Ricky Gervais: Humanity

[Blue Jam]

I mainly watch Netflix via the Xbox app and these one-off stand-up specials always seem to be at the top, complete with an autoplay trailer. I assume those estimates of $10-20 million per special aren't far off when Netflix plug them this relentlessly.

$20 million is also peanuts compared to what it must cost to produce a whole series of Netflix Originals like Altered Carbon or The Crown.

A big draw with the comedy specials is that you can use the Netflix phone apps to listen to them- you don't really need the visuals, and this makes them perfect for listening to at work. They're a bit like very expensive comedy podcasts, then, but the appeal is understandable.

[Timothy]

I mainly watch Netflix via the Xbox app and these one-off stand-up specials always seem to be at the top, complete with an autoplay trailer. I assume those estimates of $10-20 million per special aren't far off when Netflix plug them this relentlessly.

isn't that based on your personal account? I never have the stand ups on top, always movies.

[FredNurke]

I misread the thread title as Ricky Gervais: Humility and nearly died laughing, a response he's unlikely to induce in me again in this lifetime.

[Blue Jam]

isn't that based on your personal account? I never have the stand ups on top, always movies.

I can't see a way to change my preferences there, but I guess it could be because I watch a lot of comedy, though mainly sitcoms. I still get trailers for all their big, expensive original productions though, and stuff like Star Trek which I have never had any interest in. Just now I saw a trailer for Icarus, which I think is a documentary on doping in sport, and I can't think why Netflix would recommend that to me personally.

I  also just got the Humanity trailer again...

I misread the thread title as Ricky Gervais: Humility and nearly died laughing, a response he's unlikely to induce in me again in this lifetime.

Try watching the trailer, that thought will seem even funnier.

[checkoutgirl]

$20 million is also peanuts compared to what it must cost to produce a whole series of Netflix Originals like Altered Carbon or The Crown.

$20 million is not really peanuts compared to the Crown which probably costs a couple of million per episode. 10 episodes would probably be 20 to 30 million I'm guessing so a series would be comparable to a Gervais or Seinfeld special. But they are willing to outlay 20 or 30 million on a Gervais or Seinfeld because they are brands in themselves with worldwide recognition. It's a science. Their bums on seats would be that global brand. Gervais doing the Golden Globes was a crock of shit but it didn't half put his name out there, in America especially.

The only bothersome thing about Gervais being a great salesman with a recognisable brand with poor material is how much he wanks on about the importance of being the exact opposite, i.e an auteur with original ideas with no regard for marketability. But I think Gervais is sincere in his beliefs, he just doesn't realise the difference between what he is and what he thinks he is, like a lot of people.

[Noodle Lizard]

They paid Gervais more than any other comedian for his special, though.  Is he THAT popular now?  They don't even seem to be promoting it very heavily, nor have they done with anything he's given them really, especially compared to stuff like Chapelle and Chris Rock.

I understand the subscriber system, but generally you'd think their aim is to attract new ones.  I can't imagine many people signing up for an account (and sticking with it) based on this special alone, so $20m seems like an awful lot to acquire it.  I'm sure some of their series cost less per season.

[checkoutgirl]

I'm sure some of their series cost less per season.

At least half of their series cost less per season. I think you might be underestimating Gervais as a brand. Most white van man, non comedy people on the street know who he is. My mother knows who he is. Does she know who Anthony Jeselnik or Amy Schumer is? No chance. Has she heard of Bojack Horseman or Hannibal Burress or Orange is the New Black? No chance. People who don't have Netflix or even cable TV know who Gervais is, whether they like it or not.

It's a bitter pill to swallow for Cabbers but he is a megastar with global brand recognition. He helped popularise mockumentary in the early 2000s. He probably still has the most successful podcast in history to the present day. The Golden Globes thing made him even more famous. Chris Guest, Larry David and Matt Groening are self professed fans.

Gervais is like Gallagher or Yakof Schmirnoff in the eighties in that it's hard to find a fan but absolutely everyone seems to know who they are. Either Gervais has pictures of the CEO of Netflix bumming the ceremonial goat or he's comparable to the Beatles in America for sheer recognition and I'm sure it's the latter. Getting some sort of special out of him for millions just makes economic sense.

Even if it doesn't work. The way they see it is if you get 3 guys who have huge careers and overpay them and only 2 of them actually bring home the bacon then that's fine. It's like spending 200 million on 3 big budget films and 1 is a flop and 2 make the big money. Overall it's a hedge fund type bet and the way Hollywood has worked for decades.

Also it could be a way of legitimasing Netflix, like yeah, we're the real deal, we can afford to pay for these overpaid faded stars with big names and nothing else. People who wouldn't otherwise take them seriously are subconsciously thing well they can get Gervais, maybe they are a proper company.

[Z]

I'd be stunned if  a 20 million deal for him didn't include committing to acting in a few Netflix films and the rights to at least one future TV show and stand-up special with it.

[Ferris]

I think I'm too mentally exhausted of Gervais to hate-watch this, and I've never even seen Derek.

[Blue Jam]

I don't think anyone's trying to deny that Gervais is a major global brand, I think we're having some trouble trying to fathom why it's him of all British comedians. Also I can see why he's been so successful as a writer and actor, I'm more baffled by the demand for him in things where he's just playing himself- stuff like Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee where most guests are fun to watch and then he's so charmless and unlikable... Then again, Piers Morgan...

I would have thought James Corden would be the big name Netflix were after now, and while he's not popular on here I find his success much easier to understand. He has a lot more charm and likability and he's actually a decent straight actor as well as a comedy performer, and I still don't see him popping up all over the place like Gervais. Maybe he's too busy with voice acting in animated films, though.

There's also Corden's infamous Gervais impression... Gervais must have seen that- I wonder if he reacted with his usual sense of humour failure and vowed never to appear on The Late Late Show or work with Corden on anything ever.

[checkoutgirl]

I think we're having some trouble trying to fathom why it's him of all British comedians.

Probably the Office. That's his golden ticket. Big names in Hollywood know about and respect the Office. The American version only helped. Craig Ferguson, James Corden, Jimmy Carr, Piers Morgan, John Oliver, all Brits who broke America but none of them have The Office behind them. Americans seem to revere it beyond reason, like it's in the top 5 comedy shows of all time and Gervais is the saviour of comedy and a genius of our time.

Horsheshit of course but that seems to be the prevailing thought for a lot of famous and influential people. They put him up on a pedestal with Larry David and George Carlin and people like that.

[Jockice]

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/ricky-gervais-interview-humanity-netflix-caitlyn-jenner-donald-trump-office-a8248241.html

Discuss. If you want.

[Bronzy]

Probably the Office. That's his golden ticket. Big names in Hollywood know about and respect the Office. The American version only helped. Craig Ferguson, James Corden, Jimmy Carr, Piers Morgan, John Oliver, all Brits who broke America but none of them have The Office behind them. Americans seem to revere it beyond reason, like it's in the top 5 comedy shows of all time and Gervais is the saviour of comedy and a genius of our time.

Horsheshit of course but that seems to be the prevailing thought for a lot of famous and influential people. They put him up on a pedestal with Larry David and George Carlin and people like that.

And yet Stephen Merchant has only recently become known in America because of Logan.

Willing to bet he was mainly responsible for The Office, as everything Gervais has done without Merchant has been utter, utter shit.

[Z]

The Office probably served as something of a reintroduction to a lot of Americans to English TV in general. I get the impression it, with the possible lingering exception of Monty Python, was very much a fringe thing beforehand after decades of PBS/whoever putting on stuff like Are You Being Served ad nauseum and the stink of them killing the chances of anything else with a remotely similar presentation.

[Ferris]

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/ricky-gervais-interview-humanity-netflix-caitlyn-jenner-donald-trump-office-a8248241.html

Discuss. If you want.

That line about Caitlyn Jenner was just nasty. What is wrong with this prick?

Next paragraph "I don't want to be labelled a shock comedian because I've never done that".

What a cunt.

[checkoutgirl]

"I take the audience to places they haven't been before," he says.

Where? The Brixton Academy? What the fuck is he on about? Most comedians are too self aware to speak like that.

[checkoutgirl]

The Office probably served as something of a reintroduction to a lot of Americans to English TV in general. I get the impression it, with the possible lingering exception of Monty Python, was very much a fringe thing beforehand after decades of PBS/whoever putting on stuff like Are You Being Served ad nauseum and the stink of them killing the chances of anything else with a remotely similar presentation.

Monty Python and The Office seem to be the two touchstones Americans have for British comedy.

[Sebastian Cobb]

And yet Stephen Merchant has only recently become known in America because of Logan.

Merchant was much less known here as well though wasn't he?

I actually looked him up recently on wikipedia to see what he was up to and he seems to have been busier in the US since the 2010's than he has here. He's done a fair bit of telly over there, including Hello Ladies (which tbh sounds a bit shit).

I was quite surprised to see he's an executive producer of Lip Sync Battle.

[ieXush2i]

Fuck me, the traditional role of the comedian is court jester, consider me fucking blown away by this observation

[Twed]

Monty Python and The Office seem to be the two touchstones Americans have for British comedy.

And Benny Hill (which really should be considered theirs, even if we produced it).

[ieXush2i]

i feel gervais's impressive skills as a brazen journo-flattering salesman are being overlooked somewhat in the international success of The Office.

[BritishHobo]

I don't court controversy

THAT'S ALL YOU DO. Every time, you hype up how offensive and edgy you're going to be, then proper play up how offended everyone was afterwards, as if it's a total shock and surprise that anyone could have been.

stop it BritishHobo, you've left this life behind - you're on the straight and narrow, you can't turn back -

YOUR ENTIRE SENSE OF HUMOUR IS BASED AROUND SAYING THINGS YOU KNOW ARE EDGY AND OFFENSIVE. YOU STILL WRITE SONGS CALLED THINGS LIKE 'DON'T MOCK THE DISABLEDS' BASED ON THE FUNNY IDEA THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT TO YOU

oh no

[Petey Pate]

He was okay in Muppets: Most Wanted.

[Twit 2]

No he wasn't.

[Ornlu]

He did the dance in it.

[Blue Jam]

Monty Python and The Office seem to be the two touchstones Americans have for British comedy.

Don't forget Benny Hill... we have, they haven't...

[Brundle-Fly]

Humanity might be good. Give it a chance.  I'm not going to watch this on Tuesday with my arms folded, rolling my eyes; all comedy is shit if you do that. But I'm sort of hoping it will be shit because the schadenfreude on here will make me laugh like a drain.

At least he galvanised Stewart Lee to get back into stand up comedy, so we must be thankful for that.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2010/07/28/11445/they_said_i_was_ripping_off_ricky_gervais...

[Sebastian Cobb]

Human offal, more like!!

[notjosh]

Staggered that it's taken him 15 years of stand-up to figure this out:

he believes Humanity marks his finest stand-up work yet ("that's really hard for me to say"), and all because of the approach. Rather than begin Humanity like an Edinburgh show or a TV episode, as he did the other standups, Gervais decided to develop the material while on the road.

"I discovered that writing it was largely a waste of time compared to performing it," he says. "If I spend 10 hours writing something, half of the jokes would not work. But if I spent 10 hours performing, in 10 hours they would all work.

[checkoutgirl]

"If I spend 10 hours writing something, half of the jokes would not work. But if I spent 10 hours performing, in 10 hours they would all work.

He might mean something that is articulated really badly here. Although I can't think what he means.