Ricky Gervais hasn’t canceled gigs. But he knows stand-up may never be the same

In the latest episode of The Times’ TV podcast “Can’t Stop Watching,” staff writer and host Yvonne Villarreal asks the sometimes-controversial comedian and creator-star of Netflix’s “After Life” about what stand-up will look like after the COVID-19 pandemic:

I haven’t canceled any [gigs] yet; they’re all postponed ... But people have kept their tickets. You also come to the point where you think, “Well, if I can’t find a venue to honor those people for two years’ time, I’ll give them their money back, film it and start again — do a new tour.” I’m putting in these postponed gigs for next February. But we don’t know. There might be a second wave. We just don’t know. People might have suddenly found out they don’t need to pay hundreds of pounds to see me. They can amuse themselves.

Listen to the episode to hear Gervais discuss the appeal of his ultra-dark comedy about grief and explain why his life in self-isolation is not so different from his life before. (Hint: It involves “Tiger King” and beer.) And be sure to listen to recent conversations with “Outlander” stars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe, “Ozark’s” Julia Garner and more.