- Ricky Gervais Guide to the World Cup Podcast - Ricky Gervais Guide - Screenshot from Podcast
A free addition to the Ricky Gervais Guide to ... series appeared on iTunes on June 12, 2010. After a prolonged discussion of Karl Pilkinton's stress level, as evidenced by his dental concerns, Gervais announces that it is time that they join the crowd of World Cup podcasts with the warning that "we have nothing to say about it."
Overview of The Ricky Gervais Guide to the World Cup
As usual, the Ricky Gervais podcasts show interesting details about the normalcies of celebrity life. Gervais and Merchant watched the 2006 World Cup in a hotel room, and the debate about who sits on the bed and who sits in the flimsy hotel chair are familiar to any traveler. Merchant describes the strangeness of being seen reading an article about Gervais while riding on the London Underground. Most of the conversation seems like familiar conversation between friends.
Pilkington wants fans to keep sports in perspective, because the fans watching the show are not able to influence the game. Gervais initially agrees, chiming in to mock soccer's armchair quarterbacks, more properly called pub stool forwards. "You score a goal then, fatty!" Pilkington concurs, saying, "Wearing a football top! They shouldn't make it in that size."
Ever the voice of reason, Merchant defends England's football fanatics. "Calm down, don't be slagging off the fans, cause that's what it's all about...it's the British way." Merchant is more prominent in this podcast than he is during the other Gervais Guide to audiobooks. Merchant has a strong interest in football, and he discusses different players, endorsements, and his love of the game.
The Guide to the World Cup is Not a Sports Podcast
One of the joys of the podcast is that it is different from other sports podcasts. At one point, Pilkington says he doesn't even want to discuss the World Cup, despite podcast's title. He and Gervais agree that sports podcasts are overdone and overly authoritative. Merchant is the lone voice of enthusiastic, unfettered support of the World Cup experience.
The Ricky Gervais Guide to the World Cup is like listening to friends. Gervais shows off his free iPad, which he uses to have a computer voice read curse words and insults. Pilkington speaks with his typical colloquial charm, describing his daily life and justifying not paying for a cup of tea. Merchant asks questions and moves the podcast along as a goodhearted referee. At one point he murmurs, "It's a good thing this podcast is free."
The podcast is new material, unlike the other Guide to... editions which reuse content from the Ricky Gervais show. The podcast is a free edition to the Guides, which are normally for sale as audiobooks. Sometimes the podcasts stop being available for free as the podcast is updated, so download it while it is available.
Publication Information
The Ricky Gervais Guide to the World Cup was released by Ricky Gervais on iTunes on June 12, 2010. It is 45 minutes long. The content was created by and starring Ricky Gervais, Steve Merchant, and Karl Pilkington.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
