Comedian Ricky Gervais has launched a blistering attack on his detractors in his latest stand-up special for Netflix, branding them 'middle-class' and 'elitist' arbiters of taste. The show, titled 'Mortality', was released globally on the streaming platform on Tuesday 30 December 2025.
A Defiant Return to the Palladium Stage
The 64-year-old creator of The Office filmed the special earlier this year at the iconic London Palladium. Addressing the live audience, Gervais reflected on what he called a 'really weird 10 years' for comedy, where performers have been forced to second-guess their material. He declared that comedians had 'pushed back' against a culture of perceived offence-taking and emerged victorious, for now.
'So f*** them. Until the next time,' he stated. 'They haven't gone away. They're just licking their wounds.' Gervais framed the conflict as one of class, arguing that it is often educated, privileged individuals who attempt to dictate what ordinary, working-class people can find funny. 'They're not realising how important comedy is to ordinary people,' he concluded.
History of Controversy and Criticism
Gervais's combative stance follows significant backlash against his previous work. His 2022 special, Supernature, was widely condemned for jokes targeting the trans community. The controversy continued in 2023 with Armageddon, which prompted a petition for Netflix to remove material concerning young people with cancer.
He has also faced criticism from within the comedy world. In 2019, fellow comedian Nish Kumar lambasted Gervais during his own set, accusing him of 'punching down' on minority groups after running out of ideas. In Mortality, Gervais directly acknowledges these accusations but remains unrepentant. 'I'm too old now not to say what I want,' he asserts, emphasising his desire for creative freedom.
Provocative Material in 'Mortality'
The new special is expected to attract further scrutiny for its content, which reportedly covers sensitive topics from disability to paedophilia. In one particularly contentious segment, Gervais grapples with historical morality, joking that had he been born 300 years ago as a wealthy white man, he would likely have owned slaves.
'I'd be nice to them, so shut up, right?' he quips, adding that he would dress them in 'little suits' and have 'bants' with them. He caveats this by saying he would have to 'punish' any slave who became too familiar, a remark intended to highlight the absurdity and horror of the institution through dark humour.
With Mortality, Ricky Gervais solidifies his position as one of comedy's most deliberately provocative figures, openly challenging the boundaries of taste and the critics who guard them. The special is now available for streaming on Netflix.
