Ricky Gervais criticised for using ableist slur in Netflix special

nme.com:

Ricky Gervais has faced criticism after using an ableist slur in his Netflix special, Armageddon.In the upcoming special, which has been previewed through various clips on social media, the comedian jokes about making videos for terminally ill children for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.“I always start the video the same way, I go, ‘why didn’t you wish to get better?’ Gervais jokes in the clip. “What, you fucking ret***ed* as well?”Shortly afterwards, Gervais states that he doesn’t “use that word in real life”, defending his use of the word as “playing a role” for comedy purposes.After the video was posted on YouTube last week, disability equality charity Scope spoke out against the special in a statement on X.“Language like this has consequences,” they wrote.