Ricky Gervais Makes Show About Midgets: Funny or Offensive?

by SodaHead TV Posted 2011/07/21 13:00:00

Related Topics: Ricky Gervais, Life's Too Short, Warwick Davis, Wicket, Filius Flitwick, Midgets, Dwarfs, Little People, Lpa, Offensive, New Shows, The Office, Twilight, Harry Potter, Showbiz, Tlc, Star Wars, Television

Read More

449 votes
Read all 244 opinions
Lightning Report View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	Funny	301 votes	67%
	Offensive	148 votes	33%

Leave it to Ricky Gervais to divide the public over whether or not his jokes are funny or just plain offensive.

The U.K. "Office" star has started filming "Life's Too Short," a mockumentary series about little people in showbiz.

The series stars Warwick Davis, a 3 foot, 6 inch actor who is probably best known for playing Wicket W. Warrick, the Ewok who helps Princess Leia in "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi." More recently, he played Professor Filius Flitwick in the "Harry Potter" series.

Though there is already a television show centered around little people, TLC's "Little People, Big World," Gervais' rumored use of "midget wrestling" didn't have Little People of America extremely enthusiastic about the show.

However, he did dismiss rumors that he held extra fights for his own amusement. Er, sort of.

Gervais told The Sun, "I take their welfare very seriously and I even keep them in protective cases when they are not fighting."

We're sure LPA was thrilled with that response.

"Life's Too Short" will begin airing in the U.K. later this year, and will surely see a U.S. release at some point. (Hopefully not in the form of a remake.)

Add a comment above

misha 2011/07/21 14:14:47

Funny

+6
I love Ricky Gervais.
>> See Replies

More polls by SodaHead TV

Jay98 2012/01/03 14:28:26

Offensive

i've seen it, it was offensive. the problem is that most people are carried away by ricky's charm and don't take the time to really listen to what's said. play it back and write down what he said. if you're not offended when you read it back you have no soul.

reply
Orsino 2011/11/17 23:51:42

Funny

I have watched the first two episodes and can confirm that it is genius

reply
eddie.j... to Orsino 2012/11/19 09:08:31

+15
Im so jealous i cant watch this show. I really want to see it.

reply
Brosia 2011/08/10 04:03:06
RF90035 2011/08/09 23:17:59

Funny

I have seen little people more and more on TV I think it is great

reply
Mysticsilk 2011/07/30 22:19:37

Funny

+1
I think people need to stop acting as if they are receiving the short end of the stick and lighten up.

reply
DrStrangelove 2011/07/29 04:56:57

Funny

Ricky's always funny.

reply
SeanHoydic 2011/07/28 03:46:39

Funny

+1
Taking offense to everything out there is an overt sign of metal weakness. Just stop it. If there was anything really wrong with this he wouldn't have been able to get any little people to star in his show. You must look at who's raising the issue. Are they, themselves little people? If they are, the argument may have merit, if not, we can leave this alone. I suspect the latter.

reply
jayGH 2011/07/27 14:29:31

Funny

Funny I suppose as well

reply
Andrew 2011/07/27 06:02:54

Funny

funny i suppose

reply
TyroneLengert 2011/07/26 21:00:14

Funny

As long as if he's not really doing anything bad to them.

reply
mimi 2011/07/26 20:11:16

Funny

+1
If the midgets don't mind, why should we ?

reply
Patricia.L.Graf 2011/07/25 14:31:55

Funny

+2
British humor is very different from American humor; the U.K. shows are entertaining and funny. You just have to get used to their type of humor.

reply
Headshot760 2011/07/25 06:18:10

Funny

It has potential to be funny. We'll just have to wait and see.

reply
Cathy 2011/07/25 00:00:32

Funny

LOL, very funny!

reply
Rebecca Louise 2011/07/24 18:49:33

Funny

i didnt know who played Prof Flitwick in HP but i loved him. and to find out he played in Star Wars too!!! my two ultamite fave movie franchises EVER he played in!!! Warwick Davis, your my faveorite!! =D

reply
dancer 2011/07/24 15:42:37 (edited)

Funny

GERVAIS ALWAYS HAS A POINT THAT MANY PEOPLE MISS BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO SELISH, IGNORANT OR CRUDE TO EVEN REALIZE. MIDGETS GET SHORT SHRIFR EBERYWHERE AND LITTLE RESPECT. LIFE IS HARDER WHEN YOU'RE DIFFERENT AND AT THE VERY LEAST HE IS GIVING THEM JOBS AND A PLATFORM TO REACH THE PUBLIC WITH. COMDEIANS LIEK GERVAIS ARE LIKE THE COURT JESTERS OF OLE... THERE TO REMIND THE KING OF THE TRUTHS ATTACHED TO WHAT HE DOES BOTH TO AND [SUPPOSEDLY] FOR THE PEOPLE .

reply
Dawn Jacquelyn 2011/07/24 00:12:23

Offensive

Nobody should be the target of ridicule.

reply
dancer to Dawn Ja... 2011/07/24 15:44:55

You really don't get it.

reply
Terry M... to Dawn Ja... 2011/07/24 19:21:44

+2
Correction everybody should be a target of ridicule unless you live in fairy world

reply
Terry M... to Terry M... 2011/07/24 19:23:28

This is called life:)

reply
Mike Miller 2011/07/23 22:47:26

Funny

+1
British humor, and the rest of the world's humor for that matter, is different that ours. We still have a lot of the puritan crap in our social values so we are constantly afraid to push the envelope. I say go ahead Ricky, put it on!

reply
mike 2011/07/23 19:13:28

Funny

he shouldn"t tell short jokes lol he should tall tales lol.

reply
Emma_luv 2011/07/23 17:54:55

Offensive

+1
65% say that it's funny! You obviously are either jerks or not midgets. I'm not a midget but I thnk that it is highly offensive!

reply
dancer to Emma_luv 2011/07/24 15:46:15

+3
Well the, you should educate yourself better. They HATE being called midgets.

reply
Orsino to Emma_luv 2011/08/11 13:23:06

Why are you assuming that the programme is negative towards midgets? It is offensive for you to think that merely making a programme about midgets is offensive like they have something to ashamed of.

reply
John Thomas 2011/07/23 17:16:36

Funny

This. Is. AMAZING!!!!!

reply
dirusbellator 2011/07/23 16:16:02

Funny

hahahaha

reply
chris 2011/07/23 15:54:17 (edited)

Funny

+2
everyone has learned to laugh at themselves to one degree or another. the more exposed you are the more people stop paying attention to you. we have all been the bottom of the totem pole through out history. we eventually end up getting diluted in the mix. i wish the finatically liberal could understand that. people have built in forgetters

reply
gail 2011/07/23 14:58:23

Funny

+3
What's offensive is how PC and self-righteous people can get over nothing.

reply
Nitrouso2 to gail 2011/07/23 15:18:24

+2
I'm with you, Gail. Everyone needs to lighten up considerably. I think it is funny to make fun of practically everyone, and everything, for every reason. Even if we happen to fall into a category that gets made fun of, we should find a way to laugh at that, and at ourselves. There is true freedom and joy in doing so. Take a shot at me, and I'll always try to join in and maybe even up the ante if I can. I actually find myself aiming at the self-righteous, PC and/or easily-offended folks, because they present such a large target and then warn me of the offensive horror that will result if I dare take a potshot at it. I'm always happy to oblige. There are enough things in life about which to feel negative. We should find joy and release in humor, sarcasm and laughter.

reply
Moose 2011/07/23 13:03:37
Nitrouso2 to Moose 2011/07/23 15:21:00

+3
Exactly. Look at "Blazing Saddles" as an example - an amazing movie which could sadly not be made today due to the 'delicate sensibilities' of so many people.

reply
Moose to Nitrouso2 2011/07/23 16:37:10
coach k 2011/07/23 10:24:48

Funny

+1
the wordf midget is funny all by it's self.

reply
Gosia Pyrek 2011/07/23 07:57:19

Offensive

when other comedians make jokes about midgets its funny but its not rude or anything so people dont get offended but when ricky gervais makes one joke about midgets its offensive and not even funny

reply
Noah We... to Gosia P... 2011/07/23 17:40:29

That's a little unfair

reply
Gosia P... to Noah We... 2011/07/26 09:27:01

well he should think twice before saying half of his jokes

reply
mouseytongue 2011/07/23 07:21:21

Funny

+1
Hey, the actors are acting, getting paid - would it be funnier if they could only get jobs as doorstops?
No one is forcing them, and I am sure that they are not short a sense of humor either.

reply
RS 2011/07/23 05:09:54

Funny

I am sure they (the little people) were paid well.

reply