Watch Ricky Gervais: Humanity

Ricky Gervais: Humanity is a 2018 comedy special on Netflix starring the infamous British television personality and comedian, Ricky Gervais. In this production, Gervais tackles a wide range of topics, covering everything from fame, politics, and social media to animal rights, himself and, most daring, the Holocaust. As is typical of Gervais, he pulls no punches and makes no apologies, delivering his thoughts with his usual caustic wit, provocation, and charm.

The show was filmed at the Apollo Hammersmith in London, and the stage features just a stool and a bottle of water. Gervais begins his set by commenting on the audience's enthusiasm, noting that it seems like they're "expecting a Messiah." He pokes fun at this by referring to his "messiah-like status" as an actor and comedian, considering that he has been in a couple of films despite publicly stating that he is not interested in acting.

Gervais then jumps into the first of many controversial topics, joking about animal lovers and how their devotion to their pets compares to caring for humans. He also discusses his dislike for trophy hunters and how their actions give him visceral reactions. The comedian juxtaposes this discussion with humorously delivering stories about his pets and his efforts to keep them out of harm's way.

He continues his set by challenging the audience's views on important topics, one of them being what he calls a "social media cancer." Social media is a topic that Gervais has spoken critically in the past, and the Humanity show is no exception. He makes a strong argument about how technology has downsides, particularly the impact that the ease of posting opinions online has on people's happiness.

Gervais then gets into his most controversial topic yet: the Holocaust. In preparation for the audience's talking points around it, Gervais asks if they "want to get this bit out of the way first?" Gervais uses his humor to detract from the serious issue that is the Holocaust, and to make a case that humanity is splitting into opposing groups, with each side convinced that they are in the right.

Throughout his set, Gervais discusses many of his personal experiences and opinions. This includes some of the more delicate subjects, such as sexuality, racism, and politics. In one part of the show, Gervais talks about how people love to be offended, a concept he has explored in previous engagements. He notes that being outraged is a different state of mind to being offended, with the former providing thrill and entertainment to those engaging with it.

The show finds the comedian as acerbic and rude as ever, pulling no punches and making no apologies for his point of view. This may be confrontational and polarising for some, but it makes for an undeniably unique performance that touches on a wide range of relevant topics.

In conclusion, Ricky Gervais: Humanity is a must-watch for anyone who is a fan of his style of humor. As with all of his work, it is vulgar, sharp-tongued, and occasionally confrontational. However, Gervais' wit, intelligence, and charm make for a performance that will have you laughing hysterically and nodding along in agreement, all while you contemplate some of the most important questions of our time. It examines some of the most topical and heated issues of our era, including animal rights, social media, and the Holocaust. It serves as a tribute to the strength of one man against a rapidly changing culture in which every subject is a hot topic.