If there is a God, why did he make me an atheist? Ricky Gervais More Quotes by Ricky Gervais More Quotes From Ricky Gervais There's a difference between a job and a career - if you're the boss you don't stop at six o'clock, you have to worry about everything all the time. Ricky Gervais differences careers jobs Growing up, the two things that made my blood boil were religious intolerance and animal cruelty. I’ve never understood it. I can’t stand to have an animal in pain. Ricky Gervais growing-up pain religious I think the job of a comedian is to make people laugh, but also challenge them to laugh at things they didn't know they could until now. Ricky Gervais jobs laughing thinking There's nothing as perfect as the initial idea. And the only reason I write and direct is to protect the writing, because that's what's most precious. Ricky Gervais perfect writing ideas I had great memories of growing up in a working class estate. I remember it being sunny all the time. So we're putting that on screen. It's not people wallowing in degradation. Ricky Gervais growing-up class memories I went to university with no money. I can't understand a society that wouldn't give a poor person the same opportunity as a rich person. Ricky Gervais rich opportunity giving A world without any lies at all is not a good world, because it's artless and because there are no white lies, no flattery. Ricky Gervais white lying world I hope I haven't offended anyone. It's not my fault. I like a drink as much as the next man, unless the next man is Mel Gibson. Ricky Gervais top-news I'm not going to start picking on things you've done, some of it immoral. A lot of it illegal. If we've learned one thing, it's that famous people are above the law. As it should be. Ricky Gervais us Everything I do is somehow rooted in humanity. It's always about people; it's always about ego. It's always about desperation. It's quite existential. You know, 'Am I leading a good life?' That might be because I'm an atheist, and I think this is all we've got, so you better be nice. And have fun. Ricky Gervais good you life people I think being nice is more important than being clever. Ricky Gervais being think nice important I don't care whether people say, ''The Office' is rubbish, 'Extras' is worse, 'Flanimals' is a waste of time. He's not funny; he never has been. I hate him.' I don't mind that at all. In fact, not only do I expect it, I celebrate it, because I think the haters are really important. Ricky Gervais hate time funny people There are no Hollywood stars speaking out for the elderly. They're forgotten, bewildered, and I don't think it's because people are cruel or don't care. It's because you don't want to think about your own mortality. I think people don't talk about it enough. Ricky Gervais you care stars people Sometimes being old is used as an insult, which is bizarre because, if you're lucky, that's literally going to happen to you. It's a strange thing to gloat about: being born recently. Ricky Gervais you insult born sometimes When I go to work, I don't want to make depressing, gritty, urban stories that are depressing to watch. I want to give people something to enjoy. When people think I'm a control freak and an ogre - which I am - it's only because I want my work to be accessible and Everyman, in a way. Ricky Gervais i-am enjoy work people Look, just tell me where that lemon came from and I'll shut up and go away. Ricky Gervais go look me shut-up I'm a fan of the kind of political correctness that is about not promoting prejudice. But some people in America are offended by equality because when you've had privilege for so long, equality feels like oppression. Ricky Gervais you equality long people Luckily, even when people are shouting lies, the truth is undamaged. Science doesn't matter what you believe. Ricky Gervais you truth science people I think you can make fun of anything except things people can't help. They can't help their race or their sex or their age, so you ridicule their pretension or their ego instead. You can ridicule ideas - ideas don't have feelings. You can ridicule an idea that someone holds without hurting them. Ricky Gervais you ego age people Proper stupidity is fascinating. Ricky Gervais proper fascinating stupidity