Ricky Gervais has insisted he will never be cancelled and free speech is ‘the most important human right there is’.
The comedian, 64, moaned that people now ‘look to be offended’ as he joined Chris Stark, Jordan North and Sian Welby on Capital Breakfast on Friday.
Ricky is just days away from the release from his ‘most honest and confessional show so far’, Ricky Gervais: Mortality, which lands on Netflix on December 30.
Asked by Chris if he thought he is ever at the risk of being cancelled, Ricky said: ‘We’ve got to work for someone who can cancel you because I don’t know what me being cancelled is. What I’m not invited where? Where am I not invited?
‘I don’t know I think you’ve got to actually do something criminal to actually be cancelled or become less popular. I’m all for consequence culture.’
He went on to say that he think free speech is ‘the most important human right there is’.
Ricky Gervaishas insisted he will never be cancelled and free speech is ‘the most important human right there is’ on Capital Breakfast on Friday
Ricky is just days away from the release from his ‘most honest and confessional show so far’, Ricky Gervais: Mortality, which lands on Netflix on December 30 (Seen in previous show Armageddon)
Speaking to the radio hosts, Ricky said: ‘I also think that we’re coming out of a phase now that feels like a bit of sunlight. It has been weird for the last ten years as a comedian going “will that get me cancelled? Can I say that? Is that okay now? Oh God, things are changing that thing I said a year ago will that be?”
‘And now we are coming out of that because I think they pushed too hard and now people are over it. They complained about things that didn’t deserve being complained about.’
He continued: ‘And I thought of this as well, twenty years ago when I started, if I got a nice email from someone saying “oh, I didn’t appreciate that” I would look into it and I’d ask “why didn’t you like it?”
‘Now if someone says I’m offended I go “yeah, I know we all are, don’t worry about it you’ll get over it” People look to be offended.’
Ricky added: ‘As I say in the show, and I mean it, that free speech is the most important human right there is and it is the right for which all other rights come. Without free speech you can’t have human rights and people shut you up because they don’t like what you are saying and that is always suspicious.’
Gervais is no stranger to making controversial, profanity-laden jokes and often faces backlash for his ‘offensive’ comedy.
Ricky stirred up controversy as recently as May as he appeared to make a joke about sexual assault.
As he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he joked about being grateful to join some of the famous (or infamous) legends memorialised with a star in Hollywood as he named Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby and Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle — all of whom have faced accusations of sexual assault.
The comedian, 64, moaned that people now ‘look to be offended’ as he joined Chris Stark, Jordan North and Sian Welby on Capital Breakfast on Friday
‘Thank you so much for this honor. It’s a genuine thrill to be part of such an exclusive club,’ Ricky said during his speech, per Variety.
‘And just looking around earlier at all the other stars, absolute icons, you know? Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Fatty Arbuckle.’
All three went to trial for their alleged crimes but only Bill was convicted while the King of Pop and Fatty were acquitted.
The actor, who was also a co-creator of British TV sitcoms like The Office and Extras, previously stirred controversy with his ‘offensive’ jokes when he hosted the Golden Globe Awards five times — consecutively from 2010 through 2012, then again in 2016 and 2020.
Though he did not return for this year’s ceremony, he did share some of the shocking jokes he would have told if the 82nd Golden Globes was hosted by him instead of fellow comedian Nikki Glaser.
For her first time Golden Globes hosting gig, Nikki even made a joke about Ricky during her monologue when she said she was ‘not gonna go so hard that anyone’s gonna be offended.’
Ricky had shared a video of some of his jokes ahead of the award ceremony as he said, ‘It’s been a pretty good year for material.’
He roasted Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, joked about Justin Timberlake’s DWI arrest and also showed off more of his caustic wit as he wisecracked about Hollywood’s ‘pedo ring’ and The Vatican.
Ricky stirred up controversy as recently as May as he appeared to make a joke about sexual assault while receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Pictured)
Ricky is set to return to Netflixwith his highly-anticipated fourth stand-up special, Ricky Gervais: Mortality
His hosting gigs have always drawn mixed reactions as some of his wildest Golden Globe jokes included roasting Leonardo DiCaprio for the age gap between him and the women he dates as well as offending Caitlyn Jenner by using her deadname.
He also joked about Bird Box and working for Harvey Weinstein as well as the litany of celebrities who have undergone plastic surgery transformations.
Some of his most controversial and offensive jokes have been slammed for being ‘homophobic’ and ‘anti-transgender rhetoric.’
Ricky is set to return to Netflix with his highly-anticipated fourth stand-up special.
Ricky Gervais: Mortality will explore his takes on his own mortality in a brutally honest and darkly funny programme about his life, death and the state of the world.
It follows on from the success of his previous specials; Humanity, Supernature, and the Golden Globe-winning Armageddon.
The Netflix special was filmed earlier this year at the London Palladium, during his tour.
Please credit: Listen to Capital Breakfast with Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby weekdays from 6am – 10am across the UK and on Global Player
