Ricky's Facebook Q&A August 2014

Here is Ricky's entire Facebook Q&A for you to read at your leisure:

Q: Are you really going to make a David Brent film?
A: I'm really going to try. I might die before I finish it though :)

Q:Whom would you like to work with most, on a film or TV project?
A:Kristin Wiig, Ryan Gosling, Eric Bana, Mr. Sidney Poitier.

Q:You call your crazy photos bath pics do you have a name for those that aren't in the bath but they are just as crazy? Love you Ricky. Good Luck at the Emmys. :)
A: Pics :)

Q:If you were a worm how long would you be?
A: From head to tail? Or from head to my enormous balls?

Q:Mr. Gervais...love your work, love your passion, love you! My question...Do you like animals more than people?
A: I like nice people as much as animals.

Q:Do you think you'll answer all these questions?
A: Yes. I mean no. Damn I've wasted time!

Q:Do you still have the suit made out of curtains?
A: Sadly no. And I'd need bigger curtains these days.

Q:What would be your advice to someone who wants to become a writer in comedy?
A: http://time100.time.com/2013/12/08/be-a-cocky-little-nobody/

Q:You got a US stand up show planned anytime soon?
A: I'd love to do another US tour. My live work keeps getting pushed back whenever a TV or film project comes along.

Q: Favourite character in The Office?
A: Gareth. I based him on a guy I went to school with. That's why he seems like an adolesecent. Kev is based on his best friend. There were two of them in my class. Imagine that.

Q: So when are you going vegan :-)?
A:Gradually. But I like cheese too much. I'm weak.

Q:How old were you when you decided that you were an atheist?
A: 8

Q:Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?
A:In the hot seat, of course.

Q:Have you ever stepped barefoot in your cat's vomit?
A: Yes, as she usually does it in the middle of the night right by the bed.

Q: You were once fat and now you're less fat. Elaborate.
A: I used to consume more calories than I burned. Then I started to consume less calories than I burned. Science. :)

Q: Any more live shows planned for David Brent?
A:Not in the diary yet but I'm definitely going to do more. They're so much fun.

Q: What's black and white but red all over?
A:A newspaper, a sunburnt penguin and a nun with a javelin through her neck.

Q: What's your favourite record at the moment?
A: Keaton Henson's last album.

Q: Who is your favourite comedian 'not including yourself'?
A: Me. I never read the last part of the question.

Q:Do you still have Kev's painting from Derek?
A:No. I donated it to the local church.

Q:Will you come to lovely Calgary Alberta and have a drink with me?
A: I drove from Calgary to Banff a couple of years ago and it really is the most beautiful countryside on earth.

Q: BISHOP MUZOREWA!
A:Bashing the bishop!

Q:Will David Brent release an album?
A:Would you buy it?

Q:Best book you read?
A:The Bible. It's given me a lifetime of material.

Q:Thought Derek was a masterpiece BTW
A:Cheers.

Q:What is your honest opinion about Sweden?
A: Love it. Smart, liberal, cold.

Q: Are you hardcore atheist or have you got an agnostic side?A: The two are not mutually exclusive. One concerns itself with belief, the other with knowledge.     We are all technically agnostic. Believers don't know but choose to believe there is a god. Atheists don't know so choose to not believe there is a god.

Q: Can you play that accordion yet?
A: It depends what you mean by play.

Q: Come to Dallas! !!
A:I've been to San Antonio. I assume it's similar, right?

Q: No question but a comment, sir  Just wanted to thank you for all your work. "Derek" touched me so much and inspired me to move in with my father. I lived just across town from him but this is much better. He was diagnosed with dementia. I love that goofball  Also, I just completed my training as a hospice volunteer. During the breaks in the all day training, we all talked about "Derek" around the table; it touched us all so deeply  Thanks again!
A: Thank you 

Q: How are your going to answer all these questions ?

A:I'm not.

Q: What do you imagine Eric Hitchmo looks like?

A:He's based on an old guy I used to work with who accidentally retired a year early because he got his age wrong. He had to come back in the next week and ask if he could come back for a year. True.

Q: I don't have a question but want to say thanks for everything you do to help animals. 

A: My pleasure 

Q: Hey, when are you going to do Humanity?!

A:I've been busy 

Q: Which Hollywood A lister that you have met do you think is the most down to earth and normal?

A: Tom Hanks

Q: Will you be making a third season of Derek?

A: think I'm going to keep to my usual format of 2 series and a special. The special will be amazing though. I promise. (Not legally binding, no money back)

Q:Are you ever going to come and see us in Australia?

A:It's on my bucket list

Q: Are you against religion?

A:No. Religion is never wrong.

Q:Who does yer tampons?

A: Nobby Burton, 2 for a tenner, yes please.

Q: Favourite philosopher?

A:Bertand Russell. No, wait, Des' ree.

Q: Have you considered doing another 'The Office UK?'

A: Not The Office as such, but I intend to catch up with what Brent us doing now and what he's been up to since leaving Wernham Hogg.

Q:Favourite movie?
A: Godfather.

Q: Will David Brent ever perform in the US? (More specifically CA
A: One day I'm sure he will, yes

Q: Why is the training day your favourite episode. Of the office?

A: I like how he showed he still wanted to be a pop star. I also like the way he so wanted to be in charge he was happy to shout: "I think there's been a rape up there!"

Q: What's next? More Derek? More Idiot Abroad? More Brent?
A: A Derek special hopefully, an Office update with a Brent movie and then another stand-up tour. But in the immediate future I need to get the Emmys out of the way. Did I mention I'm nominated for another Emmy? :)

Gervais: "I'm not doing television to make money" Ricky's interview with Expressen.se

Ricky Gervais' interview with Expressen.se roughly translated into English using Google Translate so apologies if some sentences do not make sense but you get the gist of it!
The original article is here: http://www.expressen.se/noje/gervais-jag-gor-inte-tv-for-att-tjana-pengar/

"The Office" David is resurrected.
 Ricky Gervais the secret feature film plans - and the future of the hit series "Derek" for Expressen.
- I love Derek - but I have to move on, he says.


He has abandoned the irony in favor of goodness.
Now, the second season of "The Office" creator Ricky Gervais comedy drama "Derek" premiere on Netflix in Sweden. The series takes place in a retirement home. In the lead role, we see Ricky himself. He plays Derek who works at home and goes far beyond their job description to help the residents.
- The main difference is that I released the irony. By David Brent we laughed at the difference in how he saw himself, and how we see him. "Derek" is more heartfelt. Where we cheer on the characters. The enemy, and that we laugh at and hate the outside world, he says.

We laugh really for ourselves.
- Yes. I've always tried to make it so. In "The Office" is the characters' weaknesses, their own fault. In "Derek" is not the deficiencies. They are poor, not so smart, or dependent. It is not wrong, but rather disadvantages.
Fervency, why do it now? 
- The older you get, the more grief you will experience. Even parents die, and soon your siblings. Things become more serious. Man changing. What I laughed at ten years ago I have become. I have swung against the rich and famous. But now it's me rich and famous.
David Brent is resurrected

It has been speculated that a third season is on the way.
Ricky Gervais kills the rumours quickly.
- Probably not. I might do a special episode. I love Derek. But I must move on. I'm not doing television to make money.
For "The Office" fans, he confirms the character David Brent's resurrection.
Right now the comedian will be filming a tour as David Brent which will be a behind the scenes mockumentary, to explain "what happened next"

"Top Secret," "Brilliant"

- It gets very dark and sad, but also funny. David believes that it is an important documentary, but you can see just how sad it is for a 50-year-old salesman to spend all their money trying to become a pop star.
But he also has secret feature film dreams. In 2016 Ricky Gervais hopes to show the world "a kind of semi-political satire" about war. He compares it to "Wag the dog".
- I can not even talk about it, because I have not pitched the idea to anyone. I have no title and the script is not finished. I do not even know what it should be about. But it will be brilliant and smart. A very smart comedy about ... something. Just type: "Ricky Gervais writes a brilliant movie, which is really top secret. But it is really brilliant," he says, laughing.

Ricky GERVAIS' Series so far.....



Series: "Comedy Lab" (1998)
Character: Clive Meadows. The series "Golden years" was made only in one section, and showed in "Comedy Lab". There'm Ricky Gervais a character who runs a video rental business. He is also obsessed with David Bowie.

Series: "The Office" (2001)
Character: David Brent. The self-deceiving middle manager, as the series "The Office" revolves around. Brent works at a paper company. An important aspect is his unawareness of how the world looks at him. Often ask how old people think he is. 're Insulted even when someone guesses correctly.

Series: "Extras" (2005)
Character: Andy Millman. Left the job on the bank of betting on actor dream. Rude, and constantly angry at his agent. The only job he can get is as statistically. In each section plays a famous person a twisted version of himself.

Series: "Derek" (2013)

Character: Derek Noakes. I work at a nursing home. Like celebrities and reality shows. Love Youtube. Talking time about animals. For Derek, it is important to be kind than to be smart and stylish. That attitude has marginalized him in society. In one section he calls an ambulance to rescue a baby bird.

Ricky Gervais' full interview for 'Your Cat' magazine June 2014 issue

The Day I met Derek (and my hero) Kindness is Magic: A blogger's tale.

Disclaimer: This is a fan's account of a visit to the set of Derek Series 2 (Or Season 2 like you Americans like to say it) and is in no way meant to be professionally written. Also this doesn't contain any spoilers!

It was a cold mid November's day last year, and Ricky Gervais and co. were busy filming Derek Series 2 in the East-end of London and I was lucky enough to be invited on to the set amongst a few others and witness some of the magic!

When I first arrived on the set (at 10am they had already been filming for two hours!),

I was greeted by the lovely producer Mr. Charlie Hanson and we sat in front of a monitor amongst the many (very friendly) members of the crew who were sitting in complete silence as a scene was being filmed. Everyone was huddled up near a portable heater because of how cold the set was. The scenes from the monitor were all recorded on to a hard drive which was recording even after the cameras stopped rolling, apparently this was for continuity purposes and to help with editing later on.

A very nice man who was part of the crew gave me some headphones so I could listen in on the scene being filmed as we watched on the monitor; then I heard it, that trademark laughter, through the other side of the wooden walls of the set.

This immediately had a warming presence on most of us sat there and I enjoyed hearing that famous laugh that I had heard so many times before on TV in such close proximity. Every so often, a bell would ring to indicate the end of a scene and to re-set it and do it again.

We were then given a guided tour by Charlie and shown the props used and also the rooms where the residents slept as well as Dougie's and Hannah's offices. It was so fascinating to see how different everything looked off camera.

Then, I got to go into the main part of Broadhill, the sitting area, where the majority of scenes are filmed.

I have to admit, when Ricky walked up to us, shook our hands and said 'Hello', I was dumbstruck and I'm not ashamed to admit it, it was such a surreal experience. I had finally met my hero, the man who I had become more of a fan of (if that's even possible!) since watching him play the tender, innocent Derek Noakes in Series 1.

   We then went on to see how each department functions on a huge television comedy production like this. I met the lovely ladies who were in charge of everyone's wardrobe and they explained how they have to organise the clothes for each character and sort out the budget for clothes as well. They also explained how Derek's famous cardigan is a one off creation and was bought in a London market (for those who wanted to buy one).

Then I saw the office where the hard work goes on to make sure everything runs smoothly, people are sat in there organising when actors/actresses come in to film their scenes, when they get picked up etc. 

We were kindly invited to stay for lunch and when I saw the buses outside and the catering tent I was immediately reminded of Extras, and the scene where Maggie isn't allowed to sit and eat on the bus for actors. I then saw the people serving the food and hoped that they didn't serve me any with dog hairs in (Extras reference).

When I saw the food tent, I immediately knew what Karl was talking about when he said the catering and food was good. There was a huge variety of food from fruits to gorgeous deserts and I found myself in a conversation with 'Prem' played by Prem Modgil about the rice pudding (this was something that Prem and I could both relate to, being Asian, as rice pudding is eaten a lot in South Asia).

Whilst eating, we also met the lovely Colin Hoult who was filming his first ever scenes that day after coming on board as the new caretaker Geoff in Series 2. 

Those who follow Ricky's work will remember him from Life's Too Short when he played the psychic. He's such a down to earth friendly guy as were all the actors and actresses, and I found myself chatting to him about food too!

It was clear to see that Ricky takes great care of his cast and crew and doesn't spare any expense in the food for them. There is also a very well heated room with sofas in for the elderly actors to relax and keep warm in.

Another lovely young lady was Holli Dempsey who kindly offered to us to sit in her trailer as it was quite cold, luckily 'Kev' wasn't around as he would've surely taken her up on her offer.

Speaking of 'Kev' I met the very friendly, shy and soft spoken David Earl who is world's apart from his seedy on screen character. Such a lovely guy who didn't hesitate when I politely asked him for a photo, he even asked if I wanted him to put his 'Kev' glasses on.

     After lunch, we got to stand in just behind the cameras on a very funny scene being filmed, which I am proud to have witnessed being acted out first hand. It involved 'Kev' talking about things that he liked and a lot of corpsing by Ricky; which was understandable as it was bloody hilarious. I really don't know how they manage to film a whole series, the amount of fun those guys have on set. I don't want to give anything away so you'll have to watch out for that particular scene, it's comedy gold.

        Although there was a lot of corpsing and the actors were genuinely having fun; Ricky appeared to be a fantastic director and encouraged David Earl to ad-lib and was so nice to Holli Dempsey and Kerry Godliman when he wanted them to do a scene or a line slightly differently. There only appeared to be a general warmth on set and no sign of superiority or being a diva by Ricky (who is genuinely a lovely, down to earth guy). The set was so relaxed, with Ricky chatting to the cast and crew between takes, or drinking cups of tea.

  Whilst on set I also met the very talented, friendly photographer Ray Burmiston as he was taking pictures for series 2 promos. What can I say, every person I met was as nice or maybe nicer than the last person that I'd met.

      

     Ricky took pictures as Derek with each of us which Ray kindly took and finally, it was time to leave, and I was so sad to go, I would've happily sat there all day just to absorb the lovely cosy atmosphere and genuine love between all the cast and crew. It's such a cliche but they are like a family, especially because the majority of scenes in Derek are filmed in the sitting area and the elderly actors/actresses are sitting there doing their knitting or reading the papers or doing a jigsaw puzzle.

      It was fascinating to see all the hard work that goes on by the crew behind the scenes and a shame that these individuals aren't really recognised in awards ceremonies because without them holding the cameras and the lighting and sound equipment, or organising the character's wardrobe or making the cups of tea then the show would not go on.

A huge thanks to my hero Ricky Gervais for allowing us the privilege of being on his set and to Charlie Hanson and Katie Mavroleon for making it happen, and of course to Holli Dempsey, Colin Hoult, David Earl, Brett Goldstein and Kerry A Godliman and all of the wonderful cast and crew who made us feel so welcome and chatted to us.

After all, Kindness is Magic!

Lastly, I'd like to say that Ricky Gervais keeps saying that he wishes he was more like Derek Noakes; but he doesn't know that he is already so much like him. He is kind, considerate, soft spoken and so nice to his fans. I am proud to be a 'Gervaisaholic' and cannot wait for Derek to come back to our TV screens again.

Derek Series 2 starts in the UK on Channel 4 Wednesday April 23rd and on Netflix worldwide from one minute past midnight on May 30th!

'The Times' Full Interview with Ricky Gervais from Saturday 19th April 2014: 'I've always been concerned with kindness. Just not in my comedy.'

'I've always been concerned with kindness. Just not in my comedy.'

He outraged America at the Golden Globes and his sitcom is as loathed as it is liked. That's fine with me, Ricky Gervais tells Stephanie Marsh

In a sombre Soho basement a selection of Britain's pop-cultural taste-makers settle into their seats, ready to assess season 2 of the confusing Ricky Gervais comedy vehicle Derek.
Before the lights dim, the head of Channel 4 comedy says a few words.
Gervais, he informs the assembled critics, "has a lot to say."(He doesn't say what.)
And there Derek/Gervais is, on the big screen, with the same greasy fronds stuck to his forehead, the same underbite, the same simple literal-mindedness that caused some people, when the first series originally aired, to describe it as "life-affirming".
Others claimed that, in Derek, the Berkshire-born comedian was poking fun at people with learning difficulties. (He'd also used the word "mong" on Twitter). Later, when he began to accessorise his Twitter feed with pictures of himself in the bath, the same people accused him of doing so while covertly pulling a "mong face".
How much do Gervais and David Brent--- the self-regarding middle manager he played in The Office---- resemble one another? Contemporary opinion holds that they're more or less the same person. It has become fashionable to say of the breakthrough Noughties mockumentary, "Ah, but that was mostly [co-writer] Stephen Merchant", now that Gervais has become such a big star. Arrogant, prideful, foe of fat people and the disabled? Or genius, comedic revolutionary and one of the most influential figures of our times?
There are a lot of people on the internet arguing about who Gervais is: has he had his teeth whitened and become "one of them"ie, American? (Gervais bought a home in New York several years ago with his partner Jane Fallon, though they live in London). Is he a "bully" who picks on his warm-up acts? Is he "mean"(see his baiting of Hollywood stars as host of the Golden Globes from 2010-2012)? Has he "gone too far" (See his atheist tweets)? Everyone agrees he's made a lot of money.
Two hours later, whoever the real Ricky Gervais might be, he sits before me, teeth an off-white colour, mood upbeat, joyous even "Tee-hee". "Haha!" He is full to bursting with screeching laughter and pugnacious opinion. At the age of 52, he's the boy at the front of the class with his hand up and the right answer, desperate to be picked by the teacher. He's the boy at the back of the class sniggering at the boy at the front. At the teacher. At the concept of school.
     I start with: "The head of Channel 4 comedy said you have something important to say. What is it?"
"You'll have to ask him. Um" Already Gervais is shaking with mirth. "I think everyone would agree I've got a lot to say. Er. Heee. Heee!" Giggling now, he splutters: "Some would say, Shut the f*** up, ypu've said enough!"
He's talked in the past about the theme of kindness in Derek. Perhaps he hopes that Derek will make people nicer.
"What's Derek for?" I ask.
"It's for my entertainment, and hopefully some other people's. What do you mean, 'What is it for?' It's a good question, though. Because, because, because." He explodes with happy laughter.
"That's great, actually, because when somebody makes a table you wouldn't say: 'What's it for?'. That's perfect! You say, 'Well it's a table.' Whereas if anyone asks what your programme's for----f*** knows! I mean, it's to watch! It's to laugh and make you live longer."
Gervais has stopped giggling. He's suddenly utterly sober. "Um. I worry. It's a very highfalutin stance to take as someone writing TV comedy to talk about your achievements like a doctor would. There's been no change of heart in my outlook. You do things that are studies."
The Office, he says, was about comedy; men as boys and women as adults. "How you're body-snatched by trivia and if someone doesn't let you borrow their pen you think, how trivial, but in three weeks you won't let them borrow your pen to get them back. About how arbitrary a job is, how you're thrown together. The bigger themes were, mid-life crisis, fame, TV itself. Boy meets girl. Making a difference. But that doesn't answer the question, what's it for? What it was for was to give me money and awards. Hee-hee!"He corrects himself sternly: "That's not true."
   Besides "genius", the word most often used to describe him is "mean". "Do I think I was mean at the Golden Globes? No. And relative to what? What's 'mean'? Mean is telling a child they'll go to hell if they're gay. Right? Me having a go at the poster for Sex and the City being over airbrushed, that's not mean. That's pointing out what everyone saw. I mean, 'mean'? I've always been concerned with kindness. I just didn't put it into my comedy."
   Thinking back on it, the oddest thing about the Golden Globes "situation", he says, "was that they didn't realise it would be a roast".  But what did they expect? 
"There are many comedians who will turn down the chance to do what they want in front of 200 million people. So I made a decision: do I pander to the 200 egos in the room or the 200 million people watching at home? No contest. Having said that, I don't think I was particularly cruel. Everything I did was considered. Plus I think you've got to be able to say to someone's face what you'd say behind their back."
  Phillip Berk, the former president of the Globes, recently revealed that a "major Hollywood star" complained to him personally about Gervais's "roasting".
 "I know who he was!" Gervais volunteers proudly.
 And? "I'm not telling you. Because it's not fair, he'd be very embarrassed." He grins. "Are you upset that I'm not going to gossip? It was someone who thought that the general public is only there to praise them for all the good they've done."
   Did he say sorry? "I responded by saying. 'Sorry I've been invited back,'"
Gervais is quivering with amusement.
"Listen, everyone allowed to get their feelings hurt. No one wants to be the butt of the joke but I didn't say anything that was unfair or untrue. It was in the papers that Charlie Sheen got drunk. It was in the papers that Robert Downey Jr was arrested and went to the Betty Ford clinic. And I made a joke. Do you see?
  "People, when they justify their feelings being hurt, say it's objectively speaking, 'offensive' and it's not. Their feelings are personal. They merge the target of the joke with the subject of the joke. For example, Kim what's her name?" "Cattrall?" "Yeah. This is the joke I made: 'I'm surprised that the special effects award didn't go to whoever airbrushed that Sex and the City 2 poster.' Girls, we know how old you are. One of you was in an episode of Bonanza. She said it's ageist. I say it's the opposite. I'm saying, 'Why do you have to go for that paradigm of beauty that you have to be 25 years old and a leading lady? What's up with being 50? What's wrong with it? I'm pointing out something they tried to hide, and made a joke about it."
 "What's the most offensive thing that's ever been said about you?" I ask.
"The only thing that offends me is lies. Opinion dressed as opinion isn't offensive at all. If someone says: 'He's the least funny person, he never makes me laugh, I'll punch his face, he disgusts me' --- that's fine. If they say: 'I saw him eating foie gras in The Ivy...'" continues Gervais, savagely. "F***ing liar! You F***ing liar: you never did. That offends me."
  We turn to the "mong" debate. Gervais apologised for "mong" but insists he never used the word with it's original meaning--- a slang term for people with Down's syndrome. He says that Derek is not a parody--he loves the character. The whole series is an ode to his extended family, most of whom work in the care sector.
  "But for me to complain about criticism is like a fisherman complaining about waves." Early on in his career, "the first time a bad review came I thought, 'Doesn't matter, that's fine. Money still there? Yep. Awards still there? Yep. Whatever.' You've got to assume as many people dislike you as like you, rationally and irrationally. They're going to confuse you with your show. Derek is going to be a victim of any reputation. The other side of the coin is, because of my success, I'm going to get anything made that I want. So it's all good."
  "Don't you think the fact that some people hate you has been good for your career?" I ask.
"I don't know. Maybe,"
"Isn't being disliked part of the tension that keeps people interested?"
"There's this lovely Aesop fable," he says. "A mosquito decided to apologise to the Ox for annoying it and the Ox said: 'I didn't even know you were there'."
"I think you provoke people," I suggest. 
"Do I?" He challenges me to come up with some example but then interrupts himself: "Intelligent discussion sometimes frightens people. If you're confrontational and you cut to the chase, some people are taken aback by it."
 "I still think it's important for your career that there are people out there who hate you," I say.
"It's not that it's important, it's inevitable. It probably has helped me in the sense that it drives you to be even more sort of honest or to fight or answer back--I think that's very important. Freedom of speech is just about our greatest gift. For me, the point of any art, even if it's as lowly as TV comedy, is to make a connection. And for me the size of the connection is probably more important than anything else---as long as you're being honest. I am aware that I polarise. I'm aware that the emotions are extreme in both directions." 
There's a little silence. He returns to the subject solemnly. "To answer your question--yes. I do. Yes. I've just realised that I cherish that. The fact that my comedy or my Twitter polarises to the extreme. Yes. That's good. Because I think that means that you're doing something right."
 He thinks it's important that he's not like his characters in real life. But if people are going to confuse him with David Brent or Derek, "I don't give a f*** if you know the real me or not."
  Gervais is angrily remonstrating now. "People who do 'Big Brother': I just want to show the world my other side! F*** 'em! Keep your other side to you and your family. They don't deserve your other side. Who the f***! He exclaims, veering up the octaves to a falsetto: "Why do you care what some f***ing drongo, sitting at home, angry about their gout, thinks about your 'other side'? You're a millionaire. F***ing man up. You know?"
  A short, considered silence. "It's funny because I used to get people to play twisted versions of themselves in Extras and I wondered why they did it, and now I know why. Because it's like an exorcism. And you want to make it worse for yourself because you think: 'If I really act the prat now, people will think, 'Well, he can't be like that in real life'--so you make it more and more extreme. You hope that the general public know that you're not really like that."
  Are people who don't get his jokes stupid? "No. What I mean is, you shouldn't panic. You shouldn't go, 'Oh, I didn't write the joke right,' You've got to do it for yourself." For the moment, he's back to his joyful, happy self: "I look at it in a very Darwinian way: I'm going to do what I enjoy exactly as I want and hope that there's a place for it in the world. And at the moment there seems to be."
Derek begins on Wednesday 23rd April on Channel 4 at 10pm.

(Article copied from The Times in it's entireity.)

Ricky Gervais' full interview with Notebook Magazine in the Sunday Mirror 13/04/14

Ricky Gervais is channelling his inner Louie Spence, high-kicking for our photographer on repeat, until he gets just the right shot. He finds the whole thing hilarious- that infamous laugh, the one with no build up, form nowhere to peeing his pants hysteria in nought to five seconds, coming out over and over. "It's all getting worryingly Lionel Blair, isn't it?" he says.

A lot of things have been said about Ricky Gervais and the biggest misconception is probably one of arrogance. Actually he's rather normal considering his ludicrous levels of success. Sure, he's got 'people' fluttering around him, but he likes to do things himself (he even pays his own phone bills).

And though he must have met thousands of fawning folks, he remembers us from years back when we last met him. Famous people always say that, but they are almost always lying, whereas Ricky remembers actual details of what we talked about and all sorts. He's also a bit unexpectedly serious at times, though there's always a funny moment lurking just seconds away. 

There's no need to list his CV, we'd be here until Christmas, so we'll go for the edited highlights.

First there was The Office, then Extras when Hollywood knocked on the door, hosting the Golden Globes and co-writing and guest starring in The Simpsons. Then there was An Idiot Abroad, Life's Too Short and movie roles, now there's Muppets Most Wanted and his pet project Derek, about to start it's second series.

Not bad for a failed pop star from Reading, the 'laziest, least ambitious person in the world' who didn't get a job until he was 28......

'You've been famous for a good while now, and in the last few years you've become really famous. Is it a nightmare sometimes?'

I dreaded being famous before I was famous, and for the first half of being famous, but now I realise it's OK. People's opinions don't matter. I don't just have a thick skin, i actually quite like it when I get grief from people. This morning a postman from Hull tweeted me saying he was disappointed I did the Muppet movie and I was like. "Really mate?! I'm having a laugh And they paid me". Why do they think they can ruin my day? I love every day. It would only upset me if it was lies. If someone said I had illegal dog fights in my basement I'd sue them. If they say "He's the least funny person on the planet", it's an opinion.

'What's the weirdest thing that's been written about you?'

Someone said I had a boxing ring in my house which was quite weird, and because I have steel shutters around my house that come down when I'm away, they said I spend my evenings sat in a 3,000 square foot safe in the dark...

'Can you do anything without being recognised?'

I went to see a title fight with Joe Calzaghe at Madison Square Garden in New York. I went to the loo and this guy is like, 'Hey mate, can I have a picture?' Arm straight round me, doing a selfie while I'm in the middle of a wee. I didn't even have a chance to say, "Can we leave it a minute mate?"

There's a lot of testosterone at those things, you don't want to say no. All I could think was, 'How wide angled was that lens?" "What did he get in?"

'How've you "kept it real"? There must be some diva moments......

I can do what I want and I turn down 90% of the jobs I'm offered, so that makes me spoilt. But I feel sorry for people who become famous young because it's all over by the time they're 25 and they've probably done things they're going to regret for the rest of their lives. For me, everything was already in place, I had a stable relationship, friends. There is hard work, but I can't count it as work when my dad got up at 5am every day and carried bricks around. How can I complain?

It must be terrifying doing things like hosting the Golden Globes.

I don't get nervous, it's nice to be the most feared man in Hollywood. It's like the spider thing, actors are much more scared of me than I am of them.

Tell us about The Muppets. How did they compare to working with humans?

They're real. I don't think of them as being operated by anyone. I still miss them, they're my little mates. I want to go into a restaurant and be like "Ah, there's Constantine, can I join you mate?" He soon became my favourite Muppet, he's so angry and bitter and rude. I wanted to keep hugging them all and rub their pot bellies, and I kept scratching their heads thinking they's like it. It's a man's hand!

'What about when they're, you know, not working?'

I don't look at them, I can't. I'm like "Where've you been?" and they're like "In a box in New Jersey"...

What's David Brent up to?

Everything's got slightly worse, he's not even a manager any more, he's a rep, he's 50 and still trying to be a pop star in a shiny suit. There's even more desperation. I thought it'd be funny to do a documentary of Brent on tour-he thinks it's like Scorsese doing the Rolling Stones but really it's a "Where are they now?" show, like something from ITV2. They'll find out he's cashed his pension in to make his album. I might do another series, it won't be The Office, though, because you've got to move on.

What's on your bucket list? There can't be much left?

Have a house that looks out onto my own animal sanctuary. Buy a bit of Surrey and get lots of three legged dogs and blind donkeys. Wake up, open the windows and hear a Disney song start, it'll be all "Zippedee-doo-da" and "Hey Mr Squirrel, here's a nut".

What's the most extravagant thing you've ever bought? 

Works of art. Expensive guitars. Erm, a swimming pool. Inside. A virtual golf course in the basement. A gym. But that's health isn't it? Everyone's got a gym in their house haven't they?

That's embarassing. This has gone terribly wrong hasn't it? I was a man of the people for the first five minutes. Yeah, I've got a private jet in my house that takes off from my swimming pool, flies over the golf course and leads into the kitchen. Oh dear, I should be like, "Oh, an old cardigan from a jumble sale".

Describe yourself in three words.

I'd like to say funny! Honest. I'm alright. the character Derek is me before the world made me cynical. i have the same values deep down. I am annoying though.

What would your partner Jane say is the most irritating thing about you?

She hates me sneezing loudly. And she says "What did I say?" and I say "What?" I'm preoccupied a lot. But she's the same as me. We just watch crap telly and take the mickey out of our cat.

What will be written on your tombstone?

He had a laugh. Or 'Out of Office'. That'll be the newspaper headline when I die, won't it?

The low-down on Derek.....

Derek, your sitcom about the residents of a care home is back soon. This show seems super-close to your heart....
I didn't think you could do a sitcom like that, and then I thought, "Why not?' My mum, sister, sister-in-law and now their kids are all carers, so I've got 30 years of anecdotes. I've always written about what I know-Gareth from The Office is a boy I went to school with, which is why he acts like a 14 year old. Tim is based on an unhappy wisecracker from my first job and Brent is a Frankenstein of people. There's a bit of Brent in all of us- we all want to be loved and think we're important.

Does it bug you that people call Derek controversial?
I think they haven't watched it yet. They're just assuming it's going to be cruel.

You're known for cracking up and corpsing on set.....
What makes me corpse most is Kev chatting up the old women. There was a scene with Kev telling Derek what he does to Janice in the caravan. Every time he said "I like to back her in, I leave the business end near the door because if she was to reverse in I wouldn't have a chance". I literally couldn't get through it, so it's not in the show.

David Brent and The Foregone Conclusion London 2013

It was a 'Foregone Conclusion' that this was going to be an amazing night out for anyone lucky enough to attend. Excuse the bad pun, I have been waiting for sometime to use this. 

I am of course talking about Ricky Gervais bringing back his fictional character best known from 'The Office'; the Brentmeister General himself, Mr. David Brent and his band 'Foregone Conclusion' for a couple of SOLD OUT work in progress gigs at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London.

Ticket touts who had contributed to this gig selling out in less than a minute caused an air of controversy to surround these gigs as true fans didn't manage to get tickets which were being sold on at extortionate prices. Thankfully, Ricky and his A-Team (management) got many of these overpriced tickets taken down and urged fans not to buy them.
I was fortunate enough to get a ticket for the very first gig and here are my (biased of course!) thoughts on the entire experience, without spoiling too much for those yet to see it:

Arriving at the Bloomsbury Theatre, I could see why Ricky chose it; it's a lovely little venue with an amazing view of the stage from wherever you're sitting, there are literally no 'shitty seats'; imagine that being said in a 'Brent-esque' way; 'The Bloomsbury Theatre: We don't give shitty seats!'
I also think he chose it because he performed a couple of sold out stand up shows there in the past and it is located close to and owned by UCL; where he studied and later worked so it is probably a venue close to his heart.

Sitting in the upper circle, the view of the stage was excellent and the atmosphere was amazing. It was so nice to anticipate the start of the show with a theatre full to the brim with excited fans, as cliche as it may seem, we were like one big diverse family.

The lights went down and to my surprise a bespectacled Doc Brown in 'golfing gear' as he put it (Ben Smith) appeared on stage; having never seen him in anything apart from The 'Equality Street' music video alongside David Brent and in an episode of Derek; I didn't know what to expect...but as soon as he started talking he had me in fits of laughter. He has a unique style of comedic rapping using clever lyrics and I'll definitely be going to his shows in the future. After the gig, I looked him up on YouTube and found this amazing 'Proper Tea' rap:

Next, the one and only Ewen Macintosh, who 'The Office' fans will recognise as 'Big Keith' came on stage to an overwhelming roar of applause from the audience with one excited fan shouting 'Peak Practice', of course referring to Keith's line 'I like Peak Practice'.
He was only on for a brief moment, holding up a piece of paper to introduce David Brent and the band, but he made it a moment of comedy gold by eating a scotch egg as he left the stage.

Then, the moment we had all been waiting for, Ricky Gervais appeared on stage; in a white dress shirt, baggy navy blue jeans, a waistcoat, bolo tie, ill fitting sunglasses and an earring to complete his 'rock n' roll' look. The moment he touched his earring and said 'fashion innit', the audience knew that 'Brent' was on stage. His band also sifted onto the stage in the background and 'Brent' briefly introduced them, but only cared to mention the new guitarist who he said was 'Mammogram's' nephew, 'Stu Monkford'; and of course he had to mention that he had not raped anyone, so far...

He started with the songs from his 'Learn Guitar' YouTube series such as 'Life on The Road' and 'Ooh La La' with the audience and myself finding ourselves clapping along. Doc Brown also came back on stage as rapper 'Dom Johnson' to perform 'Equality Street', 'Lonely Cowboy' and 'Ain't no Trouble'. The comedic chemistry and banter between Doc Brown and Ricky Gervais was brilliant.

'Brent' and 'Johnson' singing 'Equality Street'

When Ricky wasn't singing he was mouthing the lyrics and dancing along playing 'air guitar' which was funny and slightly adorable.
He also had his signature can of 'Fosters' on stage (those who have seen his stand-up and golden globes presenting will know that he always has a drink whilst performing live) which he would sip during guitar solos.

'Brent' and 'Mammogram's' nephew 'Stu Monkford'

At times, when Ricky was singing using the microphone and doing hand gestures, and especially during the 'factually correct' song 'Slough', I saw a bit of 'Derek Noakes' seeping in and I was reminded of this scene in 'Derek' when he was performing his 'Ventriquocist' act with Poppy the Rabbit:

Derek and Poppy: Photo courtesy of Channel 4 and Netflix

Our ears were treated  to an exclusive new song called 'Lady Gypsy' a musical tale of his first love; which was typical 'Brent' and hilarious as well as catchy. 

My personal favourite songs from the gig were 'Slough', 'Equality Street', 'Lady Gypsy' and 'Ain't no Trouble' and I loved the added 'magic' and sounds that the band brought to the whole experience. The song 'Ain't no Trouble' was in my opinion especially improved by the 'tropical sounds' (Racial!).

Watching these songs on YouTube from David Brent's fortnightly 'Learn Guitar' Lessons, I felt like I had known these songs forever and knew all the words, because however ridiculous the lyrics may seem, they are so damn catchy.
After performing all of the songs from the 'Learn Guitar' YouTube series bar one, 'You're why I breathe', he left the stage with Doc Brown to a roar of applause; but being familiar with his stand up I knew that he always comes back on stage for a second time. He didn't disappoint, and came back to perform 'The Serpent who guards the gates of Hell' and my all time favourite 'Freelove Freeway' which we were first exposed to in 'The Office'. 
He finally bowed to the audience and left the stage to an eardrum bursting round of applause and a well deserved standing ovation from all of us.  

FINAL THOUGHTS
Ricky performing as David Brent with a live band has proven what we already knew; that he is a versatile guy and a born performer. He is a unique article, the machine made one and was switched off forever.
I was sad for him that his singing career wasn't successful the first time round with his eighties group 'Seona Dancing' but am happy for him that he is fulfilling his dreams of a music career so many years on; whether that be for fun or otherwise.

My only suggestions for improvement, if any, is that there should've been more trademark 'David Brent' banter, a bit of audience interaction and a longer show. I would've also wanted to see Ricky playing the guitar himself, but he is forgiven on this occasion because of his '50 year old shoulder'....

My only regret is not hanging about after the show on the off chance of meeting Ricky and tell him face to face that his show was 'fucking amazing!'

If Ricky wants David Brent to be less successful then he is going to have to work a lot harder because, at the moment, he is more talented than many serious modern musicians. I hope all Ricky fans get to eventually see this gig as it is a fun experience.
All in all, a surreal, fun experience with catchy and ironically well-written songs which left my ears buzzing and wanting more; I urge Ricky to bring on the world tour and the album release; but what do I know?! I'm just a sad fan!