Ricky Gervais Shares Why Cancel Culture is Dangerous to Society
By Allyson Vannatta, Senior Writer
Comedian Ricky Gervais is speaking out on cancel culture.
In an interview with Metro, Gervais talked about how cancel culture is ruining the livelihoods of some entertainers, and in some cases infringing on freedom of speech.
“Everyone’s got a different definition of cancel culture,” the former Golden Globes host said.
“If it is choosing not to watch a comedian because you don’t like them, that’s everyone’s right. But when people are trying to get someone fired because they don’t like their opinion about something that’s nothing to do with their job, that’s what I call cancel culture and that’s not cool.”
Gervais added, “You turning off your own TV isn’t censorship. You trying to get other people to turn off their TV, because you don’t like something they’re watching, that’s different.
“Everyone’s allowed to stop watching your stuff, everyone’s allowed to burn your DVDs, but you shouldn’t have to go to court for saying a joke that someone didn’t like,” he explained. “And that’s what we get dangerously close to. If you don’t agree to someone’s right to say something you don’t agree with, you don’t agree with freedom of speech.”
Gervais tied his thoughts back to one of his tweets about Winston Churchill.
“I did a tweet a month ago about freedom of speech, quoting Winston Churchill. Someone came back with, ‘You know he was a white supremacist?’ And I wrote back, ‘Not in that tweet he isn’t.’ It’s like if someone did something once that’s wrong, everything they did was wrong,” he said.
Gervais has been outspoken about many hot topics when it comes to Hollywood.
Movieguide® previously reported on how he slammed celebrities for complaining over safer-at-home orders.
“These people are doing 14-hour shifts and not complaining,” Gervais continued. “Wearing masks, and being left with sores, after risking their own health and their families’ health selflessly. But then I see someone complaining about being in a mansion with a swimming pool. And, you know, honestly, I just don’t want to hear it.”
