If there's one thing the British public love more than seeing a so-called celebrity do well, it's watching them lose everything. Failure makes celebrities more human, it makes them less perfect and it makes them more like us. So with Golden Globes, Baftas, chart-topping DVD sales, record-breaking podcasts and countless magazine cover appearances to his name, why aren't we turning on Ricky Gervais yet?
Gervais stands for the common man. After a stint as a radio DJ on London station XFM, Gervais penned The Office and it leapt to modern-classic status. Gervais's characters are instantly recognisable. David Brent represents the figure of authority longing to be our best friend, Gareth is the classic jobsworth, while Tim is the boy who lost his way trapped in a job he hates.
Gervais's comedy is about failure. He takes brave steps in The Office's final days. The heartrending close to series two, with Brent begging for his job back with tears inching from his eyes, is stuff of drama not comedy. But it works perfectly because it exposes vulnerability in Brent, making him less a caricature and more human. He's a prat, but we feel sorry for him.
We are actually quite Ebel Replica Watches proud of The Office's success. It was marvellous to see a chubby Brit in his late 30s standing in front of the Hollywood A-list at the Golden Globes in 2003. He was representing Britain, not just British comedy. For once it wasn't a politician dealing with international relations, it was white-collared Brent. From then on Gervais's success boomed. He took his sold-out stand-up tours Animals and Politics across the country, showcasing his observational talents. Before The Office Gervais had never performed stand-up comedy but he's a natural, again with a common-man sensibility, delivering his routine as if he's chatting to his mates in the pub.
Next up came Flanimals, a children's book about creepy monsters living a cruel existence. Wonderfully nonsensical, Flanimals displays Gervais' Roald Dahl-esque mischievous imagination. The book topped The Sunday Times and The New York Times bestseller lists.
Slightly overlooked, Extras tells us more about the secret to
embroidered patches Gervais' success than any of his other projects. Fame hasn't changed him. After all his achievements, Gervais shows us he still understands the little man. Gervais' Andy Millman is an aspiring actor desperately trying to live his dream but always on the edge of giving in and shuffling back to dull reality. Throughout his comic career Gervais has maintained a work ethic. Originally Extras was set for BBC1 but Gervais accepted a much smaller sum of money to have it broadcast on BBC2. He was concerned it would compromise the show's artistic integrity if it were shown on the more popular BBC1. He claims to turn down countless offers for film roles and despite his success in America he refuses to move there.
Looking at his track record it's plain to see he hasn't stopped working to earn our praise since the early days on XFM. After writing an episode of The Simpsons, his latest project is an internet podcast The Ricky Gervais Show, in which he muses on life with more comic effect. Following its first episode The Ricky Gervais Show immediately became the world's number one podcast. Originally 12 episodes were planned, but the trio have decided to continue broadcasting them, while Gervais works on a second series of Extras. In an episode of The Office David Brent announces, 'If you asked me to name three geniuses, I probably wouldn't say Einstein, Newton ... I'd go, Milligan, Cleese, Everett ... Sessions.'
How about Gervais?
Jamie Grierson: Ricky Gervais facts:Ricky
Other articles:
http://1111.in/blog.php?user=chnj&blogentry_id=1245
