Ricky Gervais has called out what he sees as a double standard in what is “acceptable” to make fun of. Speaking with BBC Radio 4’s This Cultural Life in an episode set to air on January 1st, the comedian questioned why “the working classes” are “the one thing that it seems to be fine to take the mickey out of with no blowback at all.”
Gervais was speaking about how many UK sitcoms are about the working class: “We are obsessed with it, and so we should be, I think,” he said (via The Times). “I’m much more aware of it now. I’m not working class any more, but I was.” He labeled class a “power struggle” and went on to say that despite recognition of other power struggles, this is one area people still seem to fall short.
“People understand most power struggles — they understand why racism, homophobia and misogyny are wrong but they are very disparaging about the working classes. It’s the one thing that it seems to be fine to take the mickey out of with no blowback at all,” Gervais said.
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The comedian has received plenty of “blowback” himself for “taking the mickey out of” disadvantaged groups before. While Gervais said he doesn’t necessarily regret those jokes, he would “probably” change his approach if he were touching on similar topics today. “You are a product of your time and you do make things for people of your time,” he said. “I’d put trigger warnings on things, but I wouldn’t go back and change something 1767087858… Do I regret anything? No. Would I do things differently now? Probably.”
Gervais’ new comedy special, Mortality, will debut on Netflix on December 30th. Despite not being out yet, it’s up for a Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television Golden Globe. With the awards ceremony set for January 11th, Gervais said, “I’m probably not going to the Golden Globes… It’s too far to go. It takes a lot to get me off the couch with my cat and my girlfriend watching Netflix.”
