Ricky Gervais Really Loves His Twitter Followers

Ricky Gervais first made his mark as the socially inept paper company manager David Brent in the original, UK version of The Office, created the world's most successful podcast in part by winding up his friend Karl Pilkington, and then created a TV show that sent Pilkington all around the world in the most inconvenient ways possible. Oh, and he trashed Hollywood multiple times as host of the Golden Globes.

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So it's safe to say that he likes to get on people's nerves, or at the very least, push their buttons. It's a large part of his comedy, pushing that socially acceptable envelope and insisting people learn to take the joke. That spirit now also extends to his Twitter feed.

A committed Atheist, Gervais often muses on his disbelief in god through the social media platform. That doesn't always sit well with his followers, who instead of deciding to unfollow him, respond back with great frustration and often, attacks. It's been going on a long time -- his photoshoot for the New Humanist Magazine earned him a rash of tweet anger in December -- but his recent battles have been something to behold.

He no longer retweets the name of his opponents -- he doesn't want to give them publicity -- but does respond, quite aggressively, to their attacks. One thing to know about Gervais: he doesn't back down. Especially because refusing to do so only helps build his brand. Win-win.

Here is a sampling of his recent greatest hits:

"Atheism is narcissistic" And what's the term for believing that the same God who ignored the holocaust will help you win an award?

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 1, 2012

"Why do you always mock the Bibble asshole!!??"I can't believe my luck with this tweet. Hahaha

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) September 30, 2012

"The American version of The Office is better than the UK version. How does that make you feel?"Really fucking rich.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) September 29, 2012

“stop going on about religion and tweet some jokes"Fuck you.Pay me.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 1, 2012

"so what do you think being dead feels like?"You know what it felt like for the billions of years before you were born? Exactly like that.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 4, 2012

Opinions don't affect facts. But facts should affect opinions, and do, if you're rational.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 4, 2012

The Earth is 6,000 years old.Please RT to raise ignorance and confusion amongst the gullible.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 4, 2012

Complaining about what someone tweets about is like calling up the numbers in classified ads and shouting"But I don't want piano lessons!"

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 5, 2012

I love how people walk round with crucifixes, skullcaps, pointy hats, funny beards and then say "you should keep your atheism to yourself."

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 5, 2012

I get many tweets from Christians saying I should keep my beliefs to myself, but I never see them tweeting that to other Christians. Weird

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 4, 2012

I don't know you. My tweets aren't to you. I don't know if you read them. So don't take them personally. If you do, you're a dopey gorp.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 5, 2012