By PTI
LOS ANGELES: British actor-comedian Ricky Gervais has defended his newest Netflix particular “SuperNature”, which has attracted criticism from the transgender neighborhood for a string of graphic jokes geared toward them.
In the hour-long particular, which was launched on the streaming service on Wednesday, Gervais made a number of remarks in regards to the neighborhood that trans activists have slammed.
Trans rights organisation GLAAD criticised the comic for the particular which it stated was stuffed with “graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes”. Talking to UK’s The Spectator, Gervais stated his jokes weren’t geared toward “trans folk, but trans activist ideology”.
“I’ve always confronted dogma that oppresses people and limits freedom of expression. It was probably the most current, most talked about, taboo subject of the last couple of years. I deal in taboo subjects and have to confront the elephant in the room,” the 60-year-old actor-comedian stated.
In a separate interview with BBC One’s The One Show, Gervais stated comedy is for “getting us over taboo subjects”.
“I think that’s what comedy is for, really – to get us through stuff, and I deal in taboo subjects because I want to take the audience to a place it hasn’t been before, even for a split second. Most offense comes from when people mistake the subject of a joke with the actual target,” he stated.
On Wednesday, GLAAD had issued a press release, lambasting the comic for his “anti-gay rhetoric” and spreading “inaccurate information about HIV”.
“We watched the Ricky Gervais ‘comedy’ special on Netflix so you don’t have to. It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric and spreads inaccurate information about HIV,” the organistion stated.
“Attention Ricky and Netflix: people living with HIV today when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV to others,” it added. GLAAD additionally criticised Netflix for giving a go-ahead to anti-LGBTQ content material.
“While Netflix is home to some groundbreaking LGBTQ shows, it refuses to enforce its own policy in comedy. The LGBTQ community and our allies have made it very clear that so-called comedians who spew hate in place of humor, and the media companies who give them a platform, will be held accountable. Meanwhile, there are PLENTY of funny LGBTQ comedians to support,” the assertion concluded.
Last 12 months, Dave Chappelle’s Netflix particular “The Closer” generated an enormous backlash over remarks in regards to the trans and LGBTQ+ communities and even sparked an worker walkout on the streaming service’s Sunset Boulevard constructing in Los Angeles.
