Ricky Gervais reveals shocking moment fan put arm round him at the urinals
World-famous comedian Ricky Gervais has revealed the shocking moment a fan put his arm around him at the urinal during an interview about when it is appropriate to go up to celebrities.
Arguably the most famous comedy name in show business, Gervais shot to stardom around his 40th birthday after creating, writing and starring in The Office, which remains one of the best British sitcoms of all time.
Moving on to Extras, Life's Too Short, Derek, and After Life - as well as sell-out world tours on the stand-up circuit - he is now reportedly worth $160 million (£126 million).
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Now, sitting down with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, and Jill Scott for the latest episode of The Overlap podcast, Gervais explained when it is not appropriate to approach him for a selfie.
The conversation was spurred on by Manchester United legend Roy Keane explaining about when he said 'no' to a fan for a photo last year and the fan thinking he was 'awful' as a result.
"I was in America last year in this hotel meeting some lads but I was by myself," Keane said.
"Up the top of the hotel was a pool and everyone was flexing their muscles. I'm sitting there, big guy big came over to me and said 'any chance of a picture?'.
"I went 'no I'm waiting for some friends, I'm not doing any pictures' and he says 'you know nobody around here knows you'. I said, 'you do'. It was perfect."
Responding, Gervais revealed one of his worst fan interactions during the Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr boxing match at Madison Square Garden in New York City, back in 2008.
"So I went to see Joe Calzaghe in Madison Square Garden. We had VIP, it's me and Jane [his wife]," Gervais explained.
"There was Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito and all these people.
"But I had to use the loo, right, and they're for everybody else too, so they're crowded, right."
Explaining what happened next, Gervais said: "I'm at the urinal I've got my d*ck in my hand. Someone said 'can I have a selfie?' and he just just put his arm around me and took the picture.
"Unbelievable. And I couldn't I couldn't say anything. There's a lot of testosterone at boxing matches."
It's not the first time the topic of celebrity selfies has come up. Back in 2019, Dame Emma Thompson declined a photo with a waiter at a restaurant, saying she didn't want to ruin the atmosphere for everyone else.
But Judge Rinder and Piers Morgan have come out in support of fans and against celebs saying 'no'.
"It's part of the deal for the privileges and perks that celebrity brings. Asking nicely matters of course but by doing very little, you get to improve the chemistry of somebody's day," Judge Rinder said.
"Celebrities who grumble about it might consider getting a real job."
And Morgan posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Those ego-crazed celebrities who refuse to pose for photos should remember they're ONLY celebrities because of the public that pays to watch them."
Gervais is currently travelling the UK for his Mortality tour, with extra 2025 dates added this week for London.
Topics: Ricky Gervais, Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Celebrity, Entertainment, Boxing, Sport, Social Media
Tom Earnshaw