Ricky Gervais' Entire Facebook Q&A-October 29th 2014

Q: Hi Ricky - have you ever eaten a sausage that has gone cold, and got that little bit of horrible white fat stuck to the bottom?

A: Is this some awful prison slang?

Q: Do you actually have Instagram because I posted a birthday message and you liked it but none of my friends believed it was you

A: Yes. http://instagram.com/rickygervais

Q: Do you shave your balls

A: Of course I don't, I have a butler.

Q: Do you like joe rogan? It seemed like you weren't getting on, when you were on Opie and Anthony.

A: Really? We got on great. Yeah, I really like him.

Q: Any chance of hosting the Golden Globe Awards again?

A: Never say never. :-)

Q: Just do the catchphrase!!

A: You 'avin' a laff?

Q: Who are your comedic inspirations?

A: Laurel and Hardy, Christopher Guest and real life

Q: What is your biggest 'wow' moment?

A:Probably winning my first Golden Globe award.

Q:Will you do anything more with Constantine?

A:I love that little guy.

Q:Who's your favourite philosopher?

A:Bertrand Russell. And Dolly Parton and Des'ree, of course.

Q:What's your favourite place in England?

A:London and Bath probably.

Q:What scares you?

A:Spiders and dying. In that order.

Q:What was your first job

A:Hyperactive child.

Q:Ricky, what's the meaning of life?

A:To enjoy it.

Q:Were you a funny kid? Like class clown?

A:I certainly thought so.

Q:HI Ricky, just wondering with all the hilarious outtakes how many scenes did not make it to the show? Thanks

A:I'd say 25% of all filming is ruined through laughing.

Q:The invention of Lying is my all time fave movie. Did you cowrite it? Brilliant

A:Thank you.

Q:What is your favouritest Australian animal?

A:They're all mental, in a good way, but I love wombats and platypuses.

Q:Night at the museum 3?

A:Good question. Yes.

Q:How's Robin? Has he developed a stutter?

A:No, but his hair's falling out fast.

Q:If you could give the human race one message, what would it be?

A:The Derek DVD is out now in Australia. Go forth and buy it.

Q:When is The Office movie scheduled for release??

A:2016.

Q:Ricky! Where do I start? Why are you an atheist?

A:The better question is "why isn't everyone?"  :-)

Q:Do you scare yourself sometimes?

A:Yeah, in dreams. I don't know why.

Q:Do you have a girlfriend Ricky?

A:Yes, her name is Jane and as you can see from my picture, she is a very lucky girl.

Q:What are the 39 steps?

A:I don't know but I'm taking the lift.

Q:Are you shy, quiet and reserved in real life? Are you acting?

A:I'm not shy but I'm quite private and I don't like crowds much.

Q:Mine is a statement, not a question....you are fucking awesome!!!  :-D

A:Mine is not an answer, it is just so people can see your statement.

Q:Which is the better biscuit, custard cream or bourbons?

A:Neither are great, but custard cream by far. Bourbons are awful. There, I said it.

Q:Do you answer questions in your " Q and A " sessions ?

A:No.

Q:What was it like to work with Gerard Kelly? Bunny was one of my favourite characters in Extras, and it's quite sad that he's passed away.

A:He was hilarious. All the time.

Q:How is writing the new stand up show.?When can we expect it?. I'm very much looking forward to it. Hopefully you tour Australia with it.

A:I have a bag full of notes but stand-up seems to be the thing that gets pushed back as new film and TV projects rear their heads

Q:How on earth you manage to be so super handsome all the time?

A:It's what baby Jesus wanted

Q:My daughter loves when you find things in your bellybutton!!

A:I found this today.

Q:Will there be a Derek season 3?

A:No, same as The Office and Extras... 2 series and a special.

Q:Hi Ricky. Could you please say hi to my two daughters Nicola and Sophie. (They stayed up)

A:Hello Nicola and Sophie.

Q:Are you going to make anymore of the office? X

A:Sort of. I'm writing a movie based around what David Brent is doing now. He's working as a rep but spending his hard-earned cash on touring with Foregone Conclusion to try to make it as a rock star.

Q:Watched Ghost Town on the weekend. Loved it. Xx

A:Cheers

Q:What inspires your comedy ?

A:Real life, with a twist.

Q:Hey Ricky! Are you ever going to do a comedy tour in Australia?

A:I'd love to come to Australia one day but I want to do it when I have enough time to really explore your beautiful nation.

Q:Hey Ricky!!! 

Just wondering what

your inspiration for Derek was? Did you find it hard to find a balance between

humor and life in the series? Do you see any future series ahead for Derek? 

Are there any projects on the horizon for yourself, Steve and Karl in

the future? 

Ps. Your work is hilarious and incredible – and even that is an

understatement!

A:The main inspiration came from the fact that most of the women in my family were and still are care workers. I'm about to film the special next month. Thanks for watching.

Q:Can't see any replies, hmmmm.

A:Refresh the page.

The Day I met Derek (and my hero) Kindness is Magic: A blogger's tale.

Disclaimer: This is a fan's account of a visit to the set of Derek Series 2 (Or Season 2 like you Americans like to say it) and is in no way meant to be professionally written. Also this doesn't contain any spoilers!

It was a cold mid November's day last year, and Ricky Gervais and co. were busy filming Derek Series 2 in the East-end of London and I was lucky enough to be invited on to the set amongst a few others and witness some of the magic!

When I first arrived on the set (at 10am they had already been filming for two hours!),

I was greeted by the lovely producer Mr. Charlie Hanson and we sat in front of a monitor amongst the many (very friendly) members of the crew who were sitting in complete silence as a scene was being filmed. Everyone was huddled up near a portable heater because of how cold the set was. The scenes from the monitor were all recorded on to a hard drive which was recording even after the cameras stopped rolling, apparently this was for continuity purposes and to help with editing later on.

A very nice man who was part of the crew gave me some headphones so I could listen in on the scene being filmed as we watched on the monitor; then I heard it, that trademark laughter, through the other side of the wooden walls of the set.

This immediately had a warming presence on most of us sat there and I enjoyed hearing that famous laugh that I had heard so many times before on TV in such close proximity. Every so often, a bell would ring to indicate the end of a scene and to re-set it and do it again.

We were then given a guided tour by Charlie and shown the props used and also the rooms where the residents slept as well as Dougie's and Hannah's offices. It was so fascinating to see how different everything looked off camera.

Then, I got to go into the main part of Broadhill, the sitting area, where the majority of scenes are filmed.

I have to admit, when Ricky walked up to us, shook our hands and said 'Hello', I was dumbstruck and I'm not ashamed to admit it, it was such a surreal experience. I had finally met my hero, the man who I had become more of a fan of (if that's even possible!) since watching him play the tender, innocent Derek Noakes in Series 1.

   We then went on to see how each department functions on a huge television comedy production like this. I met the lovely ladies who were in charge of everyone's wardrobe and they explained how they have to organise the clothes for each character and sort out the budget for clothes as well. They also explained how Derek's famous cardigan is a one off creation and was bought in a London market (for those who wanted to buy one).

Then I saw the office where the hard work goes on to make sure everything runs smoothly, people are sat in there organising when actors/actresses come in to film their scenes, when they get picked up etc. 

We were kindly invited to stay for lunch and when I saw the buses outside and the catering tent I was immediately reminded of Extras, and the scene where Maggie isn't allowed to sit and eat on the bus for actors. I then saw the people serving the food and hoped that they didn't serve me any with dog hairs in (Extras reference).

When I saw the food tent, I immediately knew what Karl was talking about when he said the catering and food was good. There was a huge variety of food from fruits to gorgeous deserts and I found myself in a conversation with 'Prem' played by Prem Modgil about the rice pudding (this was something that Prem and I could both relate to, being Asian, as rice pudding is eaten a lot in South Asia).

Whilst eating, we also met the lovely Colin Hoult who was filming his first ever scenes that day after coming on board as the new caretaker Geoff in Series 2. 

Those who follow Ricky's work will remember him from Life's Too Short when he played the psychic. He's such a down to earth friendly guy as were all the actors and actresses, and I found myself chatting to him about food too!

It was clear to see that Ricky takes great care of his cast and crew and doesn't spare any expense in the food for them. There is also a very well heated room with sofas in for the elderly actors to relax and keep warm in.

Another lovely young lady was Holli Dempsey who kindly offered to us to sit in her trailer as it was quite cold, luckily 'Kev' wasn't around as he would've surely taken her up on her offer.

Speaking of 'Kev' I met the very friendly, shy and soft spoken David Earl who is world's apart from his seedy on screen character. Such a lovely guy who didn't hesitate when I politely asked him for a photo, he even asked if I wanted him to put his 'Kev' glasses on.

     After lunch, we got to stand in just behind the cameras on a very funny scene being filmed, which I am proud to have witnessed being acted out first hand. It involved 'Kev' talking about things that he liked and a lot of corpsing by Ricky; which was understandable as it was bloody hilarious. I really don't know how they manage to film a whole series, the amount of fun those guys have on set. I don't want to give anything away so you'll have to watch out for that particular scene, it's comedy gold.

        Although there was a lot of corpsing and the actors were genuinely having fun; Ricky appeared to be a fantastic director and encouraged David Earl to ad-lib and was so nice to Holli Dempsey and Kerry Godliman when he wanted them to do a scene or a line slightly differently. There only appeared to be a general warmth on set and no sign of superiority or being a diva by Ricky (who is genuinely a lovely, down to earth guy). The set was so relaxed, with Ricky chatting to the cast and crew between takes, or drinking cups of tea.

  Whilst on set I also met the very talented, friendly photographer Ray Burmiston as he was taking pictures for series 2 promos. What can I say, every person I met was as nice or maybe nicer than the last person that I'd met.

      

     Ricky took pictures as Derek with each of us which Ray kindly took and finally, it was time to leave, and I was so sad to go, I would've happily sat there all day just to absorb the lovely cosy atmosphere and genuine love between all the cast and crew. It's such a cliche but they are like a family, especially because the majority of scenes in Derek are filmed in the sitting area and the elderly actors/actresses are sitting there doing their knitting or reading the papers or doing a jigsaw puzzle.

      It was fascinating to see all the hard work that goes on by the crew behind the scenes and a shame that these individuals aren't really recognised in awards ceremonies because without them holding the cameras and the lighting and sound equipment, or organising the character's wardrobe or making the cups of tea then the show would not go on.

A huge thanks to my hero Ricky Gervais for allowing us the privilege of being on his set and to Charlie Hanson and Katie Mavroleon for making it happen, and of course to Holli Dempsey, Colin Hoult, David Earl, Brett Goldstein and Kerry A Godliman and all of the wonderful cast and crew who made us feel so welcome and chatted to us.

After all, Kindness is Magic!

Lastly, I'd like to say that Ricky Gervais keeps saying that he wishes he was more like Derek Noakes; but he doesn't know that he is already so much like him. He is kind, considerate, soft spoken and so nice to his fans. I am proud to be a 'Gervaisaholic' and cannot wait for Derek to come back to our TV screens again.

Derek Series 2 starts in the UK on Channel 4 Wednesday April 23rd and on Netflix worldwide from one minute past midnight on May 30th!

Ricky Gervais' full interview with Notebook Magazine in the Sunday Mirror 13/04/14

Ricky Gervais is channelling his inner Louie Spence, high-kicking for our photographer on repeat, until he gets just the right shot. He finds the whole thing hilarious- that infamous laugh, the one with no build up, form nowhere to peeing his pants hysteria in nought to five seconds, coming out over and over. "It's all getting worryingly Lionel Blair, isn't it?" he says.

A lot of things have been said about Ricky Gervais and the biggest misconception is probably one of arrogance. Actually he's rather normal considering his ludicrous levels of success. Sure, he's got 'people' fluttering around him, but he likes to do things himself (he even pays his own phone bills).

And though he must have met thousands of fawning folks, he remembers us from years back when we last met him. Famous people always say that, but they are almost always lying, whereas Ricky remembers actual details of what we talked about and all sorts. He's also a bit unexpectedly serious at times, though there's always a funny moment lurking just seconds away. 

There's no need to list his CV, we'd be here until Christmas, so we'll go for the edited highlights.

First there was The Office, then Extras when Hollywood knocked on the door, hosting the Golden Globes and co-writing and guest starring in The Simpsons. Then there was An Idiot Abroad, Life's Too Short and movie roles, now there's Muppets Most Wanted and his pet project Derek, about to start it's second series.

Not bad for a failed pop star from Reading, the 'laziest, least ambitious person in the world' who didn't get a job until he was 28......

'You've been famous for a good while now, and in the last few years you've become really famous. Is it a nightmare sometimes?'

I dreaded being famous before I was famous, and for the first half of being famous, but now I realise it's OK. People's opinions don't matter. I don't just have a thick skin, i actually quite like it when I get grief from people. This morning a postman from Hull tweeted me saying he was disappointed I did the Muppet movie and I was like. "Really mate?! I'm having a laugh And they paid me". Why do they think they can ruin my day? I love every day. It would only upset me if it was lies. If someone said I had illegal dog fights in my basement I'd sue them. If they say "He's the least funny person on the planet", it's an opinion.

'What's the weirdest thing that's been written about you?'

Someone said I had a boxing ring in my house which was quite weird, and because I have steel shutters around my house that come down when I'm away, they said I spend my evenings sat in a 3,000 square foot safe in the dark...

'Can you do anything without being recognised?'

I went to see a title fight with Joe Calzaghe at Madison Square Garden in New York. I went to the loo and this guy is like, 'Hey mate, can I have a picture?' Arm straight round me, doing a selfie while I'm in the middle of a wee. I didn't even have a chance to say, "Can we leave it a minute mate?"

There's a lot of testosterone at those things, you don't want to say no. All I could think was, 'How wide angled was that lens?" "What did he get in?"

'How've you "kept it real"? There must be some diva moments......

I can do what I want and I turn down 90% of the jobs I'm offered, so that makes me spoilt. But I feel sorry for people who become famous young because it's all over by the time they're 25 and they've probably done things they're going to regret for the rest of their lives. For me, everything was already in place, I had a stable relationship, friends. There is hard work, but I can't count it as work when my dad got up at 5am every day and carried bricks around. How can I complain?

It must be terrifying doing things like hosting the Golden Globes.

I don't get nervous, it's nice to be the most feared man in Hollywood. It's like the spider thing, actors are much more scared of me than I am of them.

Tell us about The Muppets. How did they compare to working with humans?

They're real. I don't think of them as being operated by anyone. I still miss them, they're my little mates. I want to go into a restaurant and be like "Ah, there's Constantine, can I join you mate?" He soon became my favourite Muppet, he's so angry and bitter and rude. I wanted to keep hugging them all and rub their pot bellies, and I kept scratching their heads thinking they's like it. It's a man's hand!

'What about when they're, you know, not working?'

I don't look at them, I can't. I'm like "Where've you been?" and they're like "In a box in New Jersey"...

What's David Brent up to?

Everything's got slightly worse, he's not even a manager any more, he's a rep, he's 50 and still trying to be a pop star in a shiny suit. There's even more desperation. I thought it'd be funny to do a documentary of Brent on tour-he thinks it's like Scorsese doing the Rolling Stones but really it's a "Where are they now?" show, like something from ITV2. They'll find out he's cashed his pension in to make his album. I might do another series, it won't be The Office, though, because you've got to move on.

What's on your bucket list? There can't be much left?

Have a house that looks out onto my own animal sanctuary. Buy a bit of Surrey and get lots of three legged dogs and blind donkeys. Wake up, open the windows and hear a Disney song start, it'll be all "Zippedee-doo-da" and "Hey Mr Squirrel, here's a nut".

What's the most extravagant thing you've ever bought? 

Works of art. Expensive guitars. Erm, a swimming pool. Inside. A virtual golf course in the basement. A gym. But that's health isn't it? Everyone's got a gym in their house haven't they?

That's embarassing. This has gone terribly wrong hasn't it? I was a man of the people for the first five minutes. Yeah, I've got a private jet in my house that takes off from my swimming pool, flies over the golf course and leads into the kitchen. Oh dear, I should be like, "Oh, an old cardigan from a jumble sale".

Describe yourself in three words.

I'd like to say funny! Honest. I'm alright. the character Derek is me before the world made me cynical. i have the same values deep down. I am annoying though.

What would your partner Jane say is the most irritating thing about you?

She hates me sneezing loudly. And she says "What did I say?" and I say "What?" I'm preoccupied a lot. But she's the same as me. We just watch crap telly and take the mickey out of our cat.

What will be written on your tombstone?

He had a laugh. Or 'Out of Office'. That'll be the newspaper headline when I die, won't it?

The low-down on Derek.....

Derek, your sitcom about the residents of a care home is back soon. This show seems super-close to your heart....
I didn't think you could do a sitcom like that, and then I thought, "Why not?' My mum, sister, sister-in-law and now their kids are all carers, so I've got 30 years of anecdotes. I've always written about what I know-Gareth from The Office is a boy I went to school with, which is why he acts like a 14 year old. Tim is based on an unhappy wisecracker from my first job and Brent is a Frankenstein of people. There's a bit of Brent in all of us- we all want to be loved and think we're important.

Does it bug you that people call Derek controversial?
I think they haven't watched it yet. They're just assuming it's going to be cruel.

You're known for cracking up and corpsing on set.....
What makes me corpse most is Kev chatting up the old women. There was a scene with Kev telling Derek what he does to Janice in the caravan. Every time he said "I like to back her in, I leave the business end near the door because if she was to reverse in I wouldn't have a chance". I literally couldn't get through it, so it's not in the show.

Exclusive Q&A with Derek producer Charlie Hanson

 

Most fans of Ricky Gervais and his work so far will know who Mr. Charlie Hanson is; as he is a long time collaborator with Ricky Gervais. For those who are not familiar with Charlie's work, here is a brief introduction.

 

Charlie is a critically acclaimed British Director and Producer, whose award winning work spans over two decades, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He has a history of working on diverse projects and in 2003 he produced his first feature film 'A way of Life', which went on to win 12 international awards, including 4 Welsh BAFTA's. 

During his early career, he was involved in 'No Problem!' (1983), the first Black made sitcom for British TV (broadcast on Channel 4). Charlie later went on to produce notable shows such as 'Desmond's' 'Birds of a Feather','Chef!,'Sketch Show' and 'Harry Hill'.



Photo courtesy of Charlie Hanson



Desmond's sitcom set in a Black barber shop in Peckham (1989-1994)

His collaborations with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, are producing 'Extras', 'Cemetery Junction' and 'Life's Too Short.' Now he is Producer on Ricky's heartwarming new comedy drama 'Derek'.

I put these questions to Mr.Hanson which he kindly answered.

Q: Derek will be the first show that you've produced that will be shown to a large global audience in one go on Netflix, how do you feel about this?

A: Both curious and excited. Particularly as the audience will have access to all episodes in one go. The impact of twitter and other social media also means we can expect a pretty instant response from some quarters. I'm looking forward to it!

Q: As a Producer was it your job to find cast members for Derek? Kerry Godliman, Karl Pilkington and David Earl have previously worked with Ricky, but where and how did you discover the talented Holli Dempsey who plays young Vicky?

A: As Producer my role is to surround Ricky with the best talent, behind and in front of the camera. He wrote Dougie for Karl Pilkington, and Kevin for David Earl. We had both worked with Kerry A. Godliman on Extras and Life's Too Short, but she came in for a meeting to discuss the part and read. She was offered it straight away. But we work with a casting director too. Tracey Gillham is terrific at bringing new talent to our attention, and when Holli Dempsey first auditioned we knew immediately she was the one for Vicky. She had Ricky laughing, as only he can, at some of her ad libs. And when he turned to Katie, our Associate Producer and said "write that down!", even Holli must have known she had nailed it. But as a true professional, she didn't show it. She is a terrific actress and will go on to great things.

Left: Holli Dempsey as Vicky with Comedian/Rapper Doc Brown
who makes a guest appearance in Derek (Photo courtesy of @HolliDee)

Q: What was your favourite part of filming Derek? 

A: Meeting and getting to know some of the older actors. They had amazing stories to tell. Also seeing how Ricky inhabited the role of Derek, and played him with such affection.

Q: Did any scenes make you emotional? 

A: The pilot episode when Derek spoke about his love for Joan had me crying on set and in the edit. As did the passing of Lizzie (played by Kay Noone) , and the scenes with Derek's dad.

Actress Kay Noone who plays Lizzie in Derek

Q: You have worked with Ricky Gervais since 'Extras', what do you enjoy most about working with him?

A: His energy and work ethic is amazing. I have never had to wait for a script. Whatever he promises he delivers. He knows what he wants, so we don't waste any time shooting unnecessary scenes. He, like me, wants to enjoy his work, so we have surrounded ourselves with a terrific crew who are great at their jobs and love their work. It sounds a cliche, but it is like a big happy family reunion every time we regroup to start a new series.

Q: What is your favourite Gervais collaboration to date?

A: I loved the challenge and variety of Extras, with different guest stars and situations each episode. But it has to be Derek, as Ricky loves the character so much. It has been a great experience working on a show that has the capacity to make people laugh and cry.

Ricky Gervais as Derek (photo courtesy of Channel 4)

Q: When can we expect to see Derek back on our screens in the UK?

A: Spring 2014

Q: What other projects are you currently working on?

A: I am developing feature film scripts with Sarah Solemani (Him and Her) and Steve Oram (Sightseers).

A huge thanks to Mr. Charlie Hanson for taking the time to answer these questions. 

You can follow @charlietantrum on Twitter to keep up to date with his latest projects.

All 7 episodes of Derek (including the pilot) and 'making of' documentary, will be premiering on Netflix in the US, Canada, Brazil, Latin America and the Nordics on September 12th 2013.

Here is the Official Netflix promotional trailer for Derek:

And here is an 'Introduction to Derek':

At the time of publishing this post, Derek has started airing in Australia on ABC1 every Thursday night at 10pm, and the reaction to it is very positive.

Yes TV (Israeli TV station) have also bought Derek but an air date is yet to be announced. For viewers in the UK who have not yet seen Derek, you can watch it on 4OD, the Channel 4 catch up service by registering online here. 

The DVD and Blu-ray of Derek Series 1 with deleted scenes and out-takes is also available to Pre-order and will be released on 11th November 2013. Pre-Order from Amazon here.
For more information on Derek follow @Derektvshow and @belikederek on Twitter. 

You can also visit tadpolehitler.com which is a dedicated Derek fan site.

Thanks for reading.

©ZA 2013 www.gervaisaholics.com (@Gervaisaholics)