Ricky Gervais Criticizes Celebrity Activism at Grammys, Faces Backlash
Many voices were added to the anti-ICE movement by speakers at the Grammys this year, including Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny, but Ricky Gervais had nothing but disdain for them, making his thoughts known online. However, the reaction to his comments hasn't been particularly supportive. Ricky Gervais is known for his controversial takes, often coming across as bitter and jaded. His reaction to the various political statements at the Grammys was very much in the same vein, mocking the rich speakers, claiming they are uneducated and uninformed about what is really going on in the world. He posted a quote from his appearance at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards in which he made a statement about celebrities and their involvement in politics.
"If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech. You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg."
The caption he added to the post simply stated: "They're still not listening." Gervais was attempting to downplay the many people who spoke out about the current political climate in the US during their time on stage. He seems to believe that making a statement with a large crowd will have no impact on the audience or possibly sway people's opinions. However, looking at the response online, he didn't win any friends with his snarky remarks. Instead, most people have stepped in to support what was said during the Grammys, encouraging celebrities and artists to be political and add their voices to their chosen political ideals. Judging by his initial and now repeated statement, Gervais seems to think that celebrities aren't qualified to make political statements. In his rather unpleasant quote from 2020, he claims that most people winning an award aren't educated enough to have a valid opinion on current affairs. There may be truth to the statement in some cases, but that doesn't take away their right to activism, for many of the commenters.
Although many of the super-rich artists claiming their prizes at the Grammys may be hypocritical in what they say, such as Billie Eilish claiming 'stolen land' while having a $3 million house built on ancestral ground, Gervais was also called out for his changeable morality.
"For someone that goes on relentlessly about free speech, you really do seem to hate some people saying things you don’t like."
The reasoning behind Ricky Gervais's attack on the people who chose to stand up for what they believe is justice in the US is unclear. He is often an advocate for movements he agrees with, and as an immigrant to the US, should be wary of the anti-immigrant sentiment in the country. Either way, his fans have called him out on his statement.
