Comedian and writer Ricky Gervais has never been one to shy away from controversy. His latest controversial encounter involves a comment he made about Sam Smith’s dressing during BRIT Awards.
On February 12, 2023, Gervais shared a doctored photo of Sam Smith on the BRIT Awards red carpet with the caption, “The worst thing about being famous is the lack of privacy. I can’t even walk down the street without people looking and pointing.”
Instead of Smith’s head, Gervais’s laughing self was photoshopped onto Smith’s ridiculously dressed body. The “Unholy” singer stepped on the 2023 BRIT Awards red carpet in a black latex suit with legs and sleeves pumped up to extreme proportions.
Pillai’s Dog inspired the Outfit
According to CNN, Pillai, the designer, spent four days creating the musician’s outfit. Pillai said the suit was one of his most challenging pieces of clothing so far. In the past, the designer had only focused on inflating the lower part of the body.
Interestingly, the curvy shapes of the outfit were initially inspired by Pillai’s dog, Kai. He told Good Morning Britain’s viewers that he imagined himself from his dog’s perspective and how his body would look distorted from such a low angle.
Gervais, known for his edgy humor and razor-sharp wit, took a swipe at Smith when the singer had been trending for weeks. Although some fans saw the fun in the swipe and shared their laughs, others were a bit incensed. One commented, also jibing the comedian.
The Twitter user said, “I must say, much as this guy isn’t my cup of tea, it doesn’t bother me what he’s up to. In fact, i only see things about him from older men who seem increasingly upset about what younger generations are doing. This stuff happened in your generation too. You do know that, grandpa?”
The conversation suddenly took an unexpected turn when Gervais replied to the user’s comment, terming it ageist for referring to him as ‘grandpa.’ “Bit ageist,” Gervais shot back.
Others ran away with the fun. “Never fart in a wet suit,” one user wrote. “But it really suits you. You be you!” another quipped.
Some fans pointed out to Gervais that Sam is similar to legendary celebrities such as David Bowie in terms of their bold and unconventional fashion choices. Ricky had a close relationship with Bowie. However, others countered. One wrote, “I concur that Bowie is considerably more skilled than Sam Smith, to the point that comparing their talents would not be fair. However, this does not imply that the notion of creating an element of surprise in fashion is not comparable. Even Mick Jagger used to wear dresses and other unconventional items.”
Sam is Now They/Them
Sam has been a frequent headline in British and International tabloids this year since he came out as non-binary in January. He announced that he’d be using they/them pronouns.
During an interview with Zane Lowe, Sam was asked about their journey since publicly identifying as non-binary. They answered that they had not experienced any negative responses in their personal life. Sam also explained that they now have improved communication with their family, stating that they are “even better” at it.
Sam also revealed that their love life has improved, as they now feel more “lovable” and at ease with themselves. Also, since adopting new pronouns, it feels like a “homecoming” to them.
However, Sam also discussed the negative response they received, stating that it has become a part of their public life. “The amount of hatred and negativity that I received was just draining,” they said.
“What many people don’t understand is that in the UK, trans and non-binary people are being abused on the streets. I have been verbally abused more times than I can remember,” they added.
