RSS
Periscope


Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Was Ricky Gervais offensive with Colin Farrell drunkard jibe?

Periscope

by Niall O'Dowd

Recent Posts

Archives

RSS

Most Recent Tags

comment on article 24 Comments
Posted on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 10:26 PM


Was Ricky Gervais offensive with Colin Farrell drunkard jibe?


print this article Print
email this articleE-mail
Bookmark and Share



Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais is catching flak for his anti-Irish joke aimed at actor Colin Farrell as he prepared to make his entrance at Sunday night's ceremony. We had dozens of calls to our offices all this week complaining.

Gervais, sipping a beer on stage was certainly up for mischief."The great thing about the Golden Globes is that it crushes prejudice and stereotypes." he began. "A particular stereotype is that Irishmen are drunk, hairy hell raisers. Now please welcome Colin Farrell.

Farrell did not look too pleased with the mocking introduction but let's face it he has been called worse, the 'Lusty Leprechaun' among other names.

The British actor had earlier thrown the same accusation at Mel Gibson, whose mother comes from Ireland. 'I like a drink as much as the next man, unless the man in Mel Gibson' he said.
Now some Irish were obviously deeply insulted.Others less so. Gervais has a cutting edge humor not often seen over here.

But in this case I can't really blame him.Just look at Irish actors who have become famous. Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole , Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Colin Farrell in his heyday.
Yes, drunkards all and proud of it too.

Of course Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson would be the exceptions but the Hollywood drunk Irishman is a stereotype --not without reason I'm afraid. Gervais was only stating the obvious.



email this articleE-mail

Most recent of 24 comments - See all comments

It may take several minutes for your comment to appear.
Report abuse
Posted by rexnine on Jan 21, 2011, 10:17 PM EST
Ricky is , to simply put it: A pompous ass. If you asked Ricky to look-up "humility" in the dictionary and report back what he found; He would reply he saw a "picture of Ricky Gervais". John Stewart is not Only funnier than Ricky...He's a good citizen! Ricky is a clown, And that's all he is. I can work my job Monday through Friday, and be a clown on the weekends. What Does Ricky have to offer society?
Report abuse
Posted by ancavker on Jan 20, 2011, 02:17 PM EST
youngpike: Please do not paint with a broad brush. Just because so many Irish ape and copy the English, does not mean they are one and the same. There are still osme Irish who wish still be simply Irish. The Irish copy the English because they believe them to be better. How come the Irish cannot get over their old inferiority complex after all these years??
Report abuse
Posted by forflann on Nov 03, 2010, 11:33 PM EDT
OMG!!! I remember my Belfast Irishman sayin theres two kind a people in this world, Irish and those that wish they were.
Report abuse
Posted by YoungPike on Jun 16, 2010, 09:05 AM EDT
The Irish-Americans need to lighten up and get a sense of humor!Go to England and you'll find the Irish and the English are one and the same. And as for Peter O'Toole being Irish...he's got an upper-class English accent.
Report abuse
Posted by Realist on Feb 02, 2010, 03:18 AM EST
You really have got one great big chip on your shoulders about the British, haven't you? I suggest you pack in the old victim routine chaps (it's well past its sell-by date anyhow) and grow a sense of humour.
Report abuse
Posted by yetiweasel on Jan 24, 2010, 06:26 AM EST
Just looking and listening to garvals makes me wanna puke.
Report abuse
Posted by ganjadec on Jan 24, 2010, 04:41 AM EST
Who cares what a man who comes from a nation of soccer hooligans and paedophiles thinks?
Report abuse
Posted by ladygirl on Jan 24, 2010, 03:25 AM EST
Get over yourselves!! It was funny! Sometimes the truth hits hard but if you can't laugh at yourself then you are in for a hard life. I loved Ricky Gervais and I am glad he makes no apologies...
Report abuse
Posted by SmartSistahLL on Jan 24, 2010, 02:36 AM EST
Since Gervais isn't Irish, he shouldn't be making comments about the Irish. Let Irish folks make comments about their own cultural group. It wasn't funny. Colin Ferrell deserved a better intro, as did Mel Gibson...those two actors have accomplished so many other things, so their personal struggles shouldn't have been highlighted for comedy. Poor taste. Ricky Gervais sucks!
Report abuse
Posted by rosyposy on Jan 23, 2010, 06:58 AM EST
what is black and blue and floats in the thames? an englishman who told toooooo many irish jokes.
Report abuse
Posted by joycelips on Jan 23, 2010, 12:16 AM EST
Gervais was offensive across the board but, I found him particularly offensive with Colin Farrell. The reason being that Colin has been clean and sober for some time now and the Gervais' remark was not at all funny. I found it to be nasty! Further, I think his so-called "humour" thrown at both Colin Paul McCartney was more than annoying -- I found it to be disgusting!
Report abuse
Posted by ciarrai on Jan 22, 2010, 11:50 PM EST
Gervais was quite funny at times. However, the zinger he threw at Paul McCartney and the one at Irishmen were annoying. I was coming up with lines I might have spoken had I been Colin Farrell. I wish someone had ripped him on McCartney' account. Don't mess with a Beatle. Ever.
Report abuse
Posted by skmcoke on Jan 22, 2010, 03:46 PM EST
My thought is that we need to get a sense of humor! I didn't find Ricky particularly funny, but he was an equal opportunity insulter. He wasn't picking on the Irish - he was just picking on whoever happened to be coming up. Comedy is the last stand against "political correctness" - let's not lose it too!
Report abuse
Posted by shrinnkie246 on Jan 22, 2010, 11:52 AM EST
I've never been impressed with Gervais's jokes. Frankly I've never thought they were very funny and I didn't find them funny last Sunday night at the Golden Globes either. I hope they get someone else for next year's show.
Report abuse
Posted by brennanirish on Jan 22, 2010, 10:58 AM EST
Gervais didn't say "Hollywood" in his comment, he said "Irishman". Much different. Intentional Slurs like that are always supposed to be laughed off by the Irish. Gervais is pathetic so was this article.
Report abuse
Posted by Searlit on Jan 22, 2010, 10:43 AM EST
It wasn't nice, but that's unfortunately what can pass for humor these days, and much worse.
Report abuse
Posted by bronxjames on Jan 22, 2010, 09:11 AM EST
I saw that idiot drinking beer on the show. I thought it was illegal to drink on TV?
Report abuse
Posted by vincentruane on Jan 21, 2010, 09:58 PM EST
If you were to honestly make up a list of Irish peoples and Ireland's top ten enemies alcohol would probably be very high up on the list.
Report abuse
Posted by Rebelforce on Jan 21, 2010, 06:04 PM EST
I taped the Golden Globes and so was able to fast forward through an hour worth of commercials and nearly half of this pathetic display of smug Hollywood "elites" congratulating each other for turning out such "extraordinary" crap. Yes, it was a real snorefest, but I'm sure it will seem downright exciting compared to the way NBC will be presenting the Olympic Games in a couple weeks as a bunch of sappy "human interest" stories instead of actual sports.
Report abuse
Posted by McNabb1966 on Jan 21, 2010, 02:47 PM EST
He's paid to be offensive. His real crime was that he wasn't funny. And of course the English have now banned drinking games because they can't handle it. Lightweights...
Report abuse
Posted by DrTrelawney on Jan 21, 2010, 07:49 AM EST
Farrell did not look remotely upset, nor did Gibson. For heaven's sake, the joke itself acknowledged that such a description is a "stereotype". I have been wandering around Dublin all week and have yet to find anybody who found the gag offensive. Where are these feeble wee, sensitive Irish people who are so "deeply insulted"? They really need to shake off the inferiority complex,
Report abuse
Posted by andydonegal on Jan 21, 2010, 04:36 AM EST
Ignore it - the English have been making remarks about the Irish for seven or eight hundred years ... it's just a feeble cover-up for their jealousy!!! After all there are only two types of people in the world - those who are lucky enough to be Irish, and those who wish they were Irish!!! ;-)
Report abuse
Posted by Fionnuisce on Jan 21, 2010, 12:01 AM EST
Naughty naughty.
Report abuse
Posted by modo3134 on Jan 20, 2010, 11:59 PM EST
Definately racism. It was first used in history to rationalize British rule over Ireland and in this day in age it should not be tolerated.
 




Connect to IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or sign-in directly

Welcome to IrishCentral!
Please provide the following information in order to create your account

Username:
E-Mail Address:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy


Welcome to IrishCentral!
All we need is the following information and you will be part of the #1 Irish community in the US

E-Mail Address:
First select a unique username:
Username:
Now choose a password:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Thank you!

Just one more step and you will be part of the largest Irish community in America! Tell us a little more about you to start enjoying all the features of IrishCentral.

Additional Information:

First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Zip:
Gender: Male  Female 
Country:
Degree of Irishness:
Household Income:
Level of Education:

Subscribe to our newsletters:

The Best of IrishCentral - Daily Newsletter
Special Offers from our sponsors

or
Skip

You can edit your information at any time, just go to "my account" when you're logged in.

Log into IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or sign-in directly

E-Mail:
Password:
 Remember me Forgot my password