Karl Pilkington was once just a lowly producer on Ricky Gervais's XFM radio show. But over the years, as Ricky and co-presenter Stephen Merchant introduced Karl to the basics of science and philosophy, their producer's strange, twisted stupidity slowly revealed itself.These experiments into Pilkington's genius eventually developed into a series of record-breaking podcasts. And, this year, Gervais, Pilkington and Merchant are launching a new series, on topics including medicine, the arts and natural sciences -- grab the first two episodes at Audible or iTunes now -- in an attempt to continue Karl's education (and make us laugh at the same time.)
We caught up with Ricky to ask him about the unique mind that is Karl Pilkington, and to find out what Karl can tell us about the nature of the world.
If you had an unlimited amount of time to study something what would it be?
Ricky: It would be anthropology. Evolution, specifically our relationship to apes. I think that's why I'm fascinated with Karl Pilkington. Because I think I've found a missing link. And I just can't get enough of it.
These audiobooks are like an experiment on the mind of Karl Pilkington. Is that the way you see it?
Ricky: It's an endless well. It's like I've got a child but the child is an experiment. Me and Steve have always said that we feel like a couple of surfer dudes who have unearthed Neanderthal man, and we've just cleaned him up and taught him to skateboard. This is the favourite thing I do. I could be writing a feature film., or be at an awards ceremony. But instead I'm reading stuff and thinking -- 'oh I wonder what Karl would think about that.'
Is Karl's bewilderment with the world endearing?
Ricky: It is, because you know there is no malice. He says ridiculous things like, the Chinese don't age well, and gays should have their own toilets. But even though on the face of it that could be incredibly offensive, you can't get offended because you can't get offended when a toddler says something either. He doesn't really understand what he is saying. Everything is in the form of a question.
Sometimes there is an arrogance in his ignorance. For example, I explained to him on "Natural History" that we're 98.6 percent genetically identical to a chimpanzee. And I said we're closer to a chimp than the chimp is to a gorilla. Karl went "no way," I said, yes it's true. He said "no, if I look at them, I'd think the gorilla is more like us." I said "You'd be wrong. The chimpanzee is 98.6 percent genetically identical to a human. That's only 1.4 percent difference." And Karl went, "well that's gotta be the arse then."
Read more of Ricky's thoughts on education, knowledge and the tutoring of Karl Pilkington after the jump.
Buy the first two episodes of The Ricky Gervais Guide To... at Audible or iTunes, and look for the third episode -- The Arts -- in February.
Karl's thoughts on evolution continued...Ricky: I also remember trying to explain the genetic reasons why the giraffe developed a long neck, and the advantage it gave them to reach tall trees. Karl said, "Yeah. but why did they develop a long neck and not the ability to make a ladder?" And I can't answer that! Because we did -- we developed the ability to make a ladder! And I think, yeah okay. Giraffes up a ladder with a short neck, yeah okay.
If this was the nineteenth century you could take Karl on tour.
Ricky: I want to do that! Like a Victorian sideshow. "Come and see the man with the roundest head in the world!" You'd bring him out and people would gasp, and he'd go "alright?" They'd go -- "it speaks! It speaks!"
Karl spends most of his time walking around museums and writing books of his thoughts. He is essentially a public intellectual. Does that worry you?
Ricky: It's quite strange in that he is a published, some would say celebrated, author. But then Karl is glad that he didn't learn anything until he was an adult, "coz kids were meant to play an' that." That's his approach to education. That everyone should play and then learn stuff when they're too old to ride a bike. It's the wrong way round. But it's quite a sweet outlook.
Have you learned anything from Karl?
Ricky: He sees the world differently. I have to acknowledge that -- joking aside. I think he is an artist. I think an artist sees the world differently and I think Karl does too. It's more than knowledge. He thinks differently. He takes different avenues.
I remember telling him a story that I thought he would find interesting about an adolescent chimpanzee. The chimp had an argument with its father in a zoo and tried to escape. The point was obviously an anthropological one -- that chimps go through an adolescence and a phase of rebellion against authority figures. Well I told this to Karl and he said 'what was the argument about'? No other person would ever, ever ask that question. Because they know that's not the relevant point. But he is suddenly there, he is there in the zoo and he's going -- "Come on, calm down, what's going on?"
This series of audiobooks is split up into different topics -- natural sciences, the arts -- which of these topics has Karl struggled with most so far?
Ricky: He struggles with everything. I mean there isn't a topic he really knows about. He's never had any formal education, and even if he had I don't think he would concentrate on the right things. He doesn't retain useful information. You know when Homer Simpson is meant to be thinking about something, and it zooms up to his brain and you see one monkey picking fleas off another monkey? That's Karl.
Karl has said that you should teach kids the thirst for knowledge rather than facts. Is he a case study for that approach?
Ricky: Well he is right, there. That's why our fourth audiobook is going to be philosophy. We're going to tell him about Robert Nozick's Experience Machine. Nozick asks the question that if you could plug yourself into a flotation tank and have the best virtual life in the world -- you'd have all your dreams, you'd meet the woman of your dreams, you'd get married and have the best career, you'd live your perfect life and you'd never know you were sitting in a tank. Well Nozick concludes that most people wouldn't choose that. They'd rather have a real life with flaws and upsets and frustration than a fake life. And I can't wait to see where Karl stops me along the way to ask me questions. It's exciting. It's tantalising.
Buy the first two episodes of The Ricky Gervais Guide To... at Audible or iTunes, and look for the third episode -- The Arts -- in February.
