Ricky Gervais’s new Netflix comedy special SuperNature debuted today, and even though I’m only about ten minutes in, I can tell you for a fact that I find it hilarious. In a really masterful way, Gervais opens up the special with a discussion about the art of comedy, people’s personal views, and cancel culture.
In a not-so-shocking turn of events, some idiots people think that Gervais should be cancelled for the jokes he made in the special, specifically ones relating to the trans community – oh wait, does this sound familiar?
In his opening, Gervais says blatantly that he is going to use irony and tropes that both he and the audience know aren’t true in order to push the line and make people laugh. If you’re wondering what doing that is called, the most simple definition is “comedy.” His jokes included a “women aren’t funny” segment, where he stated clearly that there are “loads of funny women out there,” while mixing in jokes that imply that no women are funny. He also talked about “new women,” saying, ” I love the new women. They’re great, aren’t they? The new ones we’ve been seeing lately. The ones with beards and cocks. They’re as good as gold, I love them.”
After jokes relating to that, he explains that comedy is subjective, and you can’t say that someone’s jokes aren’t funny, you have to say that you don’t find them funny. You can’t say that someone’s comedy is offensive, you have to say that you find it offensive. He’s making an excellent point about audience, the nature of art vs. artist, and society as a whole. He goes into the new aged “rules of comedy” that woke society wants and makes it clear that he finds that all ridiculous. Maybe because it is ridiculous, but who’s to say?
We’re about to come into another Chappelle-like fire-frenzy of anyone with a Twitter account and pronouns in his/her/their/its bio lashing out at jokes taken out of context that aren’t meant for his/her/their/its ears. We’re entering a world in which Netflix is going to go down as a place for “transphobic people to put out comedy.” There’s nothing we can do about it, so plop down on your couch, fire up the TV, and go on Netflix to watch the special, Decide for yourself if you find it funny or offensive, and then shut up about it because no one really cares if you didn’t like it. There’s an off button on phones, laptops, and TVs. People need to learn how to use it.
