# Ricky Gervais - HBO stand-up special **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402 "2008-12-09T16:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joey\_Tightlips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@Joey\_Tightlips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_Tightlips)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/1 "2008-12-09T16:10:08Z")
I had saved this to DVR and only got around to watching it this weekend. Since I’m behind on this, I hope I didn’t miss an original thread. I just have to say it’s the best stand-up special I’ve seen in a long time. Probably since Chris Rock (his old stuff before he lost his mojo). If you have HBO and don’t get offended easily you should check it out. Be warned he hits on all topics from AIDS to cancer to the holocaust. I found the non-offensive bits to be the best though, especially a routine about the morals of children’s stories… “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.” What’s the moral there? Don’t sit on wall if you’re an egg?? How does that apply to a class of 5 year olds? . . . Maybe don’t send a horse to perform a medical procedure. He doesn’t have thumbs at all let alone opposable thumbs. Certainly don’t send ALL OF THEM. “ALL the King’s horses”, that would just be MADNESS! I probably botched some lines, but I was laughing too hard to remember them exactly. Anyone else agree? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/2 "2008-12-09T19:06:19Z")
I thought it was hilarious. As you say, if you’re offended by humor concerning AIDS, cancer, etc., then tune out. It was Gervais at his most wicked. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/3 "2008-12-09T19:51:58Z")
I loved the “how to avoid gettting AIDS” post-card LOL ---
**Author:** ![Buddha\_Clause](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@Buddha\_Clause](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buddha_Clause)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/4 "2008-12-09T20:16:33Z")
Is this special basically his Fame special from a little while ago? If so it is pretty good. If you enjoy this I suggest you check out his Animals and Politics specials they are both just as good. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/5 "2008-12-10T00:40:37Z")
It, and he, are HILARIOUS! (Check out his TV show “Extras” if you want a great laugh) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/6 "2008-12-10T14:42:43Z")
Just to be a spoil sport… Don’t like Gervais in general. He was awful in “Extras” but some of the side people were good. And don’t get me started on that “Simpsons” episode. But I recorded the special anyway. I like a lot of standup Brits (Eddie Izzard in particular) and thought maybe he’d be better in this format. So, I sit down to watch it. Fell asleep. Next night, zipped to where I fell asleep, watched some, fell asleep. Next night: same thing but then I deleted it. Didn’t get more than halfway thru. Really badly prepared. He spent an inordinate amount of time looking over his notes. And once the audience “gave up” on a topic, he still hammered away getting fewer and fewer laughs. The guy is not a standup comic. He makes Russell Brand look good by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-gervais-hbo-stand-up-special/476402/7 "2008-12-10T14:51:19Z")
I like Ricky Gervais, particularly in _Extras_. I enjoyed the special. The bits about his work for kids with cancer, about going commando, and the “avoid getting AIDS” card were my favorites. I thought the nursery rhymes stuff was the weakest.