Television Ricky Gervais' new Netflix special is filled with rabid transphobia, surprising no one

[Kamusha]

So here's the tea that I heard, and I was aware of this before the special even dropped. But apparently Netflix had been sitting on this for months because they were scared of releasing it shortly after Chapelle's special. But ultimately they cave-in and released it because they were scared of a right-wing backlash.

 

Leading up to the release of the special a lot of prominent trans users on Twitter noticed that Gervais blocked them in advanced, even if they never actually interacted with him before. So he knew full well what was about the backlash he was about to experience. At this point, the backlash is really all he has going for him. Would anyone actually be talking about the special if it weren't for these jokes?

[CastlevaniaNut18]

11 minutes ago, Kamusha said:

 

What don't you care about it? A little bit of background in case you don't already know, I'm a trans woman comedian who is using my platform to shed light on important issues while also keeping my audiences entertained. So it's kinda weird for me to see an entire art form denigrated just because of some transphobe.

I know what you are.

 

I just don't really care about standup comedy. Like I don't care for racing games or romance books.

[skillzdadirecta]

42 minutes ago, Kamusha said:

 

Yeah the scenes in LA and NY certainly intimidate me. I'd like to move to a major city eventually to get more work but currently not feeling either city. Half the comics in Orlando were certainly the way you described. You could never have an actual conversation with another comic, it just felt like a continual contest of who can add the funniest line.

 

And from my experience, those who do improv are much less competitive and better at being team players. I've recently started dating someone in improv, and I find his lack of ego to be very refreshing.

Chicago might be were you want to be then. Or maybe The Bay area... it's alot more chill there but expensive as fuck. I think Seattle might be cool too but I;ve never been. Austin has a pretty cool scene as well.

 

36 minutes ago, Kamusha said:

Would anyone actually be talking about the special if it weren't for these jokes?

Spoiler alert: Nope. Which is why he did it.

[Keyser_Soze]

It's gotten to the point where these Trans jokes are just as bad as a white guy using the N word. Imagine if there was a stand up comedy show staring Drew Carey and he was doing that whole Chris Rock N-word thing. It wouldn't fly, and doing the transphobia thing is basically the same way. Unless you're in the group you don't get to make the joke.

 

I'm reminded of that recent Jo Koy thing. He's not knocking the race but instead of making a funny observation (and of course he's asian too so that helps)

 

 

[Fizzzzle]

5 hours ago, Kamusha said:

 

 You could never have an actual conversation with another comic, it just felt like a continual contest of who can add the funniest line.

 

That is indeed what hanging out with comics is like: source: dabbled in comedy for a minute and one of my best friends/old roommate is (or at least was) a comic. Get more than one in a room together and it's exhausting.

[SaysWho?]

9 hours ago, Kamusha said:

What can I say, I don’t know how to break a bad habit.

It’s not a bad habit that’s you’re here. You’re always welcome.

[Spork3245]

11 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

I'm with you - I've never found stand-up comedy to be particularly entertaining or worth my time.

George Carlin’s stand ups are worth watching, though, but most modern ones from current comedians tend to be self-gratifying attention seeking hour+ long bits. There’s exceptions, but there’s been a big shift since the mid/late 2000s in the tone of most comedy specials, imo.

Watching the second half of the HBO Carlin documentary reminded me why I used to love stand up comedy, threads like this remind me why “not so much” these days. There was a point in history, and some may disagree, when comedians often were a voice of reason, those days are mostly gone; many just want to shock the audience to laugh at the outrage it seems.

[Bloodporne]

Like I said in that Chappelle thread, I fucking love standup comedy and I still have zero idea why Chappelle, and now Gervais, think this "angle" they're flogging here is even vaguely...funny or witty in any capacity? Gervais had some great bits in the past in my opinion, it's not like he's a hack. But much like with Chappelle, when they get into this topic they clearly don't understand in the least, it devolves into like fucking Sam Kinison vs. Hip Hop or Dice Clay vs. Women levels of embarrassing dreck. 

 

Granted, I wasn't actually asking that first question as I know the answer but still, that's what goes through my head just from a "fan of standup comedy as an art form" perspective from the get-go. Watching Chappelle slip into that insanely stupid "LGBTQ car ride" bit in that one special for example was a total wait, what happened moment already for me. 

 

PS: When I say I don't think Gervais is a hack, I mean a complete hack. I'm not a particular fan or follower, just have seen bits that were genuinely great here and there. Probably a long time ago? Also, he looks like my father which already makes me uncomfortable because that guy is a motherfucker. 

[Kal-El814]

3 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

Like I said in that Chappelle thread, I fucking love standup comedy and I still have zero idea why Chappelle, and now Gervais, think this "angle" they're flogging here is even vaguely...funny or witty in any capacity? Gervais had some great bits in the past in my opinion, it's not like he's a hack. But much like with Chappelle, when they get into this topic they clearly don't understand in the least, it devolves into like fucking Sam Kinison vs. Hip Hop or Dice Clay vs. Women levels of embarrassing dreck. 

 

Granted, I wasn't actually asking that first question as I know the answer but still, that's what goes through my head just from a "fan of standup comedy as an art form" perspective from the get-go. Watching Chappelle slip into that insanely stupid "LGBTQ car ride" bit in that one special for example was a total wait, what happened moment already for me. 

 

Here’s why:

 

 

 

Because they’re lazy and they fucking suck.

[SaysWho?]

Deon Cole is funny. He’s probably one of the more current ones I discovered recently and thoroughly enjoyed.

[Kal-El814]

This thread is a good encapsulation of what has happened to Chappelle and Gervais.

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

I gave it a netflix thumbs down and didn't watch it. I suggest you all do the same!

[CitizenVectron]

11 hours ago, Kamusha said:

So here's the tea that I heard, and I was aware of this before the special even dropped. But apparently Netflix had been sitting on this for months because they were scared of releasing it shortly after Chapelle's special. But ultimately they cave-in and released it because they were scared of a right-wing backlash.

 

Leading up to the release of the special a lot of prominent trans users on Twitter noticed that Gervais blocked them in advanced, even if they never actually interacted with him before. So he knew full well what was about the backlash he was about to experience. At this point, the backlash is really all he has going for him. Would anyone actually be talking about the special if it weren't for these jokes?

 

Yep:

 

 

[AbsolutSurgen]

Don't you kinda know what you're getting with Ricky Gervais?  All the outrage does is make more people interested in watching the special to see what all of the fuss is about.

[Keyser_Soze]

14 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Don't you kinda know what you're getting with Ricky Gervais?  All the outrage does is make more people interested in watching the special to see what all of the fuss is about.

 

OR maybe it sounds so repugnant you don't want to go anywhere near it.

[AbsolutSurgen]

3 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

OR maybe it sounds so repugnant you don't want to go anywhere near it.

People like to slow down to see the aftermath of a car crash on the highway.  It's human nature.

[stepee]

yes yes as always it’s not the bad thing that is the problem it’s that people are upset at the bad thing 

[skillzdadirecta]

8 hours ago, Fizzzzle said:

Get more than one in a room together and it's exhausting.

Yes it is. Exhausting and kinda lame... a bunch of try hards.

[AbsolutSurgen]

17 minutes ago, stepee said:

yes yes as always it’s not the bad thing that is the problem it’s that people are upset at the bad thing 

Providing free publicity for a "bad thing" is also a "bad thing".

[SaysWho?]

9 hours ago, Fizzzzle said:

That is indeed what hanging out with comics is like: source: dabbled in comedy for a minute and one of my best friends/old roommate is (or at least was) a comic. Get more than one in a room together and it's exhausting.

 

So it's like Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.

 

[Kamusha]

14 hours ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

I know what you are.

 

I just don't really care about standup comedy. Like I don't care for racing games or romance books.

 

Okay. Just letting you know I have pride in what I do similarly in how I'm sure you have pride in what you do. But please don't group my art form in with a transphobe. I tried to even it out by sharing a set from a trans comic but you didn't seem interested.

[Kamusha]

9 hours ago, Fizzzzle said:

That is indeed what hanging out with comics is like: source: dabbled in comedy for a minute and one of my best friends/old roommate is (or at least was) a comic. Get more than one in a room together and it's exhausting.

 

Yeah sadly it can be. Some comics don't really have the best social skills. But a comic with good social skills in an EXCELLENT conversationist.

[Kamusha]

5 hours ago, SaysWho? said:

It’s not a bad habit that’s you’re here. You’re always welcome.

 

[stepee]

17 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Providing free publicity for a "bad thing" is also a "bad thing".

 

ya people should should just be silent and let the transphobes do their thing, keep it constrained to the millions of built in audience they already have, that’ll show em

[skillzdadirecta]

21 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Providing free publicity for a "bad thing" is also a "bad thing".

Especially when that is exactly the desired outcome. Unlike other "bad things" the controversy is what these guys WANT.

[Guest]

43 minutes ago, stepee said:

yes yes as always it’s not the bad thing that is the problem it’s that people are upset at the bad thing 

 

When has signal boosting these people resulted in a positive outcome?

 

As the perfect thread title by CV said, Chappelle got cancelled right into 4 more specials. Try a new tactic because this one isn't working.

[stepee]

2 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Especially when that is exactly the desired outcome. Unlike other "bad things" the controversy is what these guys WANT.

 

I mainly made my remark because AS always seems to point his ire, at the very least, at the least problematic part of any issue, but I never see it pointed at the actual issue. IE: Maybe if you are going to post to condemn people for being upset at this bigot, -at least condemn him as well. And we certainly do not boost anyone on this board.

 

I usually agree with you on most items and I don’t need to die on this hill or anything, and certainly don’t have the energy for it today, but I’m not sure if just being silent is the thing?

 

I suppose it’s case by case, I guess for this I would want to defer to the trans community how they would like it handled and would respect it if that is indeed what they want. It’s just I would instinctively feel like if we just let people go out and bash trans people to an audience of millions and didn’t say anything, that could make someone feel very alone.

[skillzdadirecta]

12 minutes ago, stepee said:

 

ya people should should just be silent and let the transphobes do their thing, keep it constrained to the millions of built in audience they already have, that’ll show em

That's not what he's saying... you can speak out against hate speech but when it comes to comics you're LITERALLY GIVING THESE GUYS WHAT THEY WANT. If you really want Netflix to change, start a nation wide cancel Netflix movement and cite Chappelle and Gervais.  Otherwise you're literally just giving them free publicity. Gervais' special is in the top 10 in the U.S. right now. I'm sure not all of those viewers are "fans" of his. A not insignificant portion of them are there to see what all the fuss is about. Sometimes drawing attention to objectionable shit elevates it. Case in point: Trump 2016.

[stepee]

1 minute ago, skillzdadirecta said:

That's not what he's saying... you can speak out against hate speech but when it comes to comics you're LITERALLY GIVING THESE GUYS WHAT THEY WANT. If you really want Netflix to change, start a nation wide cancel Netflix movement and cite Chappelle and Gervais.  Otherwise you're kiterally just giving them free publicity. Gervais' special is in the top 10 in the U.S. right now. I'm sure not all of those viewers are "fans" of his. A not insignificant portion of them are there to see what all the fuss is about. Sometimes drawing attention to objectionable shit elevates it. Case in point: Trump 2016.

 

I agree with you when it comes to what we did with Trump and political coverage in general for sure. But I didn’t take the comment in the same way you did due to patterns.

[SaysWho?]

All this talk about punching down has made me think about the comics I've followed. There does seem to be an underdog flavor that many comics haven followed. I've been a Lewis Black fan since maybe middle school? And I don't think he's had a skit at the expense of marginalized people when I really think about it.

 

With all the swearing that's part of his "I'm on the Titanic and am the only one that seems to know what's about to happen," shtick, he's actually... not really that offensive.  He had one of the best bits about gay marriage from 2004. First two minutes alone are golden:

 

 

 

[skillzdadirecta]

2 minutes ago, stepee said:

 

I agree with you when it comes to what we did with Trump and political coverage in general for sure. But I didn’t take the comment in the same way you did due to patterns.

I see... wasn't aware of the personal thing between you and @AbsolutSurgen I just think when it comes to comics especially ones a s big as Gervais and CHappelle, ignoring them and making them irrelevant is probably more effective than giving them MORE attention. Joe Rogan isn't on my radar at ALL because at the end of the day he's not worth my time or mental energy. And I used to like the guy.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, stepee said:

And we certainly do not boost anyone on this board.

 

The board that is constantly hate posting tweets from bad people 100% is signal boosting them   I'm not that interested in this Gervais special, but literally the only reason I would watch it at this point is because of this very thread as I try to see things myself before commenting on them. This is exactly what Gervais wants! It is even baked into the structure of the show by being at the top. He hopes people tune in to see what the fuss is about and then stick around for the rest since it is already on.

[stepee]

1 minute ago, skillzdadirecta said:

I see... wasn't aware of the personal thing between you and @AbsolutSurgen I just think when it comes to comics especially ones a s big as Gervais and CHappelle, ignoring them and making them irrelevant is probably more effective than giving them MORE attention. Joe Rogan isn't on my radar at ALL because at the end of the day he's not worth my time or mental energy. And I used to like the guy.

 

You may be right, it is case by case and with comedians that makes sense to me logically. I do feel concern about trans people feeling alone if these things happen, and they will still be noticed of course, and nobody said anything. But maybe for the overall good as far as a tactic of removing these people from the limelight for the future and reducing overall damage they could cause if amplified it is indeed the right call in this case.

[skillzdadirecta]

2 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

I'm not that interested in this Gervais special, but literally the only reason I would watch it at this point is because of this very thread as I try to see things myself before commenting on them.

Same here. His special wasn't even on my radar until this thread 

[stepee]

3 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

 

The board that is constantly hate posting tweets from bad people 100% is signal boosting them   I'm not that interested in this Gervais special, but literally the only reason I would watch it at this point is because of this very thread as I try to see things myself before commenting on them. This is exactly what Gervais wants! It is even baked into the structure of the show by being at the top. He hopes people tune in to see what the fuss is about and then stick around for the rest since it is already on.

 

The board just doesn’t have enough people to boost anything is what I meant.