Shadowing Practice: Idiot Actors Exposed By Ricky Gervais - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Despite the multiple hurdles that have been thrown at Ricky throughout his career, all the temptations, and all the distractions, Hollywood simply can't contain Ricky Gervais.

He never sold his soul to Hollywood, and he stood his ground in his views and used comedy to present it, regardless of whether or not it offended Hollywood,

with Ricky digging up the skeletons of the Hollywood industry and presenting it to all of us.

Instead of selling his soul to the entertainment industry, Ricky would proudly call out the fakeness of Hollywood, Standing as one of the only people within the industry to ridicule

and mock the people running it

and doing it straight to their face You're in no position to lecture the public about anything.

You know nothing about the real world Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg

So if you win right come up accept your little award Thank your agent

and your God and fuck off But not only that

if you compare Ricky Gervais to all the other Hollywood actors that have come from Britain and around the world world, he seems to be one of the only people who never sold his soul.

He never became crazy, did awful things, or was revealed to be some dark predator.

He's one of the only people within Hollywood who never sacrificed his soul.

And to understand why he never did, we need to understand what made Ricky Gervais so different from everyone else.

And to do that, we just need to look at his past, and particularly where his sense of humor comes from.

You see, Ricky Gervais has a unique brand of humor that often dances on the edge of discomfort, a trait that's deeply rooted in his family's approach to life.

Before Ricky showed his face on TV, he was learning about the ins and outs of life from his family and friends.

He grew up in a poorer household around Reading.

Even though both his mother and father worked day in and day out, struggling to make ends meet, it never stopped them from having a good sense of humour.

It's a typical thing in England, some of the funniest people in the country are just your average shows getting about their day,

with some harsh banter between friends and a unique style of humour not really seen anywhere else in the world.

This trait continued throughout the family and his siblings doubled down on it.

In fact Ricky even said that at his mother's funeral, he and his brother Bob, who had a big influence on his life, were crying with laughter because when the priest asked him for some input,

his brother told the priest his mother was a keen racist.

but when okay, put you like gardening.

This moment of dark humor at such an unusually depressing occasion shows the family's knack for finding laughter in the bleakest moments, but also underscores Ricky's comfort with pushing societal boundaries.

This is the foundational reason why Ricky has not been affected

by those who deem themselves to be of high importance in Hollywood.

Since Hollywood's elite tend to think they have the power, they presume to be able to influence all under their payroll.

But Ricky has made himself an exception to the rule.

He's won his audience by sticking to who he wants to be and doing as he pleases.

You can see this in 2004, With his release of The Office, which would launch Ricky Gervais into the entertainment industry, making him a household name across the world,

and also landing him in Hollywood.

Not only for his acting, but also for his standout comedy as well.

And with the huge remake of The Office in America, his stardom grew exponentially.

But this is where things would take a strange turn.

You see, Ricky was already 40 when he started on The Office, and he was 43 years old when he finally made his way into Hollywood.

Unlike most actors who grew up in Hollywood, he knew what it was like to be an average person for most of his life.

So he was a normal human being.

He wasn't some egomaniac like most people in Hollywood.

He hadn't been disturbed or corrupted at an early age.

So he always seemed relatable with his audience and seemed so much more normal than most celebrities.

But it's also where his family values made him stand out from everybody else.

If we look at other British actors who found fame at a later age, like James Corden, you can see how instant fame changed them so badly.

You see, James Corden is another huge British comedian.

He went from being a nobody in the UK to a Hollywood darling in America.

And he too also found fame when he was 30 years old.

But it didn't take long for the fame to get to his head.

You see, James Corden quickly learned that if he did everything to fit in, to become a social chameleon and bow to the elites of Hollywood, he'd make even more money,

have more fame and far more power.

And because of this, James Corden's career grew massively.

Suddenly he was everywhere with his own talk show in America.

But while his career grew, so too did his ego.

When the presenters are up here and when the recipients are receiving their awards,

don't stand at the back of the stage with your hands in your pockets, looking around as though you wished you were anywhere but here.

Oh, you couldn't be more wrong, sir.

You couldn't be more wrong.

Oh, genuinely.

And if it looked like that, I'm so sorry.

But when you come up and present an award, just f*ing get on with it.

It didn't take long for him to be accused of being verbally abusive to those around him, clearly letting the fame and power get to his head.

On camera, he displayed his charming best, but behind the camera, He earned himself a reputation as being one of the most hated people in Hollywood.

In an interview he even admitted that he thought he was even more important than what he was.

Puffed up and thinking he had the right to treat people badly, he literally sold out everything that he was to be accepted by the people in Hollywood.

He was beloved in the UK, but sold his reputation out for more fame and power.

From partying with the elite to only going out with strangers who adored him, it only made him think he was more important than anyone around him.

So he could say and do whatever he wanted and not only get away with it, but was entitled to be so arrogant and demanding as a famous person.

But in a way, who could blame James?

This is just the typical route of a person who sells themselves up to Hollywood, and it's a very easy path to take.

But Ricky luckily isn't that guy, and has an amazing view on life that gives him the edge that few have.

It's his non-conformist ability to stay true to himself.

He didn't care about who recognized him or how much fame he had.

According to Ricky, although everybody wants to be famous, having fame is a fake mentality.

Being famous to a child is to be known, but being famous in reality is based on the work or rewards that you've achieved, and because of the industry, you can become famous.

If you had to compare, for example, a doctor who finds a cure for cancer, or an actor who is famous, who actually has the most valuable role to society,

it's this type of viewpoint that's kept him grounded and true in reality.

His goal in life is just to have as much fun as possible, from when he wakes up to when he goes to bed.

His comedic personality and charming wit is the capacity to achieve this.

Making people laugh is his drug, his motivation, and it doesn't really just seem to be for money or fame.

And even though he plays it up with egotistical exaggerated statements, it's more just to take the piss out of celebrities as a whole.

Whereas with James Corden, he had to make a facade for the camera, while he wasn't that person in the background.

So when it was revealed who he really was, it ruined his reputation.

However, the problem with Hollywood is that it's less forgiving once you've ruined your reputation.

And soon as everybody started releasing reports about James Corden behind the scenes, and he went viral online for being so hated, it's almost completely destroyed his career.

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But for Ricky, this is not the case.

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Because he's consistent in who he is, off or on the camera, he's been able to keep a strong fanbase for decades, even without Hollywood support.

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But then there's the other side of Ricky that makes his way to the wrong side of the media, his offensive jokes.

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Now obviously his family played a part in making jokes about the most absurd scenarios as mentioned earlier.

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They weren't afraid to make a joke, even if it offended the person, something Gervais learned when his mother said he was a mistake.

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In fact, I remember when I was about 12, I asked my mum why my brothers and sisters were so much older than me and she went, because you were a mistake.

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Just told me, I just laughed.

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You laughed and then like a year later you were like, oh actually.

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No, I actually thought they were all mistakes.

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He's always enjoyed awkward jokes in social settings that are uncomfortable.

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That's what made his humour do so well in the office, is David Brandt, which has led his comedy career to be defined by pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms.

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He knows he's going to offend somebody and it's something that he's actually proud of.

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By being willing to say the things that would usually get Hollywood actors cancelled, this is where he connects with his audience and the public.

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Hollywood often aims for non-controversial political correctness charm to maximise commercial success and appeal broadly.

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I had my very best to live a life of my own making

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and I wouldn't have been able to do this without employing a woman's right to choose.

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We are facing collectively, whether we're talking about gender inequality or racism or queer rights.

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I don't care anymore.

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I'm joking.

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I never did.

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And as we all know, this has failed catastrophically and made people all around the world hate companies like Disney for doing exactly this.

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This is also the same trap that James Corden fell down.

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However, because Ricky understands his audience and is willing to push the limits and speak the truth no matter how ugly, his stand-up comedy career has seen success like no other.

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In 2023, Ricky Gervais broke the world record for the highest grossing single comedy gig of all time at the Hollywood Bowl.

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He did this by openly talking about the less comfortable truths and bad sides of society, often highlighting the contradictions and absurdities within celebrity culture itself.

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Hollywood actors are often so scared to say what they really believe because they'll get cancelled.

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Instead, they just do horrible things and try to mask it with a fake friendliness, but as they keep repressing the dark side of their personalities, it paints a really ugly picture on their character.

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Or they end up doing something cringe like the Imagine video, where all these celebrities will come forward in support of a cause they don't really care about, or make a political statement they don't actually believe in,

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but do it because all their Hollywood peers are doing it too.

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And because of this, they develop an arrogance thinking that this is what their audience wants to see, but in almost all cases, it's universally hated by everyone.

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However, Ricky Gervais is one of the very few actors

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or comedians who will say what he really believes and jokes about what he shouldn't.

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But what also sets Ricky apart is that he uses a combination of comedy

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and real-life observations to make you laugh and make you think.

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Particularly when you're dealing with taboo subjects

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and I do deal with taboo subjects for a reason

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because I want to take the audience to that place they hadn't been before.

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You know I want to let people know that a joke about a bad thing isn't the same as the bad thing.

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It's not even necessarily condoning the bad thing.

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It could be anti the bad thing.

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It could be veiled in irony or satirical or whatever

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but I think people would have to look at what a joke is,

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what the real target is." That's why Ricky deems offending someone to be just as valuable as making someone laugh.

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He says he appreciates the gasps just as much as the laughs because it means you were listening.

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No one has to laugh.

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In fact, I embraced the gasps as much as the laughs because that means they were listening.

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You know?

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And offence is good.

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Offence makes people think.

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It makes them think.

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makes them come up with another argument.

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You've got to come up with an argument.

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Being offended is only telling Ricky how you really feel about it.

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It's just a reaction to his humour.

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Although he does say things that are obviously very controversial, he points out that controversy is just saying something that someone else doesn't agree with.

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I did a tweet the other week that just said, this tweet is controversial.

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And I did a poll and it came up 50-50.

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It's you know controversy is just someone saying something that someone else doesn't agree with

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Proving the point that being controversial is just a matter of opinion

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and that the end of comedy coincides with the decline in free speech Something that's all too common within Hollywood itself

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Which is why Ricky Gervais could never sell his soul to Hollywood as

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if he did it would end his career entirely

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and make his audience hate him Which is why when Ricky said he doesn't care if he insults high executives of Hollywood, he actually meant it.

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And if they get offended, he's okay with that.

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This became all too clear when Ricky was invited to host the 2020 Golden Globes.

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Now everybody's probably seen this by this point.

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But for those who haven't, Ricky instead of making some comfortable jokes that everybody can enjoy like most award show hosts, in this Golden Globes speech,

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he actually dug at the audience of some of Hollywood's most pristine actors.

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While he mocked Hollywood, he called out all those who have used their fame in Hollywood titles to do the most awful things imaginable.

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Making jokes about those who worked with and were friends with registered sex offenders like Harvey Weinstein and Mr. E.

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Our next presenter starred in Netflix's Bird Box, a movie where people survive by acting like they don't see a thing.

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Sort of like working for Harvey Weinstein.

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You did it, I didn't, you did it.

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Shut the fuck up.

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Please welcome Sandra Bullock.

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He called out how everything needs to have a race agenda slapped onto it.

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He'd even make a point about how fake all the actors are

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when they go on stage pretending to care about the world and make political statements.

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If you do win an award tonight, don't use it as a platform to make a political speech, right?

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You're in no position to lecture the public about anything.

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You know nothing about the real world.

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Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.

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The entire audience was silent and in shock because they knew he was talking about them.

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With moments like this with Tom Hanks face, you could tell he really hit a nerve, saying what he shouldn't have.

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And he could predict that many of these actors would act all high and mighty when accepting their glow, not knowing what people in the real world actually experience.

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Benedict Cumberpatch

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and David Tennant are the perfect examples of actors who try

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to use their Hollywood careers to force political views down the throats of their audience.

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While both are loved actors across the world and are extremely talented, they are also the people who Ricky is calling out in his speech

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and they both happen to be from the UK just like Ricky Gervais, but they too in some ways sold their soul to Hollywood.

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While that's a good thing to stick up for what you believe in, it seems like these actors are always contradicting themselves when you look at the life they live.

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They pretend to be politicians when it suits them and just a normal actor in other cases.

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A classic example of this is back in 2015

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when Cumberbatch made headlines for his impassioned speech at the end of his Hamlet performance, where he urged audiences to donate to Syrian refugee children.

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Which is a great thing to do.

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He was also part of the People's Climate March, and often speaks out against government policies such as climate change and Brexit.

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Where everything seemed so normal, but where under the surface there was a horrible and brutal truth that we all pretended didn't exist.

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Hardly anyone even spoke about climate change and the destruction of the natural world.

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Similarly, David Tennant, known for his role as Doctor Who, use this platform and voice to advocate for political causes, from pushing support for the NHS,

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to opposing Brexit, and joining the LGBTQA plus movement.

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And while none of this is inherently wrong, it always feels fake and as if they're doing this for an ulterior motive.

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And although Ricky might joke about certain political policies, he understands that actors like this might be overstepping their professional boundaries.

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When actors try to use their platform in such a way, there's a sense of pride, that what they say matters more than others.

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But in reality, it makes audiences find it annoying and preachy.

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While the Golden Globe speech clearly shows Ricky calling out a lot of serious issues, it also shows that he stayed true to himself.

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If you type Ricky's name on Google, the Golden Globe speech will most definitely come up and people love it.

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Just look at the comments.

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And the reason is that Ricky will not bend to Hollywood's expectations

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and he brings a fresh harsh honesty under the umbrella of comedy.

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The point of all of his humour is to show you

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that even the most serious things can make people laugh and that we all need to stop taking things so seriously.

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This thought pattern enables him to switch up and accept if he's not a leading role or actor or producer, he can easily let it go and change because he's comfortable with not taking everything so seriously,

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making his own unique productions away from giant Hollywood elites.

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One interesting point about Ricky Gervais compared to all of these other actors who sell their soul to Hollywood, is that he even feels guilty about having so much money because that was never what it was about.

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Apparently he's never signed a contract based on these kinds of things, and so money hasn't changed Gervais.

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Now of course, let's not be dumb, it's benefited his life in many many ways and having money is extremely important.

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He lives in a really nice part of London with a huge house but still his core does remain the same.

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He goes for simple walks around Hampstead Heath, treats the public normally and seems to just enjoy the simpler things, not splashing out in a giant lambo as he just wants to live like a normal person.

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Often actors who sell themselves out to Hollywood have dramatic changes in looks or personality.

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They can change from just regular people to having so much insecurity

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and pressures within Hollywood that they change their entire personality and even face.

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Take some in Cowell for example.

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Cowell joined the Hollywood crew.

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Not too long after, he signed as Westlife's music producer along with other successful acts in the 1980s and 1990s.

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His music career then morphed into becoming a mainstream celebrity in the early 2000s, where he created his own huge reality TV shows like X Factor, America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent.

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This gave Cowell a lot of money and power.

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He had everything on his side.

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The only thing he didn't have was inner peace.

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As with many Hollywood celebrities, to get over his insecurities and fears of aging, he went for a final resort of plastic surgery, as almost everyone in Hollywood does these days,

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as the entire industry is propped up by a superficial value system that prioritizes artificial beauty over individual uniqueness, showing how shallow the people in Hollywood really are.

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For Cal, the change was sadly dramatic, and his attempt to keep looking younger ruined his natural good looks.

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Today, his natural facial features look all distorted.

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As many people point out online, he does look unnatural, and this is the kind of influence that Hollywood has.

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Something that Ricky is really not interested in and something

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that he even joked about leading up to the 2012 Golden Globes as he prepared to host it.

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If anything, one can easily imagine that Ricky would make fun of such actions.

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Hollywood has a very powerful effect on actors and it comes with a bunch of deception and influence.

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We've spoken a bunch on this channel about the evil acts committed behind the scenes in this industry.

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From people like Dan Schneider, the horrors that happened to Drake Bell and all the other people that are victims of the industry.

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but even in lesser cases it's very normal for actors to sell out with dramatic changes in looks

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or personality if it means they get the next big role.

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They can change from their humble self to someone that's completely the opposite of who they once were, selecting to a life with hedonism and greed.

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Knowing this, if Hollywood turns its back on Ricky, seems like at this point he would just move on with his life to something else where he can be creative.

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Which is why in his final Golden Globe speech in 2020

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he lets it all out as he didn't really care anymore about the repercussions And despite all of his fight against Hollywood, this all made him even more popular than ever.

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Because he never fell for Hollywood's lures, as his values held strong, audiences around the world loved him even more.

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And so ironically, by not selling his soul to Hollywood, he's become even more valuable to Hollywood.

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95 sentences

How Ricky Gervais’ Story Can Boost Your English Speaking

The video about Ricky Gervais’ unapologetic approach to Hollywood is more than just entertaining—it’s a goldmine for English learners. It’s a real-life example of how people use casual, bold, and relatable language to express strong opinions. Whether you’re practicing for IELTS speaking or just want to sound more natural, this dialogue shows how humor and authenticity drive communication.

Useful Chunks & Collocations to Master

"Sold his soul to": To compromise one’s values for success. Example: "He never sold his soul to Hollywood’s demands."
"Stood his ground": To refuse to change one’s opinion. Example: "Ricky stood his ground, even when others disagreed."
"Digging up the skeletons": Revealing hidden secrets. Example: "His comedy is about digging up the skeletons of the industry."
"Fame got to his head": Success made someone arrogant. Example: "Unlike others, fame never got to Ricky’s head."
"Fit in": To adapt to a group. Example: "Some actors try too hard to fit in with Hollywood elites."

Your Shadowing Challenge: Sound Like a Native

Ready to improve your English pronunciation and fluency? Try this shadowing exercise—perfect for IELTS speaking practice! Pick a 30-second clip from the video where Ricky speaks (like his take on Hollywood elites). Play the clip, pause, and repeat exactly what he says, mimicking his tone, speed, and stress. Focus on how he emphasizes words like "fakeness" or "soul" to convey emotion. Do this 5 times, then record yourself. Compare it to the original—you’ll notice how much more natural your speech sounds! For more practice, use a shadowing site to find similar clips. Remember, shadow speak isn’t just about repeating—it’s about feeling the language. You’ve got this!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result	if he did it would end
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	have been thrown · have come · has not been affected
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	is sponsored · have been thrown · was revealed
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	people who never · those who deem · person who sells

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

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What is the Shadowing Technique?