Comic Ricky Gervais reckons he turned down offers of up to £5million to host weddings for the super-rich.
Gervais, 59, said he had been offered ridiculous sums of money over the years to host weddings and bar mitzvahs for billionaires and appear at functions for major multinational corporations.
The brains behind TV series such as The Office, Extras and After Life said that he believed that “If you can’t be bought you’re the richest person in the world.
He said: “I turn them all down, not because I think it’s beneath me but because I wouldn’t enjoy it.
“I even feel guilty if I turn them down because I think that’s a day’s work and I could give this £5m to charity.
“When I first started out I did one.“
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The Office had been out for a week and I got this big paid corporate event and I remember thinking I’ve got to take this because the pay was the same that my dad made in a year for 15 minutes (work). I guilt-tripped myself into doing it.
“But I hated it, every minute of it. Some drunk marketing managers. I thought I’m never going to do it again.
“Whoever you are, if you can’t be bought, you’re the richest person in the world. There is something to be said for being proud of one’s integrity. Not that there’s anything wrong with these things. Integrity is relative to you.”
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Gervais, who was born in Reading also revealed that he no longer cares whether he upsets people with his jokes.
He said that some people will find offence in anything Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live last week he added: “If you’re offended it doesn’t mean you’re right. Ten years ago when someone complained about a joke I looked into it I thought they might have a point here.
“Now I go no – people just want to be heard. People who want to be offended will find a way to be offended. It doesn’t mean they are right.
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“It doesn’t mean they are wrong either. All they are telling you is that they are unhappy with a joke. A joke should stand up for itself – or not.”
He said he likes to introduce taboo subjects because they are more interesting to discuss.
He added: “I don’t want to know a comedian’s politics when they are telling me a joke because it shouldn’t be relevant. If you are getting a round off applause because of who you vote for that’s not comedic.
“Often I will take the opposite stand that I hold in my personal life because it makes the joke better and hope that people get irony.”
He also revealed that the latest series of Afterlife will be released just before Christmas or early next year and is being translated into over 160 languages.
He said: “I’m already regretting saying it’s the last one but that’s a good feeling. That means it’s good. The only spoiler I will give is this: the dog does not die – I promise.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
