celeb news Netflix continues transphobic comedy special trend with Ricky Gervais

[Broken]

Like Ricky Gervais’ Comedy, Netflix’s Transphobia Is Getting Old

 

 

The streaming giant reportedly paid comedian Ricky Gervais around $40 million for his new stand-up special, SuperNature, which hit Netflix on Tuesday.

 

The special is “full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes,” GLAAD said in a statement

 

You can just say you’re a transphobe, Ricky Gervais. And Netflix, just say you’re okay with anti-LGBTQ content on your platform.

On Tuesday, after Netflix premiered Gervais’ tired special SuperNature, GLAAD released a statement condemning the streaming service for giving the comedian a platform to share anti-trans and anti-gay rhetoric in the form of quote-unquote comedy. (At least Netflix dropped the special before Pride month.)

 

“It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric & spreads inaccurate information about HIV,” GLAAD tweeted. “Attention Ricky and Netflix: people living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV to others. U=U.” (“U=U” stands for “undetectable = untransmittable.”)

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/ricky-gervais-comedy-netflix-transphobia-1357860/

 

 

 

 

Edited May 26, 2022 by Broken

[JoanneActII]

imagine how tired we are

[I♥Toronto]

wow people actually idolize this idiot

[Bloo]

They spent $40 million on a comedy special? Let alone a transphobic one?  

 

Let's just put the transphobia issue aside — because it's unsurprising and I don't want to unpack and explain why transphobia is bad for the millionth time on ATRL — has anyone actually ever been impressed by any of the many comedy specials Netflix has had? Dave Chappelle? Chelsea Handler? I feel like the general consensus is that they stir controversy or are just poorly-received. They don't attract any cultural significance other than divisive controversy. So while Netflix is losing subscribers at an enormous rate, why are they spending $40 million on this when it could be used to help shore up deals with other companies to secure legacy IPs to broaden their catalog? Idk, just sounds like a misguided business decision. Maybe they have data showing otherwise, but I'm not convinced.

[JonginBey]

Cancelled my subscription earlier today. They can choke 

[Just a Gay on ATRL]

He thinks he's so "edgy" with this ****. Vile.

[Katamari]

they do it on purpose to get attention not to mention the droves of anti-cancel culture drones that will flock to him now and thus making him richer 

[hardbrit]

Cancel culture became so toxic and stupid that it doesn't really work anymore. So, if you don't like his jokes, don't watch him.

[Breathe On Moi]

This ugly piece of **** got $40 MILLION????? 

[Lucid Dreaming]

The worst thing is that in one week their twitter feed will be full of rainbows and 'gay' slang while they do **** like this.

 

Like you either support trans folks or you don't, don't try to play both ways babe.

[Into The Void]

Do they at least mention what these jokes are i mean I haven't seen the special but I haven't seen any one mention what the jokes are either

[Apolonio ₃₄]

Ricky Gervais is so unfunny and a pos like why?!

[Into The Void]

26 minutes ago, Bloo said:

They spent $40 million on a comedy special? Let alone a transphobic one?  

 

Let's just put the transphobia issue aside — because it's unsurprising and I don't want to unpack and explain why transphobia is bad for the millionth time on ATRL — has anyone actually ever been impressed by any of the many comedy specials Netflix has had? Dave Chappelle? Chelsea Handler? I feel like the general consensus is that they stir controversy or are just poorly-received. They don't attract any cultural significance other than divisive controversy. So while Netflix is losing subscribers at an enormous rate, why are they spending $40 million on this when it could be used to help shore up deals with other companies to secure legacy IPs to broaden their catalog? Idk, just sounds like a misguided business decision. Maybe they have data showing otherwise, but I'm not convinced.

I don't watch Netflix for their comedy specials 

 

I watch for movies and TV. 

[Bhabylon]

At this point, I feel like Netflix is intentionally doing this for the controversy

[getBusy]

Of course they need to increase subscription prices if they’re paying this idiot $40M 

[Archetype]

These older "comedians" love using the LGBTQ+ community for jokes, it's disgusting.

[Power love]

I have never heard of this man until today. 

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

He really wants that controversy so bad because he knows his special isn't even funny in the first place 

[CovalentBondage]

The sad part is this thread will probably die soon. Whereas Kendrick Lamar thread about his song will have 30+ pages. 

[Trav]

It's comedy, get over it. If you are too sensitive, then don't watch it. 

[Communion]

2 hours ago, Insanity said:

Do they at least mention what these jokes are i mean I haven't seen the special but I haven't seen any one mention what the jokes are either

The segment is him making jokes where the audience is meant to find funny what is framed as absurd that there can be women with penises (ie: he'll say that there are women now with penises, with the audience meant to find it funny how he presents it matter-of-factly and that his faux-earnest repeating of these things misses their absurdity). This includes mocking trans women using women's bathrooms by framing people who support trans women in this way as absurd via claiming they're dismissive to the idea of trans women rapping cis women and are more concerned with using the correct pronouns for a trans woman who rapes people.  

 

The jokes rely on the punchline that trans women and their integration into public life are all kinda really absurd and ridiculous as a concept and thus funny and fine to laugh at for being so absurd and ridiculous.

 

 

The issue with these geriatric comedians who only do this contrarian-style of observational humor meant to lambast and mock a group of people as absurd is that they.... lack any awareness of society themselves.

 

They frame themselves as ball-busters and champions of taking people down a peg who need a reality check, but they lack the ability to read the room now, and often did so their whole careers. This goes for Dave Chappelle and Bill Maher too. Chappelle quite literally argued that his need to mock trans women is actually part of how he, as a black man, has always "taken white ******* down a peg for being annoying"... ignoring black trans women exist. 

 

It's one thing to observe people who cause a commotion in society and mock them as an easy target, whether that be flat-earthers or anti-vaxx parents, but it's a complete failure of understanding society and a lack of empathy for these edge-lord comedians to see it equally absurd that someone believes vaccines cause autism, for instance, and that someone born male could then identify as a woman later on in life. 

 

Even if you argue that none of these people hate trans people, their humor relies on it being socially understood that much about trans people and being trans itself is absurd, and with Maher, it's hard to deny how this attitude is rooted in a personal disagreement with transness itself.

 

This basically:

 

Edited May 26, 2022 by Communion

[Headlock]

Just now, Trav said:

It's comedy, get over it. If you are too sensitive, then don't watch it. 

Yes, uphold the right of the cishet white man to dunk on trans people 

[BionicWooHoo]

The only funny Netflix comedy special I’ve enjoyed is Ali wongs baby cobra…hard knock wife was okay too but not as good as the first.

[nadiamendell]

3 hours ago, Bloo said:

They spent $40 million on a comedy special? Let alone a transphobic one?  

 

Let's just put the transphobia issue aside — because it's unsurprising and I don't want to unpack and explain why transphobia is bad for the millionth time on ATRL — has anyone actually ever been impressed by any of the many comedy specials Netflix has had? Dave Chappelle? Chelsea Handler? I feel like the general consensus is that they stir controversy or are just poorly-received. They don't attract any cultural significance other than divisive controversy. So while Netflix is losing subscribers at an enormous rate, why are they spending $40 million on this when it could be used to help shore up deals with other companies to secure legacy IPs to broaden their catalog? Idk, just sounds like a misguided business decision. Maybe they have data showing otherwise, but I'm not convinced.

I mean, all of this. Who TF is making these terrible business decisions??? 

[FOCK]

Damn. Ricky is a legend in my eyes & I really admire his work & general advocacy of not being a crap human. He’s always made it a point to “punch up” in support of the vulnerable, so it’s a shame to see he’s fallen for such low-brow, tired material. I’m really disappointed and saddened.

 

I haven’t seen the special yet, but watched the joke out of whatever context it may or may not have had. My take, was that it was more so intended to be a quip at the extreme behaviour of a vocal minority, labelling any woman that may express concerns (though typically baseless, uneducated or unwarranted), a “TERF”, but it was worded and delivered awfully, flippantly & recounted very harmful stereotypes. 

 

I don’t think calls for cancellation is the way to go - these types of reactions have only served to regress the trans cause by inciting further divisive commentary. People don’t like being silenced, it only leads to mockery & fuels someone to be on the offensive. Educate, meet people where they’re at, heck, even joke, and people are more inclined to accept reason. 

 

I believe it’s also worth addressing the link between the recent spike in transphobia & the rise of the Non-binary movement. Trans, for centuries in western culture at least, has widely been understood to be conforming to the opposite element within the binary of which you’re assigned at birth. NB is the complete rejection of a binary existing at all. The conflation of the 2 has muddied the waters & as I understand, has had further negative and unwanted attention and ramifications on our Trans brethren & sisters who often just want to conform, feel respected, safe and equal, and live their lives as anyone else. Obviously this is down to one’s own ignorance & can’t be blamed on NB identifying people, but the lack of societal understanding of the difference gives rise to stupid comments like “woman with a beard in the bathroom”. Whilst a lot of this is rooted in bigotry, the underlying cause, is fear and lack of understanding - which won’t be solved by attempts to silence, rather, by being open to dialogue and differing viewpoints. Those that are coming at the issue in clear bad faith & perpetuating lies under the guise of “concern” or false sense of victimhood (JK & the groups she aligns with are an example), are just not worth engaging with & feeding into. 

 

Right now, it’s one side yelling, causing the other side to yell louder, in perpetuity. We’re not getting anywhere. 

Edited May 26, 2022 by FOCK