December 29th 2023.
Ricky Gervais has just won the hearts of many with his Netflix stand-up special, Armageddon, reaching the number one spot in multiple countries. The 62-year-old Office creator is no stranger to controversy, having sparked a wave of criticism for his poor-taste jokes, including about terminally ill children.
Despite the backlash, Gervais thanked his fans and detractors for making the comedy ‘huge’ on the global streamer. On X, he wrote: “F***ing Hell. I think #Armageddon is going to be huge. Thanks to everyone who loved it and raved about it, and of course, everyone who hated it and whined about it. You all played your part.”
A petition was formed to demand Netflix axe the skit, which reached thousands of signatures, describing Gervais’ comments as ‘not only distasteful but heartless’. Meanwhile, charity Scope condemned the routine and said that ‘language like this has consequences’.
Gervais shrugged off the detractors and thanked them for popularising the stand-up special. When asked about the petition, he previously told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Good luck. That’s what I say to them. Good luck. I’ll even retweet it.” He also insisted that ‘ninety-nine per cent’ of the criticism of his comedy was ‘faux offense’.
Despite the controversy, Armageddon is available to stream on Netflix. It has even been claimed earlier this year that Gervais had to ramp up security while touring the United States after receiving death threats. It's clear that Gervais has a lot of supporters who will continue to watch his comedy.
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