A clip of James Acaster taking aim at Rickey Garvais’s jokes about transgender people has resurfaced on social media about the comedian made such jokes in his latest Netflix comedy special.
The After Life creator, 60, has come under fire over controversial graphic jokes about transgender people in his new Netflix comedy special SuperNature.
Gervais dedicated a significant chunk of his new Netflix special to commenting on the trans community, joking that ‘old-fashioned women’ are ‘the ones with wombs’ and that he’s transitioning to become ‘Vicky Gervais’.
The routine has been widely blasted, with many turning to Acaster’s criticism in a 2019 stand-up show to encapsulate the harms of Gervais’ comments.
One person sharing the clip of Acaster wrote on Twitter : "Nothing to say about Ricky Gervais that James Acaster hasn’t already said."
In the clip, the Off Menu host says: "They say whatever they like, edgy comedians. No one tells them what they can and can’t say.
"They walk straight on stage, top of their specials sometimes, and do 10 solid minutes just slagging off transgender people.
"People on the internet get upset about it… the comedian’s always like, “Bad luck, that’s my job, I’m a stand-up comedian, I’m there to challenge people.
"If you don’t like being challenged, don’t watch my show. What’s the matter guys, too challenging for you?”"
He continues: "Yeah, cause you know who’s been long overdue a challenge? The trans community.
"They’ve had their guard down for too long, if you ask me. They’ll all be checking their privilege on the way home, thanks to you, you brave little cis boy.
"I used to name one of the comedians that was about, in that routine, but it always got really awkward in the room because apparently in 2019 most people are still more than happy to laugh at trans people but they’re not comfortable laughing at Ricky Gervais yet. That’s the line."
Shortly after Netflix dropped the Ricky Gervais special on the platform, social media users took to Twitter to slam the jokes, declaring they were "not comedy" and were just "making cheap, nasty stereotypes out of a minority group".
One tweeted: "Ricky Gervais has a new stand up show out on Netflix today.
"5 minutes in and he’s making jokes about trans women attacking & raping people in public bathrooms. To him we exist only as a punchline, a threat, something less than human."
