Ricky Gervais and Don Rickles - comic genius or not (1 Viewer)

[The Military Workshop]

Gervais seems to have lived up to his reputation at the Golden Globes. I liked his line about actors having to turn up as the studio had already bought the award. For some reason the camera zoomed in on Harvey Weinstein at that moment. He was certainly right to make fun of Matt Damon winning for comedy or musical for The Martian.

Only a few days ago watched a doco on Netflix about Don Rickles and Gervais reminds me of him. Somebody on that show said you had not made it in show business if Rickles did not joke about you. He was also ruthless with an audience. One of best lines I saw on Rickles was when he asked an Asian audience member where he was from. When he replied Japan, Rickles replied he had spent WW2 looking for his father.

Whilst Gervais is funny probably not so much if the arrow he shoots your way is particularly poisonous (ie. the Affleck joke). Seems a bit more "cutting" than Rickles although probably because there is so much more gossip available to work with than Rickles had years ago.

 

[nysoldiers]

Very surprised that he was on NBC, a major US network. His comedy is more "cable appropriate" and not really for prime time.....consider all the "bleeps".
Hope most of the children were asleep or playing video games at 8:00pm NY time.

 

[jazzeum]

I don't really see them as being similar as Rickles is a product of New York humor and all that, not to mention ethnic humor, which you really can't do today although he gets away with it, him being Don Rickles and all. When I was a kid, I used to love him; he's definitely a character. In this uptight age he doesn't play like he used to. He definitely like to rib Sinatra, who enjoyed it.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Gervais seems to have lived up to his reputation at the Golden Globes. I liked his line about actors having to turn up as the studio had already bought the award. For some reason the camera zoomed in on Harvey Weinstein at that moment. He was certainly right to make fun of Matt Damon winning for comedy or musical for The Martian.

Only a few days ago watched a doco on Netflix about Don Rickles and Gervais reminds me of him. Somebody on that show said you had not made it in show business if Rickles did not joke about you. He was also ruthless with an audience. One of best lines I saw on Rickles was when he asked an Asian audience member where he was from. When he replied Japan, Rickles replied he had spent WW2 looking for his father.

Whilst Gervais is funny probably not so much if the arrow he shoots your way is particularly poisonous (ie. the Affleck joke). Seems a bit more "cutting" than Rickles although probably because there is so much more gossip available to work with than Rickles had years ago.

I saw Rickles in Vegas a few times...he was one of my father's favorites...he would cut into a few audience members...but he was hilarious and they loved it when he singled them out and poked at them...