In defence of Derek

“He’s done it again” report certain media outlets.

Ricky Gervais made headlines again this week, for the wrong reasons depending on who’s opinion you listen to.

It was said that Gervais’ new show, Derek, about a lonely guy who works in a nursing home; was poking fun at the elderly.

This is a comedian who is no stranger to controversy, having found himself at the centre of a storm of critique just a few months back when he used the word ‘mong’ on Twitter.

People said he was mocking those with downs syndrome, when in reality Ricky was guilty of nothing more than naivety toward how many view the meaning of that word. An apology for any offence followed and he has not used the word since.

He also found himself in hot water a few years ago when, during a stand up show, he made a joke that mentioned teenage cancer sufferers.

Having now watched ‘Derek’ all it has done it confirmed to me that there are many, MANY people in the world who all too easily confuse the subject of a joke with the target.

Just because a joke is told about someone with ginger hair, or a fat belly, that doesn’t mean that said person is being victimised or targeted.

As Gervais himself has said before, everyone has the right to take offence, but that doesn’t mean you are right.

A plethora of comments were made in the media this week in the run up to the screening of ‘Derek’, the vast majority of which were from people who had seen no more than a 30-second trailer.

After watching the show, it is strikingly similar to the last episodes of The Office and Extras. Not entirely laugh out loud but with more than a few quips to raise a smile; and full of the humility and honesty that comes only from a good writer.

The real subject of ‘Derek’ is not the man himself. It’s a touching tale about those people in life who may not fit with genetically perfect stereotypes of looking like models, or being suave and sophisticated with the opposite sex; but actually bear the far more important trait of being a nice person.

All too often in life we see advertising campaigns with size zero models, and then follows a wave of complaints about the championing of skinny women.

Is this not the same principle? By actually watching the show you realise that the main characters all share the common ground of being kind, warm hearted and generous. This is the tale that isn’t told by Hollyoaks or any one of a sea of ‘bubblegum television’.

The scene in which Derek is told about the death of a resident that he spent a lot of time with was incredibly sad, but at the same time breathtaking. I’ll be honest and admit that it had me reaching for the tissues.

Comedy by it’s very nature is subjective. Some of the most successful comedians or series have just as many people who don’t like it as that who adore it.

There are also more than a few shows that, if it were made now, would not get past a pilot for the sea of complaints about jokes made toward people who are thick, foreign or obese.

Take Fawlty Towers; the loveable idiot that was treated as such, Manuel, would draw a mountain of letters to the BBC now. Racism no doubt.

The same goes for Father Ted, which no doubt portrayed the Irish as alcoholic idiots.

Ricky Gervais, in truth, is a comedian who will always draw criticism for the simple reason that he writes comedy that he would laugh at, rather than whatever TV companies want to see.

At that is precisely what makes the best comedy. Simply because it’s ‘real’. Ricky doesn’t care if a million people don’t find his work funny because he does, and by definition that makes it, to him, funny; and something to be proud of.

There are limits of course, and a comedian who stood in a club in Liverpool for example, and told stories about people tragically caught up in the Hillsborough disaster would, quite rightly, be seen as out of order.

Because of certain taboo subjects, some of the best comedy now comes from clever observations of certain beliefs.

I’ll finish with the best one liner I have ever heard; from the mouth of Ricky Gervais during the closing moments of last years’ Golden Globes ceremony, which perfectly encapsulates the meaning of the word ‘Joke’.

“I’d like to thank God, for making me an atheist.”

Never a truer word spoken, in my opinion. But that doesn’t make me right…