Ricky Gervais using the word m..g!!

[LottieJenkins]

here!!
I so hate him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Accidentally turned over the TV once and the Office was on, this was years ago mind and we didn't really know much about it but heard it was a comedy. After about 2 mins we turned it off as it was a scotch of the idiot sat behind his desk poking fun at the cricket bloke who did the shred dies ads, Ian Botham, because Ian Botham gave money to disabled kids charities. RG was mocking him saying why would he give money to a bunch of...something...kids.

That was enough for me, I haven't liked the bloke since and personally i don't find him the least funny anyway. he's boring, odious and to be honest just a little icky bit creepy.

Maybe sickof could point him to this page! I don't 'do' twitter myself but if you do it might make him think a little to see that actually he is considered quite vile but a fair proportion of society.

I had no idea what the term meant!!

I've always thought he was a complete coward, trying to hid behind his pathetic sense of humour as an excuse for the fact that he's a total bully

I used to see him a fair amount where I used to work, as he'd frequently jog past the office, I wish I'd known he said that kind of thing back then, I would have asked him to explain to my beautiful dd face why he thought it was acceptable to call her such a horrific name!! .

have gotta say loved pagwatchs comment, says it all!

I just saw on Twitter that Ricky Gervais has said he'll say 'twongs' not 'mongs' from now on. That is progress I think (it's his made-up word, a mix of twitter and mongs, just like people on there say 'tweeps' not 'peeps', but better than the m word at least). The Daily Mail covered the story today also so he was risking a big firestorm.

this makes me feel so sad. I now hate Ricky Gervais.

Was actually going to start a thread a few weeks ago about another famous person using horrible language but didn't want to depress anyone. but seeing as Ricky has shoved it in our faces I'll bring it up now.

The Dawn French (yes Dawn French!) book "a tiny bit marvellous" has the 18 yr old teenage character call people "m*gs. There is no excuse here that the word now means something else as the character says and I papaphrase "I hate them and I hope they have "m*g children" as if this would be the worse thing that could possibly happen.

I'm sure Ms French would justify her actions by saying this is the language teenagers use and the character is meant to be unlikeable at the start of the book but if that's the case why not throw in some of the homophobic and racist language they also use? As we know it is because (quite rightly) people from strong lobby groups would not let her get away with it but disabilist language is still somehow ok.

While Ms French probably didn't mean to cause offence I am offended and I hate the way her book now from part of the perpetuation of this so disaparaging term.

Book is rubbish anyway - plot is weak and the characters act in unconvincing ways.
Really disappointed as always thought Dawn French was fab.

I liked the office too but think his stand up is rubbish and unfunny. This twitter stuff is sickening and I can't believe he is continuing to try to justify this childish offensive nonsense.

He has lost his gift for humour and is casting around in the sea of has beens I also wonder if he is taking lots of coke.
The whole thing smacks of publicity stunt.
Poor wee Ricky already has the worst punishment imaginable though.....he has to live with himself forever.

Dawn French. Very very very disappointing. And she was the one who persuaded Lenny Henry to move away from old fashioned race-based material. No fucker gets it, do they?

latedeveloper not surprised about Dawn French.Read her autobiography and Idon't think she is as lovely as people like to think.
Youare probably right about lobby groups against racism and homophobia.

Oh I am saddened by Dawn french- I've always loved her.

Was just thinking back (being the old fart that I am) of past comedians; Morecombe and Wise, The two Ronnies, Del boy in Fools, Bobby Davro, Little and Large...might not have all been to everyones liking but I am quite sure none of them were into using such disgusting language, either disablist or swearing...

Why nowadays do they feel that they have to do this to gain a few laughs from certain people. Is it because their material is so weak this is the best they can do?

I've just read the Michael MacIntyre autobiography and it was brilliant. I've never heard him say anything remotely disablist and yet I only have to look at his silly grin and I'm in fits. Same as with Lee Evans.
It's a shame the others can't follow suit!

Let's face it Lee Evans and Michael Mac are incredibly popular and sell out shows within hours. So they must be doing something right.

Latedeveloper - I'm not sure about the Dawn French example though. If the character is meant to be unlikeable, they are going to say offensive things. She's not using it to get a laugh, she's using it in a way that blatantly shows that the word is offensive. Perhaps in that context, it might make a reader think about it that hadn't before, IYSWIM. It makes me think of all the fuss over the book Tom Sawyer and racism and such. But to some extent, I think that in context as a non-funny way (as in not trying to make a "joke"), and said by a unlikeable character as something offensive, it actually illustrates that it is offensive. Which is actually preferable.

So I'd had to say in that context, it simply illustrates how offensive and immature that particular character is. It sounds like it rather "encourages" the reader to be offended. IMO.

Ricky has (pretty much) apologised on Twitter, due a brave mum of 2 severely autistic girls taking him on, politely.

I'm no Ricky Gervais fan and what he said is deplorable. However, I would to point out that the F word and the C word some of you have chosen to use to describe him are pretty deplorable when you understand their meanings as well. Rant over. And Ricky Gervais is an idiot!!

You're right Gee but the difference is is that if someone called me a C or told me to F off I would easily be able to defend myself. (give 'em a gob full in other words!)
I think what is so reprehensible about the words he and others like him are using is that those they are aimed at or describing derogatorily cannot defend themselves.

Last thing, I knew, Gee, my nether regions didn't take offence to anything much.

In his privileged world of millionairdom where he's feted and fawned over for his comic genius , it may well seem inoffensive to him. Though I cannot understand why.

At the park with my disabled son who's ten and has ASD, OCD with Tourettes style verbal tics, when he's desperately trying to join in with those "normal" (mean spirited) kids and one of them calls him a "weirdo, a mong" it ain't funny at all.

Let's jump forward ten years. When he's a 20yr old man walking down the street, just minding his own business and some drunken lout (possibly the kid from the park, all grown up) thinks it's hilarious to pick on the "mong". Desperately unfunny and scary.

Thanks Ricky. And Frankie Boyle and let's not forget Jimmy Carr. Bunch of mindless (educated) "normal" twats.

When I was a little girl "spaz" was the word of choice.

Maybe Ricky'll be able to bring that one back.

Ricky Gervais thinks he is a teenager, some sort of pseudo gang banga - sad!
I DO believe in freedom of speech and I think that banning words or objecting to them is best not done. Having said that, there are certain words that have become culturally unacceptable, the N word and the C word as already mentioned. So I DO think that these disablist words should be treated the same, not by laws or rules but by being challenged as has been done in this case. Culturally it must become unacceptable to use these words and then attitudes will change, it has changed with racism and homophobia. That's not to say that these attitudes have been eradicated but they have become unacceptable to the mainstream of society, in the media etc.
The debate seems to have centred around comedians having a responsibility to challenge taboos, but being disablst is not a taboo, it is common and accepted, so they are going about it the wrong way, they are challenging the wrong taboo. They need to challenge those who make the lives of people with disabilities and their families a misery or even a little uncomfortable but the disabled are an easier target than society's bullies.
Their main responsibility is to be FUNNY and he is not, not as himself anyway.

davros, what are you talking about? Mr Gervais thinks he's some kind of teenage gang-Banga? What?

A lli know is, if I talked about Pakis and Niggers and Homos, Paddys and thick Micks, Yidds, Spics and Chinks..... Would that be acceptable?

Mr Gervais and other comedy giants such as Boyle, Carr, (j)Davidson and that big northern fat bloke who I can't even remember his name, they're NOT CHALLENGING our way of thinking. They're making it ok to get a laugh out of those more vulnerable than themselves.

Anyone on this thread see the Panorama Winterbourne care scandal documentary in the Spring? They were abusing vulnerable disabled people verbally (for a laff) and physically. It's people like these mindless comedians that perpetuate the idea that's it's ok to poke fun at those unable to defend/protect themselves. Some disabled folk can of course. They can give as good as they get, verbally. But many many vulnerable kids and adults can't.

I maintain, Gervais.... You're challenging shit didly. You're just a twat. Shame on you.

I said PSEUDO gang banga. I mean he'd like to be home with the downies.
I also thought I said that RG, FB etc THINK they are challenging taboos by picking on disabled people but they're not, they need to "out" the people committing disabled hate crime or simply challenge the use of the words that are not acceptable, however much they may not like it.
Cheap laughs? Do they actually get any laughs when they say these particular things?

Davros....people keep filling theatres to see these comedians. They get their air time on TV.

RG is a fifty yr old bloke. It's time he grew up. Kids taking the rise out of those less fortunate in the playground is inevitable. Grownups, and I use that term lightly, ought to know better.

I agree, he does need to grow up, that sums him up.

It will be interesting to see his new comedy 'Life's Too Short' which features an actor who is a dwarf.

I used to think he was able to raise a difficult topic and get the audience to laugh at the bigot but he lost the plot with this one.

I was wondering about that. Presumably he's not playing a dumb/bigoted character like in The Office or Extras. But I won't be watching I don't think.