Netflix releases new Gervais anti-woke special
In his new Netflix stand-up special SuperNature, which hit the streaming service Tuesday, Ricky Gervais begins making jokes about old-fashioned women, new women and transphobic concerns about public restrooms almost immediately, before launching into an extended bit against cancel culture and woke comedy.
The hourlong special arrives amid Netflix’s attempts to navigate slowing revenue growth, after announcing last month that it lost 200,000 subscribers during the first quarter of 2022. Since then, the streaming giant has cut jobs and contract positions, including those related to social media accounts that were focused on promoting content to people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
SuperNature is not Netflix’s first stand-up special by a high-profile comedian featuring transphobic material. In
October, the streamer faced backlash following its release of Dave Chappelle’s The Closer, which was also called out for transphobic jokes. In addition to the public outcry over Chappelle’s remarks, Netflix employees staged a walkout in protest of the company’s decision to support the special.
Gervais makes clear in his special that he expects such outrage.
“I’m going to leave it in to annoy people,” he notes as he jokes about identity politics.
“I talk about AIDS, famine, cancer, the Holocaust, rape, pedophilia, but no, the one thing you mustn’t joke about is identity politics,” says Gervais. “The one thing you should never joke about is the trans issues. ‘They just want to be treated equally.’ I agree. That’s why I include them.”
Towards the end of his special, Gervais makes sure to note that in real life he supports trans rights, but not without once again taking a shot at trans women.
“I support all human rights and trans rights are human rights,” says Gervais. “Live your best life. Use your preferred pronouns. Be the gender that you feel that you are. But meet me halfway, ladies. Lose the c–. That’s all I’m saying.”
(Los Angeles Times/TNS)