After a fun chat with Ricky Gervais about how he performs stand-up all over the world and his appearance on Jerry Seinfeld’s new Web series and his new iPhone app, his forthcoming straight-to-Netflix dramedy show Derek and after an uncomfortably long tangent about pedophiles, Jimmy Fallon last night recruited the busy Brit for yet another on-screen project: “Real People, Fake Arms.”
And with his performance – moving and poignant, it was – Gervais joins the Late Night ranks of Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Matthew Broderick and Alec Baldwin in Fallon’s absurdly hilarious recurring segment. In this one, Gervais plays a pottery instructor who carefully guides his student (Fallon) through the creation of his first vase. Ghost nods are included, naturally, but what makes this one of the funniest things I’ve seen on television in a long time, is the sheer joy on the faces of Gervais and Fallon and the sturdy sincerity in their laughs. Check it out for yourself.
