I'm wondering why there have only been 42 comments thus far.

I guess just to be funny is one thing, but to make people think about the joke is a whole different ball game. Some say that I can be hateful to others. I comment is about others is" have you seem them eat". Oh! It usually helps when a joke is told those that it is attended for has a practical understanding of the joke. I have been told jokes that go over my head.

I quibble with David Marchese's incorrect use of a term, hackneyed, by politicians left and right, "divisive." Its just simply the wrong use of the word, if you look in the dictionary and its synonyms. Ricky Gervais might be loved by many and disliked by some, but I am pretty sure he is not "divisive." What does that even mean to say he is? Do you mean polarizing? He is a comedian, not, to use another hackneyed and scary US English jargonism, a "Thought Leader." I would ask you to show me in which way Ricky causes "hostility between people." I might come to blows with a Trump supporter, but I am pretty sure I could share a cab or a meal or make love with someone who detests Ricky's humor/work. I am pretty sure Ricky does not cause "alienation or estrangement between people," nor, for that matter, is he "isolating or schismatic."

It seems that it is only in comedy that we can really get at some of the nonsensical PC stuff that it's impolite to criticize nowadays. Outrage culture is ridiculous because people think emotionally, not rationally, like overgrown children. So I like learning about what he does in his comedy.

Ricky Gervais reminds me of a sweet tart - kind of funny, kind of mean all in the name of humor. I always felt the same way about Don RIckles or when seeing someone fall on a patch of ice. I'm embarrassed for laughing at the expense of someone else. It seems wrong and cruel. But I have seen Mr. Gervais in some serious roles and I find him an exceptionally wonderful and talented actor. He is an interesting British treasure. And I do love the sound of his voice - between that and his timing always cracks me up. He is a master in that regard.

I love Ricky's work but I can think of few things more unbearable than hearing explanations for why funny things are funny.

"After Life" surprised me because Gervais's character directly enabled a man to kill himself yet knowing this was only a part of what caused his move toward redemption, given equal weight to chatting with a fellow mourner on a bench or getting a comeuppance from his boss. That single instance should have made a character with the sensitivity to grieve so deeply bottom out. Love much of what he's done, but "Humanity" was far too self-referential, redundant and just plain not funny.

My life is just a little bit better watching Ricky Gervais do his thing.

Watched 3 episodes so far and think "After Life" is just brilliant, incredibly moving and hilariously funny. Ricky Gs best work yet. Can't wait to watch the rest.

I've found him very talented and enjoyed lots of his work but this high horse he's on about outrage culture is terribly boring and not very funny. "Humanity", as much as I tried to make it so, just wasn't funny.

I think this interview showcases some of the reasons I find his comedy so lacklustre. His jokes don't come from observing actual human behaviour, instead relying on twitter feuds that are not relatable. "What will make some random person on the internet angry?" is not a good place to start a joke as far as I can tell. It also highlights how his thought patterns are inconsistent, he won't accept criticism or feedback, and won't think critically about his material. He wants to have all the material benefits of being famous and successful but none of the association with celebrities. He wants to jump from straight jokes to parody/satire without confusing the audience and will blame them for not being astute enough for his humour. He claims he leaves his politics out of his shows as if that's even possible in principle. The interviewer, bless him, was even nice enough to give him some room to introspect about what he just said and he refused at every point. How can your material evolve and improve over time with that attitude? I guess that's why his jokes haven't changed substantially in 20 years.

I am flummoxed by the reactions of people whose opinions I respect to “ After Life”. I must be missing something, I thought it was mawkish and cornball. And predictable.

I am impressed that he has been married to the same woman for 37 years. He must be doing something right.

This. "I hate virtue-signaling. I’ll tell you why it’s bad. Because the more pathetic people’s accusation is, the more these people are saying they’re not like the accused. They’re saying, “Look how good I am.” They’re saying, “I hate that thing because I would never do it.” Why are you telling us?"

He’s like a stick in the eye. I go to great lengths to avoid him.

Binged "After Life" last week and was overcome by spontaneous tears and laughter for the first time since losing my husband 5 years ago. Provocative? Outrageous? Ricky Gervais is all of this. He is also intuitive and manages to poke at our darkest and sometimes most ridiculous emotions. This series is artful and full of good medicine.

Ricky Gervais and Norm MacDonald should have done a movie ten years ago. It was about signing Jack Nicholson to star in a Bob Hope biopic. But Norm couldn't afford the shoes.

I suppose all of us have various lacunae in our exposure to things. One of them for me has been Ricky Gervais, for no particular reason except the Office was big when my life was rich enough to never watch TV unless for sports or politics. Well, I'm older now, and falling apart, and I have time -- and this article convinces me that I need to take a look at his stuff. I found his attitude about Twitter really interesting, and sadly right on. Crowd sourcing social criticism and political analysis is probably as serious a mistake we'll pay for as crowd sourcing medicine and science about vaccinations. Thoughtful people with things to say that others should hear are overwhelmed by...people who suffering from the Dunning Kruger syndrome in the mere act of breathing. I thought this passage was very revealing... "Q.You might want to spend less time on social media. A. I’m fine as long as I can properly calibrate what’s there online and also still remember to walk outside in the sun. Q. That sounds like a drug addict saying, “I’m fine as long as I balance my uppers and downers.” A. I could be wrong. But no, I know I’m not. There are idiots on Twitter. But there are idiots on the High Street. They just don’t talk to you..."

Yeah! Ricky Gervais was able to withstand the taunts of this PC journalist. Thank God for him. The NYT has been taken over by such simple-minded folks, people who disregard the role of comedy in stabilizing our Democracy. Only Fascists believe that there is only one perspective should be permitted by society, on any topic. All others opinions must be banned because the "chosen ones" are so special (so fragile), as to not warrant criticism. Free speech gets banned as being too harsh for them to take. (Ha! Our American forefathers are turning over in their graves to witness the exemplary NYT behaving like this.) PC journalists are leading us down the road to Fascism. They don't see it, but it is true. We are becoming a world where carefully designed propaganda rules the conversation and the average persons opinions are squelched. To speak the laymans' truth, to point to practical studies and observations is to risk the ultimate sacrifice, that of being ostracized by society. So, everyone stays quiet and just listens, hoping that a comedian will have the courage to speak up and to articulate an opinion that that is true. Comedians like Gervais should be applauded for being the most courageous among us. We need them to poke fun at the elite.

We need congressional oversight of comedy. The ONLY subjects that should be ridiculed are straight cis-gendered white Christian males. Everyone else should be spared. America needs to learn from Mao's Cultural Revolution.

I tried to watch this series. I went into it with high hopes because I usually like Gervais, and I loved the concept. Unfortunately, I could not stand it after about 20 minutes. The problem was not that I took offense at any particular joke — I appreciate irreverent humor — but that the character was too incapable, self-centered and nasty to come across as funny or sympathetic. Gervais played him not as a wounded, depressed man who has a kind heart (buried somewhere in that bundle of bitterness), but as an overgrown, mopey brat. He has no clean dishes or food because he cannot be bothered to wash up or go shopping. He can’t even feed his dog. That is not depression (I am speaking as someone who has had prolonged bouts of clinical depression). That is a man who has been catered to for so long by a mom-wife that he cannot deal with what he sees as the women’s work of running a household. Even the bit where he watches his late wife’s instruction video is neither funny nor touching. He has to be reminded to feed the dog? Who is this guy? If anything offended me in what I saw of this show, it was the gross sexism that lay at the heart of the set-up. Does he miss his loving wife, or does he miss his caretaker and housekeeper? And by the way, Ricky Gervais, animal neglect is never funny. Never, in any context.

I watched this show, it was a sweet way of going on an apology tour. Gervais is a great advocate for dogs - and that's wonderful. Gervais is also a great advocate for himself. If he really wants to understand he ought to start watching - ContraPoints - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtj7LDYaufM&feature=share

I never much liked anything Gervais did after The Office. My wife, on the other hand, thinks he's pretty good. So she badgered me to watch After Life. "I think you'll like it," she said. I did, it's brilliant. In my opinion, which matters squat, this is Gervais at his best. Long time coming, perhaps, but well worth the wait. Thanks Ricky. You nailed it!

About this: “I joke about AIDS, famine, cancer, the Holocaust and you’re telling me I shouldn’t joke about allergies?” You shouldn’t joke about the Holocaust, either, in my opinion. Not because it’s verboten, but because you are not the person to do it. Your delivery isn’t right for that. The funniest Holocaust bit I ever saw wason Curb Your Enthusiasm. A rabbi approaches Larry David’s character to ask whether he and would host a “survivor” for dinner. So cut to the dinner and Larry David and his wife have invited a Holocaust survivor to join them, and the rabbi has brought... a cast member from “Survivor.” Practically knocked me off my chair I was laughing so hard. So well played! I don’t think that could offend anyone, but it it’s so outlandish that you think for a moment, “No...did they really go there?”

My compliments to the interviewer. Great work. This part aptly summarizes how to monetize one's victimhood: "How do you reconcile your need to be an outsider with the fact that you’re clearly not one anymore?" I can still be an outsider by reminding people that the Establishment hates me.

If anyone's offended? How could anyone not be? And you won't have Ricky around to explain why you shouldn't be. Hateful humor.

So Ricky Gervais has a -reason- that we should not be offended by his ignorance? I doubt that I would be interested in his explanation.

I enjoy his work. His ability to go from utterly silly to uncomfortably insightful is always entertaining. I adore “The Invention of Lying” and enjoyed “Humanity” as well. I need to check out some his series work (“ Idiot Abroad” was delightful). How could any comedian appeal to EVERYONE? We’re talking about Human Race here, with our vast variety of ideas and opinions.

RG's targets are all wrong. He doesn't send up stupid rich people. Or smart people doing stupid things. Just stupid people. Too much misanthropy, not enough humanity. Afterlife seems too much of the same schtick to me. Tried it and could not get past the first episode.

Saw After Life on Netflix with my wife this weekend. Highly recommend the series, it was joyful, emotional and incredibly funny. Love Ricky!

I don't waste my time on Ricky Gervais anymore. Anti-trans jokes in the way of still getting laughs at Kaitlyn Jenner's expense is not my way of getting a laugh. It's not even offensive, it's lazy comedy. Done.

Ricky Gervais is exactly what the US and the UK need right now; someone that will hold up a mirror which reveals our ignorance and arrogance, showing us exactly who we are. Let's hope we don't like what we see and collectively agree to strive for something better...

So thrilled to know that Rotten Tomatoes has given this guy a 43% approval for Humanity. That gives me hope that at least 43% of the thinking-mammalian-fauna of our nation have a brain. Lately, I've not been certain of even that level of "...perspective".

So very funny and irreverent. His targets are those who need to come down several notches on their ladder. I've enjoyed virtually all of Ricky's work over the years.

Great interview of a very funny man who in my opinion has been unfairly tarred at times in the past few years. The Office and Extras are TV comedy classics as far as I'm concerned. I'm in the early episodes of After Life but it too is off to a very promising start. Similar to Extras it is very funny but also touching and downright sad at times. I've always appreciated art that can elicit such different emotions on a whim and Gervais seems to be quite good at doing so.

Watched the first two episodes of 'Afterlife' last night. It has elements of The (British) Office, one of the best comedies ever, but with a bit more 'heart'. Funny and poignant. Will continue tonight til I fall asleep. Way to go Ricky! Thanks