Journalists, has your job been exhausting lately? Then please allow Ricky Gervais to inspire you to keep fighting the good fight. When Vulture caught up with Gervais at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Special Correspondents last night, Gervais told us that he believes journalism is both a “good and honorable profession.”
“I think like all professions, there are some people that aren’t as honorable,” he said. “I don’t think [Special Correspondents is] a big slight against journalism or the media even, I think it’s more about lies and integrity. And I think that any organization, any profession, that has a certain amount of power has a great responsibility. Doesn’t matter whether it’s journalism or the Catholic Church or parents or doctors. They’re in positions of power and they need to be accountable in a way. So it’s about that, and it’s about normal people doing bad things sometimes. Kids learn to lie because it gets them out of trouble, but then they realize that probably in the long run, it’s better not to lie.”
The biggest target, according to Gervais, is fame. “People will do anything to be famous these days … it’s more about that than a go at journalism,” he continued. “But it’s about people, it’s about egos and honesty and all those big things. Journalism seemed right for it at the moment. People believe everything they read, more and more. It’s strange.”
You heard the man.
