Well, folks, it looks like Ricky Gervais has once again strolled into the digital fray, leaving a trail of laughter and head-scratching in his wake. This time, he’s taken on the curious case of an Palestinian activist’s call to rid New York City of dogs. Because, apparently, the Big Apple isn’t crowded enough with its 8.4 million human residents; it needs to evict the four-legged ones too!
Now, in America, we love our pets. Dogs, cats, you name it, we’ve probably dressed it in a sweater and put it on Instagram. So when Neerden Kiswani, known for his controversial takes, suggested the city adopt Islam’s stance on dogs and rid the city of the pet people weren’t exactly lining up to applaud.
You can read our deeper dive on the NYC Muslim residents call for the city to turn towards Islam here.
Randy Fine, a man who clearly knows where his loyalties lie, tweeted that if it came down to choosing between his dog and those who don’t like dogs, his pup would win every time. Cue the outrage! Words like “racism” and “Islamophobia” were thrown around like confetti at a parade. But let’s be honest, in this day and age, isn’t it refreshing to see someone stand up for the underdog—literally?
Enter Ricky Gervais, the British comedian who’s never met a sacred cow he didn’t want to tip over. He subtweets with his usual cheekiness, warning followers not to retweet his post for fear of offending anyone. Spoiler alert: They retweeted it. A lot. And while we can’t confirm he was targeting Kiswani’s remarks, the timing is pretty spot on.
Gervais’ tweet was met with a wave of support, complete with retorts and memes from people who, unsurprisingly, are also Team Dog. Because, let’s face it, in a world where political correctness often reigns supreme, sometimes it takes a comedian to remind us that it’s okay to laugh.