Ricky Gervais, Is he like Marmite? Options

[superfurryandy]

I watched some of Ricky Gervais lst night and was struck once again by the fact that even though I really dug The Office, I find him intensely dislikable and unfunny as a 'comedian'. A friend of mine said this earlier...

People marvel at how accurately and perceptively he managed to portray the loathsome Brent... let's just describe it as method acting and move on.

... and I tend to agree.

But what do you think? Was The Office, like Phoenix Nights, unfairly attributed to the 'genius' of one man alone, or would you like to have Ricky's babies?

[Zoe]

I've seen 'Politics' before and by far my favourite thing is Ricky's demented relationship with the long suffering Robin Ince.

Quality stand-up and a great comic writer, what's not to like?

[ella]

I hated The Office. I found him cringeworthy - I realise that this was the point of the character, but it was so convincing I couldn't bear to watch him. I know I am in a minority with my Office hatred, but I just couldn't watch the programme.

Never watched his stand-up because of aforemnetioned revulsion.

[kateykinz]

not too keen on the guy really.

[beatoswald]

I think he was key to the sucess of The Office but not wholly responsible for it. As a stand-up comic I think he's good but not particulary original and plays the arrogant/ignorant persona too much. Overall, I like him but wouldn't have his babies.

[The Phantom]

I thought the office was marvellous and could relate to it an enormous amount working in that sort of environment. the first gervais stand up dvd I saw 'animals' was it ? was very funny in places but the second one 'politics' just didn't really do it for me.

[Chris]

Hmmm good topic SFA.

I oscillate between thinking he's brilliant and average [though never ever bad]. I really loved The Office, perhaps Steve Merchant is overlooked, but Gervais is a consumate performer. I really like Animals and also Politics. I quite like trying to detect the differences between Ricky G [as if "we" can know him] and his oh so obvious alter ego - David Brent. It think that's why i like him...it's a brilliant construction/conceit because "we" never actually know Ricky, who, what
he is. His stage presence/ego dynamic is a master stroke. So, even if his stage[y] self is close to his social self, i sort of don't care because he has the performative skill to conceal and reveal at the same time. None of us actually know him, so the Ricky Gervais as David Brent, Ricky Gervais as comedian on stage and Ricky Gervais interviewed by Jonathan Ross et al is a constant game of revelation, half truth, guess work etc. I think it's a pretty clever and timely intervention into the comedy culture. Al Murray has a similar skewering of received opinion via characterisation thing going on doesn't he? But the crucial difference being; The Pub Landlord is so over coded/played one can't possibly mistake him for Murray. Gervais has just redrawn the map in that respect...the boundaries are just more blurred....how postmodern

My girlfriend and I saw Politics 'live' and I love watching his performance skill in delivering the lines as if for the first time. Great lesson in delivery...probably only matched by Stewart Lee and bettered by Sean Lock.

Having said all that. I voted that "The Office was good but he's a one trick pony" category. Perhaps he is a one trick pony [maybe a trick and half!?] but it's a trick I like watching, one he does well and with skill

Chris

This post has been edited by Chris: Jun 3 2005, 01:37 PM

[whitey]

Politics really does seem like a weak cash-in on the success of the quite good Animals which itself was an Office cash-in. Not a big Office fan but I always found him funny on The 11 O'Clock Show. But that may have been because it always seemed like he hated Iain Lee as much as I did.

But yeah, Politics is wank.

This post has been edited by whitey: Jun 3 2005, 01:38 PM

[Twiglet]

i think he's ok..i enjoyed the eps of the Office that i've seen and i found his standup enjoyable too.

[beatoswald]

......I quite like trying to detect the differences between Ricky G [as if "we" can know him] and his oh so obvious alter ego - David Brent. It think that's why i like him...it's a brilliant construction/conceit because "we" never actually know Ricky, who, what
he is......

Chris

I like what you say but couldn't the same be said of quite a few comedians, like Dylan Moran's angry drunk routine. Arguably others do it more subtly than Gervais, he seems to have set ways of delivery; to accentuate different aspects of him. Like when he leans into the audience, grins and nods his head as he builds his joke up. Or after a speech when pauses then slips in the most 'contraversial' remark then walks sharply along the stage, straigtening his nose. It seems too contrived and nudge-nudge to me. I know he doesn't mean most of what he says.

[Chapman Baxter]

I consider The Office an absolute masterpiece. Yes, Chris Langham did much the same thing before with People Like Us, but the execution of The Office was masterful. I also love his Xfm show with Stephen Merchant. I like his stand-up, but don't really rate him compared to, say, Bill Bailey or Eddie Izzard. As Chris mentioned, perhaps Stephen Merchant's contributions are the key to elevating Ricky Gervais from good to great.

[spacegurl]

I like him, i think Animals was better than Politics but he's still a great comedian.
He just seems really up-front without being big-headed and watching him on stage he just seems so natural as if he's just with mates, rather than trying too hard to perform.

[shinyelvenqueen]

I really enjoyed both his stand ups. The office was cringeworthy and didn't enjoy it at first. The christmas special was a godsend tho.

i think most people might get pissed off with him coz he started stand up after no time at all unlike the people who work for a very long time eg, billy connolly.

[fear_of_pop]

I loved him on the 11 o clock show, and then on his own chat show type thingy. (Which I just got on dvd and watched again for the first time since it was on - it's still ace.)
I loved The Office, but I don't think it's my favourite thing of his... listening to his XFM show is funnier sometimes. But The Office is still one of the best sitcoms I've ever seen - just not one I get the need to watch over and over again on dvd.
Can't wait to see what he's done with Extras.

[Chris]

I like what you say but couldn't the same be said of quite a few comedians, like Dylan Moran's angry drunk routine.

Oh absolutely. I'm quite sure it's a developed style adopted by many performers. Johnny Vegas of course also springs to mind. I just think Ricky walks that line quite well. He also has quite a high profile but he's still something of an unknown quantity. I don't think for a moment he's an unthinking racist, nor an over apologetic PC idiot...but I genuinely don't know what he is cos he's always playing "Ricky"..."is he a wanker?" "Dunno?" and I love not knowing


Chris