Ricky Gervais - Science DVD

Following a sell out tour and filmed live at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, Science is the rather odd and ill-fitting title for Ricky Gervais’ fourth live comedy stand-up DVD release.

With a bucket load of political incorrectness and an unhealthy portion of swearing, Ricky Gervais once again releases a very polished live performance with plenty of cringe-worthy comments that I know I shouldn’t find funny but do, and a healthy helping of laugh-out-loud moments that makes Science the funniest, most professional stand-up comedy DVD release I’ve reviewed for quite some time.

Known for his observational humour, Gervais attacks fat people (again), fear of flying, post-9/11 racist thoughts and Susan Boyle among other topics.  In fact, apart from undermining the biblical story of Noah’s Ark with mathematics, there isn’t much in the way of science-related topics at all in this show.

Unlike other comedy DVDs released this month in time for Christmas, Ricky Gervais has not appeared on stand-up comedy television shows such as Live at the Apollo or Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow, so unless you were fortunate enough to see the Science Tour live, the material will be fresh; and if you have enjoyed the previous three stand-up DVD’s – Politics, Animals & Fame – you will be sure to enjoy Science as much as I did.

As well as the critically acclaimed show, Science comes with extra features including: When Karl Met Warwick, Meet Karl Pilkington II and Ricky in New York.

When Karl Met Warwick is brilliant and made me laugh even louder than Science.  Ricky Gervais has invited his friend, Karl Pilkington into a studio to discuss science, or so Karl believes.  But instead Gervais stages a very funny and awkward encounter for Karl to meet Warwick Davis, a three-foot-six forty year old actor and star of the new forthcoming television series from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

Following an initial introduction to Karl Pilkington as an extra feature on Ricky’s Politics DVD, Karl is now known to many for his part in the Ricky Gervais podcasts, animated television show and the Sky One programme, An Idiot Abroad. In this feature Ricky & Karl discuss science with some very amusing comments from Pilkington, as you would expect.

Adulating quotes are always included to help promote and sell DVD’s but what better quote does a new comedy DVD release need than “Tasteless and unfunny” – The Daily Mail!

Please note there is strong language from the outset that may offend some viewers and because of this, Science has been given an 18 certificate.

An Idiot Abroad Karl Pilkington DVD

An Idiot Abroad follows the star of The Ricky Gervais Show, Karl Pilkington as he undertakes a journey of a lifetime.

British comedy legends Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant throw down the gauntlet to send Karl Pilkington around the world to force him out of his comfort zone.  Karl thinks he is going to see the natural wonders of the world but there is much more to his travels that he has aniticipated.

Stephen Merchant wants the experience to broaden Karl’s mind and change his outlook on the world whereas Ricky Gervais wants Karl to hate every minute of it for his own amusement.

An Idiot Abroad is an hilarious series on Sky One and is now available on DVD (rrp £19.99) and Blu ray (£24.99).

Buzzin Media Free Comedy Competition

Enter our free competition for a chance to win a copy of  An Idiot Abroad Karl Pilkington DVD all you need to do is answer the following question:

Which tv show introduced us to Karl Pilkington?

a.    The Ricky Gervais Show
b.    The Karl Pilkington Show
c.    The Jeremy Kyle Show

Send your entries to comps@buzzinmedia.co.uk with “An Idiot Abroad DVD” in the subject line with your answer and your full address and contact telephone number.

This Buzzin Media Competition ends on 23rd December, 2010. The editor will randomly choose 3 winners.

The editor’s choice is final.

Cemetery Junction: written and directed by Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant

Written and directed by Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant, creators of the award-winning series The Office and Extras, Cemetery Junction tells the story of three friends who dream of breaking free from their mundane lives living in a dead end part of Reading.

Set in the 1970’s Cemetery Junction is a coming-of-age film and based in part on Ricky Gervais’ own early adult life.

“What do you want to go to France for?  There’s parts of Reading you haven’t seen yet!” his mother tells his son Freddie Taylor.

Three friends, Freddie, Bruce and Snork (Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes and Jack Doolan) are out every night, drinking, joking, fighting and chasing girls but dream of escaping their mundane lives in Cemetery Junction.

Forced to make a choice, they must decide between their life of partying and the promise of a brighter future. Nothing is quite as simple as it should be though, especially when Freddie falls for the daughter of his boss Mr Kendrick (Ralph Fiennes).

To complicate matters further, he discovers that she is already engaged to be married to star salesman Mike (Matthew Goode). To get what they want they’ll need to break the rules, whatever the cost.

Bruce still lives at home with his broken drunk father, and desperately wants to run away from his own life; and Snork…he’s the retarded one!

Cemetery Junction is not the film I expected Stephen Merchant & Ricky Gervais to write and direct.  But as it turns out, it is a brilliant debut and a successful switch from television to the big screen.

The film has its laugh out loud moments as you’d expect but also has some very touching moments too.  The three main characters bring their own baggage to the party and leave a great British coming-of-age feel good movie worth watching more than once; if for nothing else but the Noddy joke.

Released in April this year, Cemetery Junction has received a quick and welcome release on Blu-ray and DVD on 30th August and comes with the following bonus material:

Blu-ray and DVD Bonus Material

• Commentary with Writers/Directors Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

• Cast Commentary with Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes and Jack Doolan

• The Directors:  A Conversation with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

• The Lads Look Back:  The Stars Discuss Cemetery Junction

• Deleted Scenes

• Blooper Reel

Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Material

• movieIQ®+sync and BD-Live connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie

• Seventies Style: Production and Costume Design

• The Start of Filming

• Week 1

• Meet The Boys

• The Directors On Set

• Snow Dude (Easter Egg)

It was an hilarious show made all the better by poker faced producer Karl Pilkington, who would have Merchant and Gervais in stitches.

Being the cheapskate that he is, Gervais has had the podcast animated and it now features on Channel 4 in the UK.

In this clip Karl explains in his own inimitable style why going abroad can mean a lot of faffin’.

The Animated Ricky Gervais – A Lot of Faffin’

Gervais returns to this country to perform the second leg of his fourth live comedy stand-up show.  The tour is called Science, and follows the previous stand-up tours Animals, Politics and Fame; all of which were sell-out tours and made a successful transition to DVD, too.

The Ricky Gervais Science Tour started last August and enjoyed a successful run through to December and is sure to be one of the funniest stand-up comedy shows to tour the UK this year.

Next month will be a busy one for Ricky Gervais with the release of Cemetery Junction on 14th April. The film was co-written and directed with Stephen Merchant, with whom he wrote and directed Extras and The Office.

No doubt one of the Ricky Gervais Tour dates will recorded and made available as a DVD. But if you can’t wait until then, you can see Science at the following UK concerts:

Tue 13 Apr
Manchester Apollo, Manchester

Wed 14 Apr
Manchester Apollo, Manchester

Thu 15 Apr
Manchester Apollo, Manchester

Mon 19 Apr
Cardiff International Arena (CIA), Cardiff

Tue 20 Apr
Cardiff International Arena (CIA), Cardiff

Mon 26 Apr
Wembley Arena, London

Tue 27 Apr
Wembley Arena, London

Wed 28 Apr
Wembley Arena, London

Ricky Gervais Science Stand-up Tickets
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Ricky Gervais is probably best known for the groundbreaking, multi -award-winning TV shows The Office and Extras.

The Office was brilliant.  David Brent (Ricky Gervais) starred in a mock fly-on-the-wall documentary about office life.  Brent was an arrogant, camera-loving office manager with cringe-worthy statements and awkward moments endeared an audience through familiarity.  It seems everybody knows someone like David Brent.

But the real success of the show was the interaction between the members of staff, and the situations played out so well before the camera.  Sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes bellyache funny.  Always well written and superbly delivered with pin-point comic timing.

Gervais and co-writer Stephen Merchant turned down lucrative offers to write a third series of The Office; a decision that meant it bowed out at the top, unlike many other comedy writers that can’t resist another pay cheque.  Instead Gervais and Merchant wrote Extras; another brilliant comedy that used Gervais’ new found ‘friend to the stars’ status to include a famous actor in every episode whereby they were normally asked to do or say things other writers would dear ask them to do.  Ronnie Corbert being caught snorting cocaine in a toilet cubicle, for example.

Ricky Gervais’ popularity and success has continued to blossom with a successful Hollywood acting career under his belt in films such as Night at the Museum, Stardust and Ghost Town.

But this year Gervais will return to the UK for what promises to be another sell-out live tour. The 2009 tour is called Science, and follows the previous stand-up tours Animals, Politics and Fame; all of which were sell-out tours and made a successful transition to DVD, too.  No doubt one of the Ricky Gervais Tour dates will recorded for Science – the DVD, and will be available in time for Christmas2009!

The Ricky Gervais Science Tour runs from 24th August – 16th December and is one of many stand-up comedy shows to tour the UK this summer, including Michael McIntyre, Eddie Izzard and the ‘King of the one-liners’ Jimmy Carr.

Here’s a short excerpt from Politics with Ricky Gervais re-enacting a conversation between Adolf Hitler and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Ricky Gervais Science Stand-up Tour ticket information

At viagogo, every Ricky Gervais Science Stand-up Tour ticket transaction is 100% guaranteed to be safe and secure. As well as making it easy and simple to buy Ricky Gervais tickets or sell Ricky Gervais tickets, viagogo ensure their safe and prompt delivery with online tracking.

The Office – David signs up for online dating

Gervais starred alongside Ashley Jensen as budding actor/actress taking parts as ‘extras’ in film and TV work while waiting for the big break.

Here they are taking lunch during filming a scene where thay have been cast as ‘extras’ in police uniforms. Maggie (Ashley Jensen) is genuinely concerned that she may have racist feelings, so Gervais sets her a test.

Extras – The Racist Test

As part of the live stand-up show Politics, Ricky Gervais suggests what a meeting between Adolf Hitler and the political philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche might have sounded like.

Nietzsche’s ideas were a fundamental part of Nazi ideological.