Ricky Gervais v Dawn French: Round 2
Just back home from French & Saunders at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Not a brilliant gig, but not a bad gig either if the celeb-count was any guide, with everyone from Gok Wan to Eddie Izzard laughing their proverbial socks off in the stalls. Alongside the classic and not-so classic sketches was an interesting throwaway aside by French. While doing a little arm-waving reference to David Brent's dance in The Office, she sarcastically said: "That is hilarious, apparently." The remark got a decent laugh, but astute comedy fans may suspect that this may be the latest episode in something that is starting to sound like a bit of a comedy feud. In Extras, Gervais's character Andy Millman famously couldn't name a funny black comedian, even though he was standing underneath a picture of Lenny Henry at the time. Then in Gervais's live show the comedian complained about being described as fat and in the same obesity category as Dawn French. Gervais argued that even if he was a little on the podgy side they were nowhere near each other in terms of size. Then last Christmas French seemed to strike back. She presented the documentary series about comedy, Boys Who Do.. and said that she had decided not to interview Ricky "because he’s been very unkind to me and to Len and he’s been quite personal." Gervais's cruel remarks might have been in fun, but they seemed to have struck a nerve. Which may explain French's remark onstage last night. A case of sense of humour failure, or good-natured banter amongst comedy pros? Stand well back, this one could run and run...
Gervais wants to wind his chubby little neck in. The difference between him and Dawn it would appear is that he cares that he is overweight and she doesn't.
Posted by: Squiz | 17/10/2008 at 11:09 AM
I'm with Ricky Gervais on this one - Lenny Henry's colour is irrelevant - black, white, pink or gold - he's just about as funny as a house spider under your bed. Get him off our screens! Why does he keep getting hired? And as for his wife on the Vicar of Dibley - pass the remote control! What is Dawn french on?! Whatever it is, I don't want any of it. I've heard funny lines from my dentist as he's drilling my teeth!
Posted by: James Murphy | 17/10/2008 at 07:17 PM
Dawn French needs to grow up. She should not have been allowed to pick and choose her guests for that BBC series. Imagine if David Frost had never interviewed Nixon simply because Nixon had made a very astute but offensive comment about Frost's wife.
Posted by: ST | 18/10/2008 at 08:03 AM
Dawn french is the unfunniest comedienne ever - bar none.
Lenny Henry just never was funny, just a novelty act for the time when a black face on TV was as rare as hens teeth.
Ricky Gervais isn't funny either.
Seems to me to be a draw.
Posted by: Jon | 21/10/2008 at 05:09 PM
Trying hard to see how a chubby little neck might be wound in?
At least Ricky Gervais was funny the first time round, whereas Dawn French has never caused a faint giggle in our house. As for Lenny Henry, he's comedy's equivalent of Trevor MacDonald: shite at the job but we need a black presence.
Posted by: The Dandiprat | 22/10/2008 at 06:01 PM
Well its all a matter of personal taste - the only time I was ever amused by Ricky Gervaise was when he died in Stardust (and isn't he a bit old to be called Ricky still - overtones of Eastenders there). I don't find Dawn French hilarious but then she gets my vote as being women who were part of the 'New comedy' of the 80's.
If in doubt please make your personal view known to the world - after all it is a free if debt ridden country.
Posted by: hypatia | 24/10/2008 at 02:03 PM
Both French & Gervais are talented people and have given me hours of great laughter. Lenny, however, appeared to change his whole format about a decade ago to something apparently more PC and has never been the same since. A great pity, because as a young comedian he was superb and people in the media must have convinced him to change what he was very good at. At the end of the day they are very fortunate to have interesting jobs and not engaged at some daily grind like the rest of us.
Posted by: ship | 24/10/2008 at 04:03 PM
Gervais is hilarious and also quite honest. Humour is like music, it chews talent up and spits it out, once you're chewed the flavour is gone forever.
Posted by: <> | 26/10/2008 at 12:25 AM
Oooh dear, hit some nerves with this one... seems like some French-dislikers and Gervais-fans got together on this :)
"its all a matter of personal taste" - how right that is - I have no feelings either way about Ricky Gervais - have never seen him live and never watched Extras or even The Office - somehow it whistled past me (maybe it clashed with CSI or NCIS or something else).
I really hope it's just banter and heard one recent lengthy radio interview with Dawn where there was a query over competitiveness with Ms Saunders and she gave a great response about careers together and apart going well and they'd not be doing this show if they'd fallen out... Also how she learns from reviews, but only reads them after a show has finished its run. I think she was a little worried about the opening night, which at least shows she's not 'smug'.
Posted by: Peter in Wales | 29/10/2008 at 03:03 PM
Dawn French is lovely, and hilarious. Love love love her. Going to see her tonight and can't wait. Ricky Gervais is funny as well. So what's the problem?
Posted by: Champagnerella | 30/10/2008 at 05:59 PM