Ricky Gervais: “I don’t lose sleep over being popular”

Ricky Gervais doesn’t care whether you like him or not.

The funny man has no interest in becoming a “national treasure” and therefore doesn’t worry about what he says – which is probably what makes him so funny.

“There’s only so many nods and winks you can do to reassure people. I can’t go round doing anodyne comedy and trying to become a national treasure. Nothing bores me more,” he said.

“I don’t lose sleep over being popular; I lose sleep over knowing I did something wrong. And I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. I like dealing with original subjects, taboo subjects, misunderstood subjects. I like to take the audience to places it hasn’t been before.

“I’m not a politician, I’m trying to make people laugh. But I want them to laugh at things I find funny. I know I might come unstuck. I look at it in quite a Darwinian way: I’m going to do exactly what I want, and see if I survive.”