Ashley Cain and many others have criticised Ricky Gervais for his joke about dying children.
Watch below:
The comedian took to social media on Wednesday (29 November) to promote his upcoming Netflix special Armageddon.
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Many were outraged after Gervais shared a snippet of his 'Make a Wish' joke, in which he said: "I’ve been doing a lot of video messages recently for terminally ill children.
"Only if they request it, obviously. I don’t burst into hospitals and go, 'Wake up baldy'.”
He continued: "I did a lot through the pandemic, presumably because they couldn’t even see their own families.
"It was through Make a Wish Foundation. They’re great.
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"And they give these dying kids their one wish.
"And if it’s me, I always say yes. And I always start the video the same way. I go, 'Why don’t you wish to get better?'."
The Ex on the Beach star - whose daughter Azaylia died from cancer in 2021 aged eight months - commented on the skit, writing: "I was actually a fan of Ricky Gervais but after watching his stand up with my family and hearing multiple jokes about terminally ill children and especially kids with cancer I had to turn it off.
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"Some things are not funny, especially to those parents that are left behind.
"You can get cancelled in this world for so much, yet making a mockery of dying children is ok? I'm so mad at this!"
Another viewer agreed with Cain's sentiments, adding: "This is extremely disheartening. How could you joke about dying children.
"One of those 'baldies' was my baby. Suffered & died before the age of six. And some how you find it comical. You are what’s wrong with this world.
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"Taking something so tragic & then try to make 'light' of it & then have to justify how 'it’s only an act'. You’re the joke of this whole thing. A true piece of work."
"No. IT IS NOT A JOKE. My daughter is a Baldy fighting Cancer," a third person wrote.
"I don't find this funny. People, learn.. some lines should never be crossed. You don't want to make jokes on terminally ill children. NO."
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Meanwhile, others saw it as a joke and nothing else.
One commented: "So for everyone getting offended -just keep scrolling. You have the ability to block Ricky and never watch his content again. He does so much for charities. He donates millions.
"He is such a decent person, he acts like he’s a meanie. I highly recommend 'After Life' it’s one of the most beautiful series I’ve ever seen!!"
"When a comedian needs to explain that he is joking... the world sucks right now. You are doing great, Ricky," someone else wrote.
LADbible has contacted a representative of Ricky Gervais for comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Ricky Gervais, Netflix
Anish Vij