PA Images/BBCMilkshakes and pro-Brexit politicians have become an unlikely pairing in recent weeks as we’ve seen Nigel Farage, Carl Benjamin and Tommy Robinson covered in the milky beverages during their European election trails.
The politicians from pro-Brexit parties, and far-right activist Robinson whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, have been doused in the drinks while campaigning for seats in the European parliament, and we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t just a tad amusing.
For the most part, people on both sides of the Brexit divide have been able to see the funny side to the recent surge in ‘milkshaking’, but it turns out Ricky Gervais isn’t one of those people.
PA ImagesThe comedian has said that although he’s a remainer, he believes anyone throwing milkshakes at Brexiters ‘deserve a smack in the mouth.’
The After Life star tweeted:
I voted remain. I would still like to stay in Europe. I will argue with people who disagree with me, always respecting their right to do so.
What I won’t do is throw things at them. That would mean I had run out of good arguments. It would also mean I deserve a smack in the mouth.
I voted remain. I would still like to stay in Europe. I will argue with people who disagree me, always respecting their right to do so. What I won't do is throw things at them. That would mean I had run out of good arguments. It would also mean I deserve a smack in the mouth.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) May 23, 2019
While Gervais has been known to court controversy, his opinion towards milkshaking is not an endorsement of those being doused but rather a comment on the danger of us seemingly no longer able to debate effectively – on the left and the right.
What is quite funny, is the fact that many of Gervais’ followers felt the need to point out that the UK will remain in Europe, regardless of our future in the European Union, just for some hilarious geography bants.
But beyond that, Ricky’s followers were fairly divided on his stance towards the milkshaking epidemic.
One follower replied:
But the habit of chucking perishables at figures in public life in order to humiliate and embarrass goes back to Roman times. Rotten fruit at bad actors, eggs at politicians etc. What’s key for me is intent. Did the bloke who lobbed a milkshake underarm mean Farage any harm?
Some people seem to think that I was worried that Britain could be physically moved further away from the continent, as opposed to just leaving the union, when I said we should stay in Europe. Some proper thick cunts in the world.
This is why we're in this mess I suppose 😂— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) May 23, 2019
However, Ricky responded:
I’m not sure someone finding it entertaining always justifies it.
Another follower accused Gervais of being hypocritical, asking:
Aren’t you the guy who champions being offensive in your comedy? Is it because this crosses the line from rhetoric into action? What about slapstick and physical comedy? A pie in the face is a comedy staple. Is it the non willing participant? Just curious.
Tommy Robinson Gets Covered In Milkshake
Tommy Robinson has been doused in milkshake for the second time in two days.
Posted by UNILAD on Friday, 3 May 2019
Ricky replied:
You’re confusing an entertainer willingly getting a pie in the face with someone unwillingly getting a pie in the face. Easy mistake.
Regardless of how you feel about milkshaking, it seems to have become quite the trend as Farage found himself stuck on the Brexit Party bus after it was surrounded by people armed with milkshakes. Welcome to politics in 2019.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.