Most people finish a tour and celebrate with a party. Ricky Gervais finished his and wrote checks to 22 animal charities totaling over $3 million.
The 64-year-old British comedian, best known for creating The Office and starring in Netflix’s After Life, has just announced that he is donating the equivalent of over $3 million USD, raised from platinum seat sales during his “Mortality” stand-up tour, directly to animal welfare organizations around the world.
The funds have been distributed across 22 charities, including PDSA, International Animal Rescue, Animals Asia, Celia Hammond Animal Trust, Nowzad, Turgwe Hippo Trust, All Dogs Matter, Dogs On The Streets, NYC Second Chance Rescue, Helping Rhinos, and many more, spanning everything from stray dogs and rescued cats to bears, hippos, and donkeys.
Gervais announced the news with his signature wit.
“My mum always used to say you can’t take it with you. No I can’t, mum. But I could have bought 30 speedboats and raced them round the Med with my mates. Anyway. Too late now.”
He also shared the news on X, writing: “To celebrate my Mortality Tour, my Netflix Special, my Golden Globes nomination and the spirit of Christmas, I am donating to animals. Merry Christmas critters.”
This is not the first time he has done this. His previous “Armageddon” tour also generated a donation of nearly $2.4 million USD to charity.
Combined with contributions from his four most recent specials, Ricky Gervais has now given the equivalent of over $6.3 million USD to animal causes across his career.
Four charities received the equivalent of approximately $190,000 each. Seventeen others received around $126,000 each. And Nowzad, the organization rescuing animals in Afghanistan, received a dedicated portion of the remaining funds.
No headline. No press tour. No brand deal. Just a comedian who decided that animals needed the money more than he did.
Source: independent – “Ricky Gervais donates eye-watering amount of tour money to charity”