Ricky Gervais defends ‘taboo’ jokes following backlash to Netflix special SuperNature: ‘They don’t mean anything’

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ricky Gervais has defended his right to joke about “taboo subjects” following a significant backlash to his latest stand-up special. Gervais explained his stance on ‘The One Show' “Even in narrative stuff like After Life, people are saying, ‘The audience hate this.’ Of course they can. ‘Full disclosure,’ reveals towards the end of the show, ‘in real life, of course I support trans rights.’ Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free “At this point there are a few stray cheers from the naïve few in the audience who think the irony is real, but that’s nothing compared to the roar of laughter and applause when the punchline – a crass joke about gender affirmation surgery – arrives.” In the wake of the release of SuperNature, a clip resurfaced online from stand up James Acaster’s 2019 special Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999, in which he takes aim at comics who spend large chunks of their sets “slagging off transgender people”.