Ricky Gervais Faces Backlash regarding controversy once again after his Netflix special, SuperNature, was met with severe criticism. His jokes, which many have labeled as ‘outrageously offensive,’ have ignited a firestorm of backlash from LGBTQ rights organizations. Particularly GLAAD, which deemed the material ‘dangerous.’
GLAAD Condemns SuperNature for ‘Anti-Trans Rants’
The LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD has taken a strong stance against SuperNature, accusing it of disguising ‘anti-trans rants’ as humor while also spreading misinformation about HIV. GLAAD released a statement that read: “We watched the Ricky Gervais ‘comedy’ special on Netflix so you don’t have to. It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric and spreads inaccurate information about HIV.”
Gervais Defends His Comedy and Trans Rights
Despite the criticism, Gervais insists that he supports trans rights. He prefaced his routine by explaining irony: “That’s when I say something I don’t really mean, for comic effect, and you, as an audience, you laugh at the wrong thing because you know what the right thing is. It’s a way of satirizing attitudes.”
In an attempt to clarify his stance, Gervais stated, as quoted by The Guardian: “Full disclosure: in real life, of course, I support trans rights. I support all human rights, and trans rights are human rights. Live your best life. Use your preferred pronouns. Be the gender that you feel that you are. But meet me halfway, ladies: lose the c***. That’s all I’m saying.”
GLAAD Criticizes Netflix for Hosting the Special
GLAAD has also directed criticism at Netflix for giving Gervais a platform, accusing the streaming service of failing to enforce its own content policies. “The LGBTQ community and our allies have made it very clear that so-called comedians who spew hate in place of humor, and the media companies who give them a platform, will be held accountable,” the organization stated. “Meanwhile, there are PLENTY of funny LGBTQ comedians to support.”
National Center for Transgender Equality Joins the Criticism
Alexis Rangel, a representative from the National Center for Transgender Equality, echoed GLAAD’s concerns, warning that jokes like Gervais’ perpetuate ‘dehumanizing myths about transgender people,’ potentially inciting discrimination and violence.
Ricky Gervais, Now Cancelled Pushes Back Against ‘Cancel Culture’
Ricky Gervais Faces Backlash, but remains unfazed. In SuperNature, he dismissed claims that ‘words are actual violence,’ arguing, “These people are virtue signaling … they’re basically saying that minorities don’t have a sense of humor, which is so patronizing.”
Parallels to Dave Chappelle’s Controversy
The backlash against SuperNature mirrors that of Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special, The Closer, which also faced criticism for jokes about the trans community. Protests and staff walkouts at Netflix led the company to update its corporate culture guidelines, reaffirming its commitment to artistic expression. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos defended Chappelle, stating: “You can’t please everybody or the content would be pretty dull. I do think that the inclusion of the special on Netflix is consistent with our comedy offering.”
Read More: What Tom Hanks Said on SNL That Triggered a Backlash
Gervais Says He Can Justify His Material
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Gervais dismissed fears of being ‘canceled.’ “I’m aware of it, but I can justify everything. I don’t go out there and just say the first thing that comes to my head, thinking there is no consequence … Everything I do, I’ve got to be able to go, ‘This is why it’s okay,’” he said.
He also emphasized the role of comedy in addressing difficult subjects: “It’s like I’m taking them by the hand through a scary forest, but it’s alright in the end, and we can all laugh about it. That’s what comedy’s for, to get you through scary things.”
‘True Cancellation Only Happens When You Break the Law’
While Ricky Gervais Faces Backlash, he further argued that genuine cancellation only occurs when someone breaks the law. “Some people didn’t like it, fine. You actually have to break the law to be properly canceled. Otherwise, some people didn’t like it, that’s fine, it’s the way of the world,” he said.
Mortality Continues Gervais’ Provocative Humor
Following SuperNature, Gervais’ latest tour, Mortality, has continued his trend of controversial humor. Critics have labeled him a ‘pub bore,’ while others have praised his return to the stage. His set includes contentious jokes about figures such as Jimmy Savile and Rosie Jones, as well as religious and cultural topics. One joke about sharia law in Pakistan concludes with the punchline: “Liberals hate religious fascism and abuse of girls except when it’s in Pakistan.”
Gervais’ Most Controversial Jokes in SuperNature
Among his most contentious jokes in SuperNature was a remark about ‘old-fashioned women’ – defined as ‘the ones with wombs.’ He continued: “I love the new women. They’re great, aren’t they? The new ones we’ve been seeing lately. The ones with beards and c***s.” Additionally, he joked about bathroom debates: “Well, his p**is.”
His segment on HIV also drew ire. Gervais remarked: “That’s not as good as it was, AIDS … in its heyday, it was f*ing amazing, wasn’t it, AIDS?” He then mimicked a gay man in the 1980s refusing s due to the risk, contrasting it with today’s attitudes: “Now it’s, ‘Give it here. I’ll take pills for the rest of my life.’”
The Debate Over the Limits of Comedy
As the controversy around SuperNature continues with Ricky Gervais cancelled, it raises broader questions about the role of comedy in society. Should comedians be allowed to joke about anything, or should there be boundaries? For now, Ricky Gervais remains firm in his belief that comedy should tackle even the most difficult subjects—regardless of the backlash.
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