Ricky Gervais Quotes (31 Quotes)

a friend first, and a boss second, entertainer third.

Why by a book when you can join a library.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side!

The A-list celebrities were always going to be the icing on the cake. It's always been more of an ensemble piece.

Because it was couched in realism, I think people recognized things. The more you understand something, I think the more you can enjoy it.

I'm from a little place called England ... We used to run the world before you.

It's a similar thing with David Brent. David Brent is not that good at his job because he couldn't stand for one person in the world not to like him. Andy can't sack his agent, because he can't bear putting anyone else in pain. The real thing holding him back is, he's burdened with conscience. I mean, he's like any of us really. ... It just eats you up if you think you've hurt anyone's feelings.

It's an honor to be on the same network that gave us 'The Sopranos,' ... They made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

Brent was essentially an idiot who wasn't that bad but just wanted to be popular, ... whereas Andy has a different theme The world owes him a living.

We picked on something people identified with -- a decent job at work, a relationship, a boss who needs to be loved and who is going through a mid-life crisis,

Where there's a will - there's a relative!

We make television for a British audience and it's still amazing to me that most countries in the world have my fat face beamed into homes once a week.

I suppose I grew up wishing I was an American Jew for the comedy and the one-liners. ... actress who does a Holocaust movie because, as she explains, it's a surefire way to finally win an Oscar.

I don't know. I suppose I grew up wishing I was an American Jew for the comedy and the one-liners. 'The Sunshine Boys' is one of my favorite films And maybe a bit of liberation, knowing that if I said it in American people would know what I meant. So I was trying on my language skills.

Look, just tell me where that lemon came from and I'll shut up and go away.

We have seen some of the scripts and it is quite faithful (to the original),

We had a hit list of people we approached, ... We told them some of the ideas we had. Because we spent such a long time writing the scripts for each episode, it would be mad to spend three months on a script for Sam Jackson, send it to him, and he goes, 'Why would I do that' So we got a preliminary yes out of them, and then went way, wrote the ideas, spoke to them on the phone, sent them the script, and they all said yes.

As long as they keep the important themes -- a job, work, a boss going through a mid-life crisis, trying to make a difference, being stuck somewhere you do not necessarily want to be.

That's exactly what it did on BBC2. The people that get onto focus groups are force-fed big, broad comedies with laughter tracks and guest appearances. They're not going to like 'The Office' the first time they see it because they're not going to know what they're watching exactly. But if you stick to your vision and auteur it the way you think it should be done, there are enough people in the world that are like-minded and they're going to find it and it's going to be their favorite show.

Karl had expressed his horror in the past at the thought of a rectal examination, and I thought this 'fear' was a nice theme,

The essential thing about Bob Hope was he wasn't a winner, but he had a bravado, and he was willing to say now and again he was scared.

But it's the press perception of him we played with, ... Les isn't a sad, lonely man. Through no fault of his own, he became a whipping boy.

He was born smart, and he can't let it go. He'd rather make a joke than listen. He's clever, but he hasn't applied it as well as some other people.

I want to do a radio show where I can say what I want, when I want and that's free for anybody who can be bothered to listen.

I don't want to use up my cachet, the number of times my fat face is on telly.

Merchant says he'd like to see them have a go at drama. In five years' time, ... the only place I want to be is in a room with Steve Merchant, working on a new project.

If you had to do just one thing (as a boss) and nothing else -- it is just be fair. I think if you are fair, (staff) cannot fault you on it,

Pol Pot - he rounded up anybody he thought was intellectual and had them executed. And how he told someone was intellectual or not was whether they wore glasses. If they're that clever, take them off when they see him coming!

So what if people think 'The Office' is better than 'Extras' I had to do them in some order.

I've always been fascinated with actors who have to be heroes, whereas I shy away from that,

No one grows up saying 'I hope I work in an office one day' And that fascinated me. People from 16 to 65 are just thrown together and that is a tantalizing mix,