Comedian Ricky Gervais has sparked both celebration and criticism with his new hour-long comedy special, Armageddon.
This is Gervais’s third Netflix special, which turned into record ticket sales for the show’s live tour from 2022 to 2023.
In Armageddon, Gervais tackles topics such as sex, death, paedophilia, race, religion, disability, free speech, global warming, the holocaust, and even Elton John. Gervais warned on X (previously Twitter) that if “you don’t approve of jokes about any of these things, then please don’t watch. You won’t enjoy it and you’ll get upset.”
Released on Christmas Day in Australia, the special currently holds a 62 per cent audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Gervais opens the special by addressing the backlash to his previous Netflix special, SuperNature, poking fun at critics with a simple “You can [say that]. I did.”
Fellow comedian Daniel Howell, pointed out the irony of Gervais being paid by Netflix to complain about the word “woke” for an entire hour.
While some fans on a Ricky Gervais-themed subreddit expressed discontent over reused jokes, others defended the comedian’s anti-“woke” stance. Gervais himself expressed confidence in the success of Armageddon, teasing that it may become his “biggest special ever” and joking that it’s a win-win situation for him and the animals he supports through charitable donations.
He pushes boundaries by questioning the usefulness of prayer, critiquing the majority of the population, and even delving into the sensitive topic of language.
As the special concludes, Gervais thanks the audience for their support and emphasises the importance of humour in navigating through life’s challenges.
The “bottom line,” Gervais said during a recent interview with BBC Radio, is that “no one has to watch this.”
