Ricky Gervais fans accuse comedian of ‘recycling jokes’ in new Netflix show After Life

Some fans have noted similarities with previous jokes from his stand-up shows
Safeeyah Kazi11 March 2019

Ricky Gervais has been criticised by fans who have accused him of using “recycled jokes” in his new Netflix show After Life.

During the opening episode, Gervais’ character Tony sees a newspaper headline in a newsagent about an old woman who was left disfigured after an assault.

A woman turns to him and says: “Terrible, isn’t it?”

Tony replies: “Hardly scarred for life. She’s 93. If she lives to 100, she’s only been scarred for seven per cent of her life.”

The joke is one that fans claimed they had heard during his 2004 stand-up show Politics which saw Gervais describe his friend Pete’s encounter with a “little old lady”.

Gervais supposedly said: “And the old lady, just making conversation — she probably said it to everyone who came in that day. She went to Pete: ‘It’s awful, isn’t it?’ And he went, ‘Yeah. Yeah, she’s 93. Scarred for life.’”

Viewers also added that a proverb used in After Life is the same one Gervais used on his radio show, The Ricky Gervais Guide To.

During the show Stephen Merchant recites: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Fans are claiming they heard this during episode five of the new Netflix series.

Standard Online has contacted representatives of Gervais for comment.

Oh dear: Gervais has faced backlash over the new show 
Netflix

Viewers took to social media to share their disappointment, branding the show “weak”.

One user wrote: “Watched a first few eps of new Ricky Gervais show After Life. Unsubtle blunt and heavy handed 'comedy'. Feels stale. You keep breaking out of the story as you hear his recycled stand-up jokes/routines."

“I have mixed feelings about it. Recycled jokes, Ricky just playing Ricky in the scenes with his wife, unrealistic story details. It's made me cry more than it's made laugh,” another added.

A third commented: “@RickyGervais After Life is great but what about all the old jokes you have rehashed from the podcast and your stand up you lazy b******! Snuck a few past the keeper there mate.”

Gervais is yet to respond to the backlash.

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