Ricky Gervais rejects calls to tone down comedy: 'Be offended if you want'
Ricky Gervais isn't backing away from controversial comedy.The comedian doubled down on his long-held defense of free speech during a recent radio interview, saying he has no interest in changing his material to avoid offending audiences — and arguing that backlash only adds to the joke."I don't tell people not to be offended; I tell them I don't care if they are. Be offended if you want, it makes it funnier for me," Gervais said during an appearance on BBC Radio 2.RICKY GERVAIS MOCKS GRAMMY WINNERS MAKING POLITICAL SPEECHES, SAYS THEY'RE 'STILL NOT LISTENING'The 65-year-old comic, whose stand-up specials have frequently sparked criticism over jokes about politics, gender identity, religion and celebrities, rejected the idea that he intentionally sets out to provoke audiences."You can't help by what you're offended by, but … don't expect me to care… It's a myth that I go out to offend.
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Ricky Gervais isn't backing away from controversial comedy.The comedian doubled down on his long-held defense of free speech during a recent radio interview, saying he has no interest in changing his material to avoid offending audiences — and arguing that backlash only adds to the joke."I don't tell people not to be offended; I tell them I don't care if they are. Be offended if you want, it makes it funnier for me," Gervais said during an appearance on BBC Radio 2.RICKY GERVAIS MOCKS GRAMMY WINNERS MAKING POLITICAL SPEECHES, SAYS THEY'RE 'STILL NOT LISTENING'The 65-year-old comic, whose stand-up specials have frequently sparked criticism over jokes about politics, gender identity, religion and celebrities, rejected the idea that he intentionally sets out to provoke audiences."You can't help by what you're offended by, but … don't expect me to care… It's a myth that I go out to offend. I never go out to offend," he said. "I just know that it's probably going to happen because everyone's different."Gervais argued that virtually any opinion can offend someone.RICKY GERVAIS SAYS HE HAD A 'BLAST' AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES: 'MAKE JOKES, NOT WAR'"There's nothing you can say, particularly anything that's mildly interesting or contentious or your viewpoint, that someone somewhere won't find offensive," he said.Reflecting on how reactions to comedy have evolved, Gervais said audiences today are quicker to take offense than they were two decades ago."And times have changed.
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- What's the story?
- Ricky Gervais isn't backing away from controversial comedy.The comedian doubled down on his long-held defense of free speech during a recent radio interview, saying he has no interest in changing his material to avoid offending audiences — and arguing that backlash only adds to the joke."I don't tell people not to be offended; I tell them I don't care if they are. Be offended if you want, it makes it funnier for me," Gervais said during an appearance on BBC Radio 2.RICKY GERVAIS MOCKS GRAMMY WINNERS MAKING POLITICAL SPEECHES, SAYS THEY'RE 'STILL NOT LISTENING'The 65-year-old comic, whose stand-up specials have frequently sparked criticism over jokes about politics, gender identity, religion and celebrities, rejected the idea that he intentionally sets out to provoke audiences."You can't help by what you're offended by, but … don't expect me to care… It's a myth that I go out to offend.
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- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
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- 10m ago.
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Ricky Gervais rejects calls to tone down comedy: 'Be offended if you want'
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