Making Sense with Sam Harris #237 — Another Call from Ricky Gervais
Feb 16, 2021
Ricky Gervais, a celebrated comedian and actor known for his work on The Office and After Life, joins the conversation to delve into the world of comedy. He discusses his monster joke from a previous chat, highlighting the intricate nuances of humor. Gervais shares anecdotes about crafting jokes for diverse audiences at high-profile events like the Golden Globes, balancing societal issues with comedic expression. The talk also explores playful euphemisms in British comedy and the pressures comedians face in today’s polarized landscape.
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Dream Joke Analysis
- Ricky Gervais shares a joke he had in a dream about a monster's sound.
- Sam Harris analyzes the joke's humor, suggesting Gervais found it funny because he subconsciously believed he invented the sound, despite learning it from cartoons.
Ivy Joke
- Sam Harris recounts his wife's dream of the world's funniest joke: "If there's two things in a pot of ivy, they're both leaves."
- He analyzes its almost-successful humor as a subtle critique of ivy's limited attributes.
Explaining Jokes
- Ricky Gervais often has to explain his jokes to people who misunderstand their intent.
- Executives and lawyers sometimes mistake the subject of a joke for its target, getting nervous about potential backlash.