Ricky Gervais Live: Animals

Ricky Gervais is absolutely brilliant! I first saw him in The Office, which was one of the most fantastically addicting shows I've ever watched. It was also one of the most uncomfortable shows to watch, much in the vein of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Then I saw him in Extras and by that time I was craving more. So I happened to come across this live special and was again floored at the pure comedy brilliance of this man. It's the subtleties in his humor that makes it so great. I am an American so there are a few bits that I didn't have any reference to but even those bits were hilarious just because Ricky Gervais is such a talented comedian. I can't wait to watch more of his stuff!

Ricky Gervais is a funny man. **Yes it is true.** Some people don't get the humour that he puts out. However I certainly do. If you dont like Ricky Gervais'isiss's humour then you probably wouldn't want to get to know the man better by paying lots of money to see him perform a short run comedy routine live on stage. However if you see the world as Ricky probably does, then your hard earned money is far better off with him... do want to pay and now this DVD is the only way to savour that moment... No edits, no scripts. Is this the real Ricky Gervais that we hear Stephen Merchant (co-writer for the office) in the extras of the office talking about. I for one think it is.

There are many memorable and unique gags, some jokes which have links to the office and there is a video clip shown to the audience where he gets a very respectable offer from his female ex boss.

With it seems, and ever widening exposure in the media to bestiality jokes, ala Tom Green, we see Ricky take a wholeheartedly different approach to this sorded but funny comedy subject.

I agree with other reviewers that Ricky doesn't totally gel with the audience, but that is his charm. He is doing it his way and exploring a new style of comedy which does not require him to meet Pantomime timing and audience expectations. He does say, "This is a lecture". So really it isn't meant to be comedy. It is just hysterically funny.

The best way i can describe it is very warm and cosy in a very warped kind of way, garnished with lashings of indifference. "onlyyyyyy meeeee." And if you dont like this review, well it is not your fault.

The comparisons between Ricky Gervais and other comedians are endless. Billy Connoly swears a lot because it comes naturally to him whereas Gervais thinks that using a crude word now and again is somehow incredibly clever and funny. Billy Connoly says what he thinks - making fun of absolutely anyone - but Gevrias acts like someone who has just been given power to pick on and bully anyone he dislikes. No one, not even Anne Frank, can escape from his cruel comments that would make most caring people burn with anger. Lovely Bill Bailey muddles along with his observations on religion where Gervais pulls everything apart, despite the fact he doesn't know what he's talking about. He says the Bible is called the Gospel. It's not. The first four books of the New Testament are called the Gospel - get your facts right before you start criticising everything. Ricky Gervais is an absolute pig of a man, which makes me wonder why on earth he got laughs at this show. He's crude and his sense of humour is appalling.

Ricky Gervais is the GOD of comedy! This particular stand up is one of the best I've seen in a long time. He is absolutely irreverent, politically incorrect and says things everyone thinks but obviously don't have the guts to say out loud.

Whats best about Gervais' style is the little under the breath one-liners that pop in from time to time.

IMO, the one of the funniest moments is when he walks casually to the lectern, picks up his beer while saying "I could solve the world's problems....(takes a swig from the beer)... If I cared". FANTASTIC!

OK, so not everyone will like the Anne Frank jokes, but his comic genius is simply undeniable. Fact.

Finally saw Ricky Gervais first stand-up special and despite a rocky start (not the hilarious video, I'm talking of the stand-up proper), only rocky because as an American, I didn't get all the name-dropping. But after that I've never laughed so hard at a stand-up special. Take that Eddie Izzard! Ricky stays mostly on the animal kingdom, but takes detours into the Bible, bestiality, Nazis, homosexuality, Stephen Hawkings, Anne Frank and the internet with great comic timing. Ever since "The Office" I actively try to seek out each and every thing Mr. Gervais has done, be it skits, stand-up, printed or TV interviews and I have yet to be disappointed. So if you have a chance to see this brilliance, please do.

My Grade: A