Ahead of his upcoming comedy special, titled ‘Armageddon’, British comedian Ricky Gervais has insisted to the media that he wants to get “canceled” and refuses to hold anything back, even with the potential risk of blowback.
“There’s no subject you shouldn’t joke about. It depends on the joke,” Gervais told the Wall Street Journal in a Monday profile, adding that those who criticize jokes often mistake its subject with the target.
“You can joke about anything, but it depends on what the actual target is. If you use irony and people see that at face value and think you’re saying one thing but you’re actually saying the opposite,” he said.
In a separate interview with Heat, the ‘After Life’ star insisted his goal with the special was to get ‘canceled’.
“I’m treating it like it’s my last one ever. It won’t be, but I want to put everything into it. I want to try and get cancelled. No, I just want to go all out there,” the comedian said.
Gervais made waves in 2020 during his fifth appearance as the host of the Golden Globes with a dismissive attitude toward the ceremony and an opening that targeted many Hollywood celebrities as hypocrites who hijack awards shows to make political statements. His performance continues to be shared widely by fans as a takedown of woke culture, though it earned mixed reactions in the room.
Asked if he “killed” the Golden Globes with his anti-Hollywood rant, Gervais insisted it’s not his fault the event has since seen ratings plummet.
“The last time I hosted it was two years ago, and it feels like a different time … when the worst thing that was happening was me insulting actors,” he said.