–2014) and After Life (2019–2022).[1]

Gervais has won seven British Academy Television Awards, five National Comedy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and the Rose d'Or twice (2006 and 2019).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Gervais

After Life is a British comedy drama television series created, written, executive produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays lead character Tony Johnson.

Tony Johnson, whose life is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer. He contemplates suicide, but instead decides to spend his life punishing the world for his wife's death by saying and doing whatever he wants regardless of how it makes other people feel. Although he thinks of this as his "superpower", his plan is undermined as he realises he does care about a select few people. Over the course of the series, he stops trying to be awful and, despite never really moving on from his wife's death and remaining suicidal, decides true meaning in life comes from helping and being there for others.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Life_(TV_series)

dalekcaan@feddit.nl · 16 pts · 199d

deadmyk@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 199d

It’s not even that celerities have opinions on politics. Everyone does. It’s that far too many people believe celebrities to be some sort of authority on the subject and give their political opinions value over critical thinking.

gustofwind@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 199d

Almost all the celebrities we have are nepo babies or media lottery winners so I’m actually with him on this one

tomiant@piefed.social · 6 pts · 199d (1 reply)

"Talent free" lol

This is one dumb cope post. I've seen it several times, on multiple social media, it feels coordinated. Very weird. Down with this shit.

yesman@lemmy.world · -5 pts · 199d

Really? because it's the dumbass conspiracy shit that's everywhere. Not coordinated, just critical mass of stupidity.