Ellen DeGeneres was a staple of daytime television for 19 seasons with The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Her show featured a ton of celebrity guests, many of whom returned several times over the years. DeGeneres had an ability to connect and create memorable moments with her guests during the show's run.
One of her most memorable guests was fellow comedian Ricky Gervais. The controversial comic would become a regular guest on DeGeneres' show and share many hilarious moments with her over the years. His many appearances also helped audiences notice all that they both have in common.
Ricky Told Ellen About His Experience Hosting The Golden Globes
One of Gervais' most memorable moments came when he hosted the Golden Globe Awards. His brand of humor targeted the very stars who were in the audience. Gervais' jokes and the celebrities' reaction shots went viral and birthed several memes.
While preparing to host for a second time, he stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about his first time hosting the ceremony. DeGeneres asked Gervais why he wanted to host the show a second time.
"The reason I said yes the first time was because I was very flattered," he said. "It was a huge global audience for a comedian. I like writing jokes. That's what I do. The reason I did it the second time was I thought I could improve on the first. Which, I think I did. I wasn't going to do it again but there were loads of people in the press saying I'd never be invited back and that's why I said yes."
Gervais also touched on how shocked many seemed by his material.
"I knew what I was doing," he said. "It's the same as stand-up. I know where the gasps are going to come. I know when the laughs are going to come…I knew all that. I didn't think the press would…I mean you usually have to kill someone to get that many columnists. They were still talking about it, so I was shocked at the reaction. Yeah, yeah, I was."
Gervais continued, "I don't think I was nasty. If they saw my stand-up, their heads would explode. People say is there anything you shouldn't joke about? I don't think there is. I just think it depends what the joke is. Comedy comes from either a good or a bad place, and I was just teasing them, ya know. It wasn't a room full of wounded soldiers. These are the richest, most privileged people in the world."
Ricky Gervais Once Told Ellen Why He Doesn't Want To Have Children
Gervais and DeGeneres have a lot in common. They're both comedians, they both have a love for animals, and neither one of them want children. When Gervais stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2019, he opened up to DeGeneres about why he doesn't want kids.
For starters, Gervais said he believes he would worry too much if he had a baby.
"I'd worry sick about a baby," he said. "I have a cat and I worry about that. I check the door three times before I go out. I put food and water in every room in case the door closes and he's peckish for 20 minutes."
Gervais also joked that the world is overpopulated and that nobody wants him specifically to reproduce.
"There's loads of reasons why I don't have kids," he added. "The world is overpopulated, no one's sitting around going, 'Oh Rick's not going to have kids, we're going to run out,' there's loads!"
Gervais even joked that kids are "scroungers," saying, "From day one it's me me me."
DeGeneres has also admitted she doesn't want children either. During an interview with Today, DeGeneres explained why she doesn't want to be a parent.
"It seems long-term," she said. "It seems like a commitment that you have to stick with. And I just don’t know if I can — it’s too risky. Like, what if I don’t like the kid? What if it turns out that it’s not as cute as I wanted, or as talented? I’m going to compare it to all these kids that I have on the show that are so smart and so funny."
Gervais and DeGeneres are also passionate about animal rights. During his appearance, Gervais spoke about his stand-up special Humanity.
"It was time to let the world know what an awful species we are," he said of the special's title. "We're the worst… I love all animals. Human beings? I could take them or leave them!"
Gervais added, "I tell [the audience], I say, 'I don't know why I called it Humanity, I'm not a big fan, I prefer dogs.'"
Ricky Appeared On 'Ellen' Remotely During The Pandemic
In 2020, Gervais appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show remotely. At the time, the world was under quarantine and in the midst of a global pandemic. It was during this particular appearance that Gervais and DeGeneres discovered they connected in another way: being a homebody.
"Honestly, I never went out much, I didn't like people coming to the house, so that's good," he revealed. "This house was an eight-bedroom house when we bought it but I've had them all knocked into one bedroom so family couldn't stay."
"I've always got enough booze for a nuclear winter," Gervais added, holding up a glass of red wine.
Gervais told DeGeneres that he was always on the couch by 6:00 p.m. "with a bottle of wine watching Netflix, so evenings literally haven't changed for" the comedian.
"On a serious note, you won't hear me complain," he continued. "Not when there's nurses doing 14-hour shifts ... they're asking us to stay at home and watch telly. That's alright, I can handle that."
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