Ricky Gervais Live: Animals

For a man that says he's neither an actor nor a stand-up comedian, Ricky sure does act and do stand up comedy well! This was the next show that Ricky did after his initial success with the fabulous "The Office", and it's another comedic treasure from the man who is currently Britain's hottest comedy talent. As you might expect, this show has an 'animals' theme. That's not to say Ricky stays on topic, however - he does mostly, but there's still room for threads involving the bible, amongst other off-topic things. The way Ricky goes from talking about animals, to things like the bible is never irritating, and the way he makes the shift is always logical - not to mention hilarious! Ricky Gervais clearly doesn't mind offending people either, which might hinder the show for some people, but makes it ten times better for yours truly. Some of the threads in this show are liable to offend; but as I say, it's not a problem for me. It could be said of Ricky (and probably is said) that he's a lazy comedian as his style tends to incorporate things such as merely taking some facts from the internet and taking the Mickey out of them, and it's true that many people who aren't stand-up comedians could do that - but look at the WAY he does it. I very much doubt anyone could take those facts and come up with quips as funny as the ones Ricky has come up with.

The highlights of the show include a section on gay animals, the aforementioned bible segment and some jokes on sharks and the Nazi's. Saying that, every part with Ricky is a highlight - his facial expressions are hilarious! As mentioned, this style of comedy isn't for everyone, but I say don't think about what he's saying too much and just sit back and enjoy the ride. You'll be glad you did.

This DVD is for fans of Ricky Gervais only! There are many moments where people will just say "He's being David Brent" but it's just the way the guy is and technically he is David Brent!!!

Brilliant opening with Gervais short film on a date which left me laughing and it has to be said the guy offends! He doesn't care, there are NO limits in comedy... This is something I tend to agree with on the whole!

And let's be honest the majority of us will still laugh at jokes where in conversations we find offending!

I loved it!!! hahaha.

Finally saw Ricky Gervais first stand-up special and despite a rocky start (not the hilarious video, I'm talking of the stand-up proper), only rocky because as an American, I didn't get all the name-dropping. But after that I've never laughed so hard at a stand-up special. Take that Eddie Izzard! Ricky stays mostly on the animal kingdom, but takes detours into the Bible, bestiality, Nazis, homosexuality, Stephen Hawkings, Anne Frank and the internet with great comic timing. Ever since "The Office" I actively try to seek out each and every thing Mr. Gervais has done, be it skits, stand-up, printed or TV interviews and I have yet to be disappointed. So if you have a chance to see this brilliance, please do.

My Grade: A

I have watched many, many different UK comedians standup routines, both live and on recording. This is far and away the funniest. Ricky Gervais, together with Jimmy Carr and Steve Coogan urinate from great heights on the average comedy of such luminaries as Harry Hill, Peter Kay and Eddie Izzard. I last remember laughing a lot like this at things like Eddie Murphy's raw decades ago. When humour is sanitised by political correctness or tries so hard to be intellectual it simply isn't funny, it self defeats its very existence. Fortunately Gervais suffers from neither. He takes the risk, IS offensive (if your an uptight person who gets offended by comedy that is) and pulls it off. I wish more comedians would ignore P.C and be as offensive as they want. I recently watched a Roy Chubby Brown stand-up routine which was awful. The fact it was overtly racist wasn't the problem, it simply wasn't funny and so got boring, I turned it off after half an hour. Had it been funny it could have been as any-ist as it liked as far as I'm concerned - IT'S COMEDY!!!. There's too many people desperately looking to be offended enabling them to preach their high moral standards for kudos in their sanitised peer group's eyes. We live in an offensive world, deal with it.

I have now watched this about 5 times and am still left with an aching belly. I had to rest 40 mins through on the first watch as it hurt so much from laughing I thought I was going to die. It's the casual don'gi'a'f*** mischievous schoolboy delivery and the excellent material that makes it a classic. If you don't pi55 yourself laughing then wonder 'how come someone hasn't noticed that you're dead?' Well done Ricky - a breath of fresh free air in an era of PC Stagnation - Thx

Ricky Gervais is the greatest stand up ever to come out of england,he is under-rated because people just don't get his humour. Animals is the best stand up DVD i have ever seen the wit the quickness of gervais and the whole hour is world class. gervais's genius is what makes this whole stand up work for me if peter Kay did it it wouldn't work out all,and because of this for me this makes Ricky gervais the greatest and funniest man alive. the bible part of the stand up was the greatest bit of stand up i have ever seen and i strongly recommend this DVD to any Ricky gervais fan

so The funniest man and the funniest stand ever!!!!