Netflix faces a backlash as a petition to remove Ricky Gervais’ Netflix special “Armageddon” amasses over 4,000 signatures. The 62-year-old comedian stirred controversy for using ableist slurs in his routine, specifically in a joke discussing making videos for terminally ill children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Gervais referred to the children as “baldies” and questioned why they didn’t wish to get better, using an offensive term. The use of such language, especially in the context of children with life-threatening illnesses, drew sharp rebuke from audiences, including reality star Ashley Cain, who tragically lost his daughter to cancer.
Twitter and X viewers criticized Gervais, pointing out the irony of profiting from “Afterlife,” a show centered around cancer, while making controversial remarks. The offensive jokes were labeled as the “most vile attempt at ‘comedy’,” emphasizing the inappropriateness of finding humor in children fighting for their lives.
In response, a petition titled “Demand Netflix to Remove Ricky Gervais’s Offensive Skit Mocking Terminally Ill Children” gained momentum, collecting over 4,000 signatures. The petition, created by a parent whose child battled cancer, described the skit as “disrespectful” and “deeply hurtful,” arguing against comedy at the expense of others’ pain, especially involving innocent children facing life-threatening illnesses.
for a man who profited so heavily from a tv programme that had cancer as a central plot point this feels really weird https://t.co/YDZyHVuZvy
— bee (@phoebeevans77) December 4, 2023
The controversy underscores the broader conversation about responsible comedy, language’s impact on vulnerable communities, and the boundaries that should be observed, even in the pursuit of humor. The petition brings attention to the importance of considering the consequences of language, especially when addressing sensitive topics like serious illnesses affecting children.
