Ricky Gervais as Philosopher: The Comedy of Alienation

The humor of the television series (The Office, Extras, Derek, After Life) of Ricky Gervais, the British comedian, is often considered an example of the twenty-first century genre of “cringe comedy,” which plays on the darkness and anxieties of living in the modern world. I will argue, however, that Gervais’ work is best described as “the comedy of alienation,” with alienation understood in the Marxist sense – as the estrangement or splintering of humans from their work, themselves, and each other, which is caused by capitalist society. Through each of his comedy series, Gervais uncovers the capitalist roots of society and reveals and criticizes the effects alienation has on the members of that society. Not only does Gervais’ work serve to illustrate Marx’s account of alienation under capitalism, but Marx’s account, in its turn, can show why Gervais’ work is funny, even if painfully so.