I couldn't disagree more with the comments made above. His latest stand up performance 'Politics' is his funniest yet. I broke down in tears at some points. Though some of his jokes were distasteful, they were jokes, and shouldn't be taken seriously. He certainly did not spend 'Most of the show is ridiculing the disabled and homosexuals' and his humour is by no means 'sick'. He obviously doesn't mean to cause any offence. In fact i was offended when, in the comments box above, he was compared to Jim Davidson! I recommend this to everyone (well over 18 of course), even the extras on the DVD were funny,and i cannot wait for more material from Gervais, brilliant!
15 Reviews
Another hit for Gervais
The_Void4 January 2005
After massive success with the hit TV show 'The Office', Ricky Gervais decided to turn his hand to stand-up comedy, again to massive success with the hilarious show 'Animals'. Now, Ricky is back! This time tackling the world of politics, and once again; to great success. Although sometimes Ricky goes off the boil a little bit, the show is almost constantly hilarious, and some of Ricky's jokes will no doubt generate belly laughs; unless you're easily offended. Threads involving Humpty Dumpty, the drought in Africa and the holocaust (I told you it's not for everyone!) are particular highlights. Gervais is great because he goes that extra mile that most comedians wouldn't dare tread on. From the moment it starts, with a hilarious sequence involving Ricky and an Egyptian gay man in a wheel chair (he's not gay really), you know you're going to be in for a stand up show that is likely to offend, and offend it does. But when taken in good humour, Gervais' humour is witty and intelligent and I recommend this show to anyone that enjoys this style of comedy. Oh...and just so you know, he doesn't do the dance.
Ricky Gervais, always in for a laugh.
deloudelouvain24 June 2018
Everything Ricky Gervais does turns into gold. He's for sure one of the top comedians with a very particular humor and a brilliant way to bring it. His gestures, his mimics, his sometimes mumbling are all a part of the whole concept of being funny on stage. Most of the time he brings his jokes like he couldn't care less, and that's brilliant acting, to finish the joke with a little smile that says it all. Personally I thought his first show 'Animals' was better than 'Politics' but that will obviously not be the same to everybody. Ricky Gervais' humor isn't for everybody, if you're easily offended then you won't get his sarcasm. I can't wait to watch his next show because I know I won't get disappointed.
Great Stuff. A Pleasure to watch.
onlyhereforthebooze5 June 2006
By far the funniest man i've seen. After watching Animals, i thought it would be difficult to do better, and he would if Politics was longer. The holocaust joke was absolutely hilarious. Its about time someone used subjects that are original and funny. If someone cant see the funny side of that, then there's just no hope. The Stephen Hawking skit had me in stitches, crying with laughter. "From Kent and speaks with an American accent". And the impresson tops it off to perfection.
Would recommend and have recommended it to anyone, who isn't afraid of actually laughing at something rather than laughing at what everyone else is laughing at.
Would recommend and have recommended it to anyone, who isn't afraid of actually laughing at something rather than laughing at what everyone else is laughing at.
Made me laugh a few times but mostly relies on non-pc shock rather than wit or imaginative material
bob the moo6 June 2005
Starting out at the Houses of Parliament, Ricky Gervais shows how politics are all around us even demonstrating on a passing disabled man. This trend continues once he is onstage and he covers all sorts of topics with a vague connection to politics and daily life. The connections are perhaps a little thin but Gervais certainly says the stuff that the rest of us are either too scared to say or just have the decency not to even think of saying.
And that is perhaps the main problem with this show the material doesn't really have a flow to it because mostly Gervais is just out to shock and the laughs come mainly from the surprise of hearing what he has said rather than it being actually that clever or witty. Before he was famous for The Office, this was what Gervais did a small section in the 11 o'clock show where he used to come on and be politically incorrect. On this show it worked because it was such a small part of the show and that was all he had to do. When he did The Office he scaled back the political incorrect content and made it into a person that many of us know and managed to be both funny and also painfully human. However for the majority of this film there is no real connection with character or reality; instead Gervais takes everything to extremes and, by doing so, he is quite funny but it doesn't really stay with you.
I laughed quite a bit during it but it isn't that clever or witty. The bits I did think were good were the clips in between where his warm-up Robin Ince and Gervais talk about their weird relationship. That was actually funny and interesting because it was clever and involved characters that were slightly exaggerated but still possible. If the main show had been as good as that then it would have been better. Its not helped by Gervais at the end acting shocked as he relates the words of his non-PC producer why shocked? Isn't it just the sort of stuff he had been saying for the past hour? Overall Gervais fans and people who enjoy going "can't believe he said that" will enjoy this and it does have enough laughs to just about justify watching, but really it is pretty unimaginative stuff that relies on soft shock value to get laughs rather than real wit or invention.
And that is perhaps the main problem with this show the material doesn't really have a flow to it because mostly Gervais is just out to shock and the laughs come mainly from the surprise of hearing what he has said rather than it being actually that clever or witty. Before he was famous for The Office, this was what Gervais did a small section in the 11 o'clock show where he used to come on and be politically incorrect. On this show it worked because it was such a small part of the show and that was all he had to do. When he did The Office he scaled back the political incorrect content and made it into a person that many of us know and managed to be both funny and also painfully human. However for the majority of this film there is no real connection with character or reality; instead Gervais takes everything to extremes and, by doing so, he is quite funny but it doesn't really stay with you.
I laughed quite a bit during it but it isn't that clever or witty. The bits I did think were good were the clips in between where his warm-up Robin Ince and Gervais talk about their weird relationship. That was actually funny and interesting because it was clever and involved characters that were slightly exaggerated but still possible. If the main show had been as good as that then it would have been better. Its not helped by Gervais at the end acting shocked as he relates the words of his non-PC producer why shocked? Isn't it just the sort of stuff he had been saying for the past hour? Overall Gervais fans and people who enjoy going "can't believe he said that" will enjoy this and it does have enough laughs to just about justify watching, but really it is pretty unimaginative stuff that relies on soft shock value to get laughs rather than real wit or invention.
Genius!
lukedella7 January 2005
I am a really big fan of ricky and his work i think he is brilliant and after the office i was very much looking forward to his stand up "Animals" which was extremely funny - When i herd about ricky doing a second stand up well i wouldn't wait and the day came when i got my hands on it and i must say This is F**King funny if you thought animals was good this is about 10x better than animals and animals was amazing - RIckys on top form cracking jokes left right and centre i was laughing all the way through pure genius i really recommend this if were a fan of animals / rude stand up this is not for the easily offended 10 / 10
Good, but well...Short.
Baldrick4415 May 2006
Ricky Gervais in my mind is quite a funny man so I was looking forward to watching this when it came out. And on the whole, I wasn't disappointed. This is a pretty good show that on the whole is pretty darned funny with weird and wonderful perspectives brought down by Mr Gervais himself, who seems in his element here walking around and talking about some of the ills in our society.
My main gripe with the show was its length. It came in at 70-odd minutes long, and while that in itself is short, it was further compounded by the fact that Ricky Gervais kept walking back and fourth for water, or notes, etc. Which leads to the second gripe of the show, which is the fact that while this was stand up comedy the show seemed incredibly...tame. I don't mean the jokes were bad, but the show seemed very structured and prepared so at times it seemed almost like a comic lecture rather than a stand up like Billy Connoly, Robin Williams or Ross Noble who will go off on tangents and keep the atmosphere loose.
I must admit though that some of the material was very good and there is no doubt that Ricky Gervais is a clever man. Politics is a show that is clever and funny and will remind you of the comic talent that Britain has to offer.
My main gripe with the show was its length. It came in at 70-odd minutes long, and while that in itself is short, it was further compounded by the fact that Ricky Gervais kept walking back and fourth for water, or notes, etc. Which leads to the second gripe of the show, which is the fact that while this was stand up comedy the show seemed incredibly...tame. I don't mean the jokes were bad, but the show seemed very structured and prepared so at times it seemed almost like a comic lecture rather than a stand up like Billy Connoly, Robin Williams or Ross Noble who will go off on tangents and keep the atmosphere loose.
I must admit though that some of the material was very good and there is no doubt that Ricky Gervais is a clever man. Politics is a show that is clever and funny and will remind you of the comic talent that Britain has to offer.
Some very funny bits, but a bit disappointing, to be honest
wellthatswhatithinkanyway14 December 2007
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
This surprisingly short follow-up to Gervais's excellent Animals stand-up show has a fair bit to write home about but is also notable as a bit of a wasted opportunity. Ricky is his typical cynical, warmly sarcastic self and he plays this to typically great effect. Highlights of the show include a running joke about Humpty Dumpty that gets funnier and funnier the more it goes along simply for how absurd it becomes as well as a gag about a leaflet some uni friends made during his years there about alternatives to anal sex. But for a show about politics, Gervais wonders off topic quite a lot. It's amazing how he doesn't do any gags involving current events or Tony Blair, which, if done right, could have brought the house down. And, as it is, this can only be seen as a wasted opportunity in many ways. ***
This surprisingly short follow-up to Gervais's excellent Animals stand-up show has a fair bit to write home about but is also notable as a bit of a wasted opportunity. Ricky is his typical cynical, warmly sarcastic self and he plays this to typically great effect. Highlights of the show include a running joke about Humpty Dumpty that gets funnier and funnier the more it goes along simply for how absurd it becomes as well as a gag about a leaflet some uni friends made during his years there about alternatives to anal sex. But for a show about politics, Gervais wonders off topic quite a lot. It's amazing how he doesn't do any gags involving current events or Tony Blair, which, if done right, could have brought the house down. And, as it is, this can only be seen as a wasted opportunity in many ways. ***
Ricky Gervais Live 2: Politics
jboothmillard3 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Animals was a very funny stand-up debut for the writer and star of The Office, so many people must have been pleased to see him returning to the stage again with this follow up. Ricky Gervais performs to an audience at the Palace Theatre in London, with a show based on the theme of politics. The majority of the jokes are based on this theme, of course he leaves room to delve into other subjects. Gervais started his career playing versions of himself and characters that are perceived as annoying bastards, he does continue this persona on stage, and it works fantastically well, this is a reasonably funny show. Ricky Gervais was number 49 on The Comedians' Comedian, he was number 18 on Britain's Favourite Comedian, and he was number 11 on 100 Greatest Stand-Ups. Good!
Absolutely Unfunny - The Emperor's New Clothes....?
JBLOSS5 January 2005
I have to say that Ricky Gervais must be laughing all the way to the bank with this release. I am a big fan of the Office and had heard that his stand-up performances were very good too according to reviews and the DVD cover in the UK is plastered with really positive quotes. However, this was criminally unfunny ( and also very short too ). There are a handful of occasions when Gervais manages to raise a smile but that is about it and he is just not a good stand-up comedian. The audience in the theatre also do not seem to be erupting into hysterical laughter through the performance. His routine although nominally called "Politics" is about anything that he regards as remotely funny, but he largely relies on talking about old friends anecdotes, leaflets and nursery rhymes. Oh yes and somebody called him "Brent" - wow isn't that...funny. If you compare this to the output of comics like Dave Gorman, Bill Bailey or Eddie Izzard you will see that this just does not measure up. It appears that at the moment there are people who would pay to watch Ricky Gervais drinking a glass of water or having a snooze and still think it was amazing. There is definitely the feeling that this is a case of the Emperor's new clothes, and maybe Ricky Gervais should stick well clear of performing his own very thin material, until he can come up with something a bit better. A very big disappointment.
Great
ian_19825 January 2005
Ricky Gervias once again has done a very very funny live stand up show, sure it has a lot of "sick" jokes, well their not really sick at all its just funny. But if your ignorant and easily offended then stay away,but its funny as hell, better than Animals, one of the best things is on Extras, an interview with Karl Pilkington, he seems to be a very funny yet boring man, his voice was slow and dull but he got wound up easily,. As other reviews state he talked about Hitler, gays, Chinese people etc. he doesn't "mock" them he puts it into a funny context which works well.
Overall 7.5 / 10 Great
Overall 7.5 / 10 Great
Disapppointing racist, anti-gay crap
c-urquhart2 November 2006
I have to say that, after the Office and Extras, I was expecting something good from Ricky Gervais in Politics. I can only conclude that he is good at writing situation comedy and CRAP when it comes to standup. A droning hour which seems to rely on people appreciating his own wonderfulness (why on earth should he worry about people calling him Brent it's the price of fame, surely), agreeing with him that is he is worth the admission price, and tolerating non-pc jokes which are basically NOT FUNNY. His humour seems totally to rely on the shock value of being non pc so the comparison with Jim Davidson in a previous review is totally warranted. The gay segment 10 ways not to have anal sex was particularly offensive in at least 10 ways! After watching all the meaningless extras on the DVD, especially the interview with Pilkington and the session on Ince, I came to the conclusion that Ricky Gervais is a rather talented but egotistical and unpleasant person. Maybe someone will tell me that he is a tireless worker for charity in Africa I do hope so. Certainly not someone I'd like to invite into my home, and I wish I hadn't bought the DVD into my home either. Rather like having an uncharismatic visitor who just tells really offensive jokes to shock and is probably intelligent enough to know what he is doing. Yuck.
Should be good
littleburlo22 January 2005
After watching "Animals" I was highly looking forward to watching the long awaited "politics". I was soon to be very disappointed! I thought Gervais's jokes on the holocaust was sick and unfunny. I cannot find that subject to be amusing and I certainly wouldn't expect a top comedian adding the holocaust in to their material.
Most of the show is ridiculing the disabled and homosexuals. The remainder is telling stories of his youth and nursery rhymes?? It has certainly put me off watching any further stand up material by him, and I have the feeling that he is about to become the next Jim Davidson style of humour. I am not one to be easily offended, but I just found most of this show sick.
Most of the show is ridiculing the disabled and homosexuals. The remainder is telling stories of his youth and nursery rhymes?? It has certainly put me off watching any further stand up material by him, and I have the feeling that he is about to become the next Jim Davidson style of humour. I am not one to be easily offended, but I just found most of this show sick.
A perfect size 8
johnblox28 January 2005
Still funnier than most comedians, not AS funny as his 1st stand-up DVD Animals an '8' as opposed to Animals '10'. I hate people who claim "I'm not easily offended, but I found this offensive!!!" Errr YES you ARE easily offended. Anyone who finds ANY comedy offensive is easily offended. Offense is NOT caused by words its caused by the underlying intent or actions accompanying them. As far as I'm concerned ANY comedian can say anything about anything they like, as long as it is funny and not malicious. There's too many white liberals complaining on behalf of various minority groups, totally against their wish. Just cos you're not oppressed yourself it doesn't give you the right to carry the mantle for the gay, black, single mothers out there. Sorry to rant O.T but in Gervais case it is needed. His comedy is NOT for those "not easily offended", (whatever that means, who defines 'easily'?) No it is for those "not offended by comedy", period!.
One last point I'd like to make about Gervais Stand-ups is a sign of their greatness is how when down the pub you repeat a line or 2 with a fellow fan you are both in stitches. Be it mimicing the 'cumming out the window' or politely asking if you can "... in their hair", (shrieks with laughter). It has that great quality of being great to repeat and get even more enjoyment remembering it than when originally watching it! Tears streaming !! How great is that!!!! - Yo Word
One last point I'd like to make about Gervais Stand-ups is a sign of their greatness is how when down the pub you repeat a line or 2 with a fellow fan you are both in stitches. Be it mimicing the 'cumming out the window' or politely asking if you can "... in their hair", (shrieks with laughter). It has that great quality of being great to repeat and get even more enjoyment remembering it than when originally watching it! Tears streaming !! How great is that!!!! - Yo Word
******* ****** ****
nathaneakins10 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I have never seen anything like it on a DVD before it's like putting your head in a blender and failing to turn it on.
I know it isn't nice to have your head blended but when your head is in the blender from your own free will it is what you expect!
This is a man who knows how to mess with his audiences heads, knows how to milk a cash cow and knows what he is doing.
Other more creative people may accuse him of theft or failing to give credit where it is due but can any of us really judge?
To summarise: GIVE ME SOME MONEY
In conclusion: 10 out of 10 for whatever it is he thinks he has/is done/doing on an obviously very low budget.
I know it isn't nice to have your head blended but when your head is in the blender from your own free will it is what you expect!
This is a man who knows how to mess with his audiences heads, knows how to milk a cash cow and knows what he is doing.
Other more creative people may accuse him of theft or failing to give credit where it is due but can any of us really judge?
To summarise: GIVE ME SOME MONEY
In conclusion: 10 out of 10 for whatever it is he thinks he has/is done/doing on an obviously very low budget.
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