Ricky Gervais Says He Defeated Cancel Culture: ‘We Won’
No wonder the original version of The Office, star in other award-winning comedies and headline several stand-up specials, but he also defeated cancel culture. What a resume!
“We've had a few weird years of cancel culture, people telling you what you can and can’t laugh at or talk about,” Gervais told the assembled on the sidewalk as he accepted the honor. “But we pushed back, and we won — until the next time.”
How did Gervais triumphantly, albeit temporarily, win the war on cancel culture? He didn’t explicitly say, although he credited “a cocktail of luck, persistence and a little bit of pushing against the tide” for his career achievements.
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He also confessed that he tells divisive jokes for profit. “You've got to polarize. You need to know that if you’re doing anything of any worth, as many people hate you as love you,” he said. “The ones that hate you, they shouldn’t affect you. The ones that love you, they buy your house.”
This isn’t the first time Gervais has declared victory over cancel culture. In his 2023 Netflix special Armageddon, he also bragged about overthrowing imaginary straw men, er, cancel culture. “Big backlash. People going, ‘You can’t say that!’” he crowed about the reaction to his previous special, Supernature. “You can say that, and I did!”
This is the 2020s version of Gervais, claiming that comedy bogeymen are out to get him, but through defiant bravery and sheer hilarity, his jokes win the day. The faceless monsters who try to cancel him continue to be anonymous, but rest assured, Gervais has slayed those dragons nonetheless.
At least Christopher Guest was there at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony to take the piss out of Gervais, who cackled with delight as he was roasted. Guest joked that Gervais had called him a few days before the ceremony, asking, “Would you mind terribly if I wrote your remarks?”
“No, it's your call,” Guest supposedly responded. “It’s your day.”
He then proceeded to read the tribute that Gervais allegedly scripted for him: “Genius is an exceedingly rare commodity. Aristotle, Newton, Einstein, Madame Curie — these are names that echo through history, casting a brilliant light for all to see. That very light is shining upon us here today in Hollywood.”
“Fuck, geez,” said Guest, not quite believing the tribute he’s being forced to give. He continued for another few lines, such as “We are the fortunate few who get to bathe in its glory,” before giving up entirely. “You get the idea. This is just awful.”
At least Guest’s tongue was firmly in cheek when he pumped up his friend’s accomplishments. There was no “just kidding” tone when Gervais once again took credit for beating back cancel culture.
