'My son got vid from Ricky Gervais before cancer death - his joke is disgusting'
A mum who lost her son to cancer has blasted comedian Ricky Gervais' joke about terminally ill children - despite once receiving a heartfelt video message from the comedian.
Speaking in his new Netflix stand-up show special, Armageddon, Gervais jokes that he refers to kids battling serious conditions in hospital as "baldies". And the 62-year old pokes fun about making videos for dying children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, asking them: "Why didn't you wish to get better?"
Mum Louise Fox, 49, whose child received ones of those clips from Gervais, has since branded the joke "disgusting". Her son, George, died aged just 13 following a short battle with a glioblastoma brain tumour in April 2022.
Louise Fox and her late son, George - who received a heartfelt video message from Gervais before he died (Louise Fox / SWNS)The mum-of-three arranged for George to receive a special message from Gervais on his 13th birthday, shortly before he passed away. Louise, who works as a training manager for Avon Cosmetics in Bedfordshire, explained: "George absolutely loved Ricky Gervais - he was his favourite comedian. He was so excited to receive that message and now it feels so tainted.
"I worried he didn't send many messages, and my son was one of the few - it's like he's mocking my dead son. I was so offended when I saw the clip - it honestly floored me. George wished more than anything, as did all of us, that he would get better. How anyone can find that funny is beyond me. Ricky needs to walk a day in our shoes even though I wouldn't wish it on anyone."
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Louise said her family had planned to watch the Netflix special, which is due to be released on Christmas Day, in honour of her son, but is hoping people were join her in boycotting it. "Christmas is hard enough, let alone knowing that will be aired,'' she said.
"We're just going through the motions, and trying our best to get by. We had planned to watch it on Christmas Day for George but there's no way we'll be tuning in now. In a way, I'm glad I knew that was on it so I didn't get a shock on the day."
She continued: "He's reached new lows with his jokes. He does a lot for animal charities, and I think he needs to make this right and donate to some children's cancer charities. It's the least he can do after the upset and outrage he's caused."
A second parent affected by the show, meanwhile, has launched a petition to remove the "disrespectful and offensive" gag from Netflix. Sess Cova, whose daughter Katy also suffered from cancer described Gervais' latest material as a "slap in the face to not only the children battling these serious illnesses but also their parents and families who stand by them through this difficult journey".
The hurt parent, whose initial goal is to receive the support of 5,000 others, laid out her "sheer disgust" in The Office star's "infuriating derogatory language". Sess explained: "This is not only unfunny but deeply offensive. I can't comprehend how a writer or anyone at Netflix could greenlight such appalling content. We must demand the removal of this skit. Gervais has provoked the anger of parents living with their child diagnosed with cancer, and we won't back down in fiercely advocating for them. He completely crossed the line. Our children are not a punchline, their lives aren’t a joke."
So far the petition has received more than 4,700 signatures.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at childbereavementuk.org or you can call them on 0800 02 888 40.
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