Jan12
Ricky Gervais Sets Letterman Straight
Posted at 03:06 PM | Permalink
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Comments (21)
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Ricky: They're 50 quid down, I've got nothing, the African family's going, "Not another mouth to feed." It's ridiculous. There's nothing in it for the goat. The goat wakes up in barren land going, "Where am I? A week ago I was gamboling through the Cotswolds in glades and then someone just kidnapped me, put me on a boat, took me to Africa." It's like Roots in reverse. I bet he didn't want to go to Africa. I think the goat had no choice. …
Letterman: There may be another way to look at this, but I accept your point.
Ricky: I can't see one.
Ricky is right! Donating animals is no gift for the animals who are "gifted" (they must forage in a dust bowl where they often can't find water, and they end up tethered and are usually slaughtered!). And it can actually make things worse for the impoverished family that receives them. Luckily, there are great alternatives. Ricky's friend could have donated to Food for Life or The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation instead, both of which support sustainable (and cruelty-free) programs to combat hunger. Take a leaf from Ricky's book, and let the goats continue "gamboling through the Cotswolds in glades" or wherever they belong.
Posted by Lianne Turner
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Yet another reason to love Ricky Gervais. I am so excited that he said something on national TV. Heifer International and their ilk are probably well-intentioned, but they're morons.
Posted by: Canaduck | January 12, 2009 04:58 PM
Ricky Gervais is so enlighted, he has Karma, for every action has a reaction and people don't see the connection. Even if you don't torture the animal yourself, you are funding the torture and there is a connection and if impacts society negatively.
Posted by: roxanne | January 12, 2009 05:17 PM
Before people get on Ricky's case, yeah we all know he's not a vegetarian (but wants to be).
All he has to do is read John Robbins' "The Food Revolution," and spend some quality time on Dr. John McDougall's website www.drmcdougall.com, and he'll be one in no time.
You can still get the two must-have classic books, "McDougall's Medicine" and "The McDougall Plan" as downloadable e-books there ($10 each).
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | January 12, 2009 05:43 PM
I keep getting booklets and donation kits from these "give a poor family some animals to eat" programs. I was so disgusted: one section described the most important benefit of donating a clutch of rabbits as "the precious gift of protein". Charming!!
I sent their most recent donation envelope back with some Peta pamphlets!! (^_^)
Posted by: Meech! | January 12, 2009 05:43 PM
THANK YOU, RICKY GERVAIS! I liked you on first sight, and now I know why!
Posted by: lynda downie | January 13, 2009 12:25 AM
There are better things you can give to the hungry in poor nations. You can buy a refugee family a cookstove and grain for $25. (which I gave in my sister's name for Xmas)
http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1
I can only imagine that if you are one of the few families with a goat, you wouldn't get much sleep.
"I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it."
Gandhi
Posted by: Jeanne | January 13, 2009 09:29 AM
I always loved Ricky Gervais because he is the funny man of the world I say.
Another reason to love him more.
If thats possible!
Posted by: Lowri Herbert | January 13, 2009 09:34 AM
I'm pretty sure Gervais wasn't saying that people should not eat goats. He wasn't saying that eating meat was bad. He wasn't saying that donating animals was bad. I didn't see the whole interview, just read the blurb here though.
Posted by: scott | January 13, 2009 03:37 PM
Um, many of these poverty-stricken people, believe it or not, are more likely to die from water-borne disease than starvation. You want to donate to a similar cause, I would suggest one of the many charities that build water-filtration and purifying systems in third world countries. That way you're not "feeding a family," you're providing drinking water to a whole village!
Posted by: BullyDawg | January 13, 2009 04:45 PM
Good for you, Ricky Gervais! But,the water purification, etc. would be the better alternative. And, for the goat, too! I've witnessed first hand, that, mostly the animals are not fed that well and often treated cruelly. I'm sure that there are exceptions but one has to realize that these people have known nothing but hunger, illnesses and deprivation so their priorities are quite different from 'our's'of the 'have nations'. (We have our own poverty ridden children, too.)Education and good water go a long way in helping these people. Well,and just distribution of any help! Thank you.
Posted by: L.J. Robinson | January 16, 2009 12:38 AM
Great article. I had not heard of this organization that ships animals like goats to Africa. We here at Peta need more info on this one so that we can put the pressure on these organizations and enlighten them. I am sure they think they are doing the right thing, but with a bit of education from Peta, we could re-direct their energies to better projects to serve those in need around the world.
Posted by: Kass callaghan | January 17, 2009 01:02 PM
Mr. Gervais can be counted on to provide enlightened and engaging commentary across a myriad of issues on animal welfare. He can take a serious issue and translate it to the masses in an intelligent, entertaining way.
Posted by: Peter Hood | January 17, 2009 01:51 PM
Uhauls....Send them Uhauls.
Posted by: Steve | January 22, 2009 01:42 PM
I sort of agree with what you all are saying. However, speaking from personal experience as a vegetarian who spent a summer in a remote village of Africa, most of the people there have limited access to water for irrigation and farming on the arid land is very difficult throughout many parts of the year. I am a tolerant vegetarian; I believe that if others treat their animals humanely, they should be allowed to make their individual dietary choices. It saddened me to play with the goats in the village and to one day notice that one had gone missing but, at the same time, when you're surrounded by starving people with limited access to food of any kind, it's hard to say they should just live on a limited diet of mangoes or sukuma (a bitter kale-like thing that is the most prevalent veggie in most markets). Being a vegan or vegetarian in a first world country is an admirable choice, in a third world country, it's a luxury.
Posted by: Josefina | January 22, 2009 02:04 PM
Animal cruelty, what is there to understand? If someone needs to explain why it´s wrong then something is wrong with you. Period.
Posted by: Libera | January 22, 2009 02:45 PM
I was wearing an anti-fur pin today as I always do during winter. I got on the elevator in the building I work in and a woman from another company tried to test me if I ate meat or eggs. She had no chance. I was very proud. Can't believe how angry people get, especially women, about my animal rights issues. I say, If you wear fur and you're a woman, I'm not holding a door for you.
Posted by: Kliff Ritz | January 22, 2009 07:23 PM
People really do need educating that animals are not there for us to use and abuse.
Most people just do not undrestand, because using and killing animals is part of human culture.
It's great that people with a public life are starting to speak out and its one step at a time ........yhis education process.
Thank you Ricky!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Lili Ochota | January 22, 2009 08:57 PM
Good for Ricky !!!
Love Ricky, he is the most funniest man on the earth.....brit humour at the best....
Love him even more, for speaking out.
Giving live animals does NOT help third world countries, it is just another way of easing individuals conscience.
Posted by: Gill | January 23, 2009 04:12 AM
hey, letterman read this, VEGAN BY DESIGN see my messages at, flatrockspeedway.com click search 2 times type in indycar01, CRANK EM UP!.. LETZ GO RACINN BOYZ!..
Posted by: indycar01 | January 23, 2009 01:54 PM
well done for speaking out, Ricky. I read your comment last year in Metro newspaper in UK, regarding your concern for animal welfare and admired you for it then. Hopefully, people will listen to you if they ignore us vegans!! would be awsome if you went vagan too.
Posted by: tracy o'neill | January 26, 2009 11:03 AM
Oh thank goodness it's not just me that thinks these donate a goat et al. charities are hellish. Ricky is so right to say this on national TV and perhaps make people think twice before they do this sort of thing.
Thank you Ricky - a fellow Brit to be proud of at last!!
Posted by: maureen | January 28, 2009 12:09 PM