# Who's Funnier, Gervais or Izzard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041 "2011-05-24T18:18:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/1 "2011-05-24T18:18:22Z")
Discuss as you see fit, but vote for your preferred comic, please. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/2 "2011-05-24T18:23:56Z")
I’m abstaining because I’m not sufficiently familiar with Izzard’s standup (though I liked him in _The Riches_) and Gervais just irritates me in everything he does except _The Ricky Gervais Show_ where the focus isn’t on him but on the tall tales and deadpan off-the-wall observations of Karl Pilkington. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/3 "2011-05-24T18:25:16Z")
Izzard, if only for cats behind couches drilling for oil. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/4 "2011-05-24T18:26:20Z")
I’m abstaining as well because Eddie is a better stand-up but Ricky is the funnier character actor and TV writer. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/5 "2011-05-24T18:28:34Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’m abstaining because I’m not sufficiently familiar with Izzard’s standup (though I liked him in _The Riches_) and Gervais just irritates me in everything he does except _The Ricky Gervais Show_ where the focus isn’t on him but on the tall tales and deadpan off-the-wall observations of Karl Pilkington. Netflix has some “Watch Instantly” versions of Izzard’s stuff. That’s where I have seen most of the things of his that I use for comparison. I think Gervais is funnier, even though there’s a great deal of similarity in their material and their approaches. The recent HBO special of Gervais’s where he does the Noah bit is like an earlier Izzard riff on Biblical themes. I gather both their audiences are amused by blasphemy and such. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/6 "2011-05-24T18:32:01Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Izzard, if only for cats behind couches drilling for oil. Or for Jesus saying “Drink this wine, for it is merlot.” ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/7 "2011-05-24T18:33:43Z")
More important, Cake or Death? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/8 "2011-05-24T18:34:39Z")
Izzard: Cake or Death? I like Gervais but he isn’t even in the same league. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/9 "2011-05-24T18:39:34Z")
Do you have a flag? or Building an henge, are we? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/10 "2011-05-24T18:42:54Z")
Look who’s being outvoted! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/11 "2011-05-24T18:45:03Z")
Gervais, only because I just don’t get Izzard. I’ve seen and heard all of the the stand-up and I simply don’t find him funny. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/12 "2011-05-24T18:49:59Z")
Izzard. and this one’s wet, and this one’s wet, and this one’s wet, and this one’s wet, Did you dry these in a rainforest? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/13 "2011-05-24T18:52:24Z")
Izzard is funnier in stand-up, Gervais is funnier in principle. Frankly, I cannot stand Gervais’ laugh. It’s just so shrill and annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/14 "2011-05-24T18:56:10Z")
Gervais is _interesting_, and I think he can be quite infectious because he clearly likes his own jokes so much, but I like Izzards jokes more. ---
**Author:** ![Acorns.but\_not\_Bacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@Acorns.but\_not\_Bacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acorns.but_not_Bacon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/15 "2011-05-24T19:05:02Z")
Izzard Izzard Izzard! All the time, they’re not in the same league. Eurgh, Gervais is eurgh just terrible, now. Or maybe always. Eddie is naturally funny, I think Gervais has to work harder at it. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/16 "2011-05-24T19:31:32Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Or for Jesus saying “Drink this wine, for it is merlot.” Does he tell jokes about Baby Je? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/17 "2011-05-24T19:40:10Z")
I’ve never got Gervais. Mostly I just find him annoying or boring. Izzard is a very funny guy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/18 "2011-05-24T19:40:34Z")
I actually haven’t seen _much_ of Gervais’s humor. I think he’s a likable enough guy and he had some clever things to say at the Golden Globes, but Izzard is one of those guys who can make me laugh myself sick. No contest. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/19 "2011-05-24T19:44:27Z")
Just to have mentioned it, in case you were unaware of it, [http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/19/hbo-talking-funny-jerry-seinfeld-chris-rock-ricky-gervais-louis-ck/](http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/19/hbo-talking-funny-jerry-seinfeld-chris-rock-ricky-gervais-louis-ck/) is an interesting program. It was still on HBO On Demand last I checked. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041/20 "2011-05-24T19:47:51Z")
Izzard is / was in a different street for stand up, although I’ve not seen his stuff for years. Very influential comic over here, but he’s been at the top for so long you tend to take him for granted, part of the comedic furniture. Doesn’t seem to do a great deal on British TV so keeps him from being overexposed. Personally cannot stand Gervais on stage, used to listen to him on XFM in London in the 90s and he wasn’t funny then. Great tv writer / performer though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-funnier-gervais-or-izzard/583041.md?page=2)