Overview

• On May 30, Gervais received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, marking a high point in his award-laden career.
• In his acceptance speech he named Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby and Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle as fellow honorees despite their widely publicized sexual assault allegations.
• He tempered his edgy punchlines with a sincere remark that the honor left him genuinely humbled and credited his success to luck, persistence and defying norms.
• Known for provocative material, Gervais has faced backlash for jokes in his Netflix special Armageddon and during his five Golden Globes hosting appearances.
• Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he called offending audiences an occupational hazard of comedy and dismissed critics as baseless hecklers.