Only joking
Copyright infringement and stealing
ideas, it's a murky subject, innit? That's probably why the BBC set two of its deadbeat reporters to the task of investigating a little comedic brouhaha between James Corden and Ricky Gervais.
Corden has been accused of sharing best practice
, by using one of Gervais' jokes during a routine on his TV show. After being caught out, he later acknowledged its origin, describing it as brilliant, because it’s a Ricky Gervais joke
. Although the spat arose on Twitter—where else?—I first came to hear of it when the usual suspects on YouTube, who have a strong dislike for Corden, mocked him.
The BBC, however, takes a more serious approach to affairs like this, and consulted experts. The legal opinion seems to be it depends
, while the professional opinion is that it's a massive no-no. So that's that sorted then!
As for the joke in question, it must be exceptional to be so noteworthy.
The jokes also have to be substantially alike - so what was said? "When you see Elon Musk talk about Twitter he does this thing where he goes, 'Well, it's the town square'," ran Corden's joke. "But it isn't. Because if someone puts up a poster in a town square that says 'Guitar lessons available' you don't get people in the town go, 'I don't want to play the guitar'. Well that sign wasn't for you it was for somebody else, you don't have to get mad about all of it." Now let's compare it with the Ricky Gervais version. "That's like going into a town square, seeing a big noticeboard and there's a notice - 'guitar lessons' - and you go 'but I don't want guitar lessons' - fine, it's not for you then, just walk away, don't worry about it."
Riyah Collins and Bonnie McLaren, Newsbeat reporters, BBC News
Dunno, it sets a low bar for brilliant
, if you ask me. (shrug)
Perhaps both tellings need to be understood in the wider context of the respective performances: the overall story, and the delivery, do make a difference to how a joke lands. Because, in the cold light of black and white, I didn't find either version particularly amusing.
What a miserable git I am.