Ricky Gervais Thinks People Are Sick Of ‘Virtue Signalling’ Celebs
The comedian was praised for his 2020 Golden Globes monologue
Aside from being an award-winning comedian and writer, Ricky Gervais is also known for his disdain for celebrity culture.
During his five appearances as the host of the Golden Globes, the 60-year-old was never shy in letting some of the biggest names in Hollywood know exactly what he thought of them.
Whether it was poking fun at Caitlyn Jenner and Mel Gibson or Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Affleck, no one was safe.
But his most scathing monologue came in 2020, when he hit out at celebrities for daring to tell us regular people how to live our lives.
Rounding off his opening speech, the After Life star said: "So if you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech. You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything.
"You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.
"So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God and f**k off, OK? It’s already three hours long."
Unsurprisingly, it went down like a storm, at least with those of us norms watching back at home anyway.
Speaking about the monologue, Ricky said this week that he thinks it's because people loved it so much because they had fallen out of love with celebs.
He told The Sun: "2020 was my favourite one. That one captured the imagination.
"The first time I did it, ten years ago, everyone was, like, 'Ah, how can you talk to these wonderful multi-millionaires, how can you talk to these beautiful people, like that? We love celebrities'.
"By the last one it was, like, 'God, give it to them, we hate celebrities!'
"I know what it is. With all of the austerity and people struggling, they think, 'Why are these people lecturing me? They’re going to an awards ceremony in a limo and are telling me to recycle?'
"People just got sick of it, just got sick of virtue signalling. And they were like a beacon to aim their wrath at.
"The people with nothing became tired of being lectured by people who had everything."
Ricky explained that it's a key part of being a comedian, to thumb his nose at the powerful, but he said it can be tough because he recognises that he has a foot in either camp.
He added: "In comedy, traditionally, we are jesters. We have low status. So I’m down in the mud with the other peasants, having a go.
"I’ve got to be on their side. That’s why I go out there with a beer and look like a slob, because I’ve got to show people that I’m on their side.
"And that’s what is hard nowadays, to be a stand-up comedian and keep your lower status, because everyone knows how much you’ve earned."
He added: "So I do it in two ways. I act like a slob. I go out in bad jeans and a bad T-shirt and drink beer out of a can. I remind them I’m one of them, I shouldn’t be here, I’m lucky.
"Then I do it another way. I talk about things where they’re better off than me. I’m fat, old and bald. I’m going to die before them. I’ve got a bad back. I talk about all those things that are wrong with me."
Featured Image Credit: NBCTopics: Ricky Gervais, TV and Film, Golden Globes
Dominic Smithers