Ricky Gervais: Science review (DVD) ★★★★

I do like Ricky Gervais. I know that's a unpopular opinion to hold these days, but I don't care – he makes me laugh, which for me is an automatic tick in my book. And he gets an even bigger tick for being, according to the Daily Mail: “Tasteless and unfunny.” Anyone who pisses off those Nazis is, to me, a total legend.

Since he burst into our hearts, minds and TVs with the (admittedly very clever) mockumentary series The Office, Gervais has become a global superstar. He's done lots more telly, and a few podcasts. He's hosted American awards shows, and made a few Hollywood films. And he's done some standup comedy – which I find quite fascinating, because standup is not a part of his background. But I tell you what, he's a natural at it.

This is the fourth standup tour of Ricky's that's come to DVD; the first three were Animals, Politics and Fame. And it's not so much a show of Ricky just reciting a bunch of jokes, more a series of stories about a load of different topics. And those topics include Susan Boyle being a "mong"; how the word cunt used to be an insult, but is now a term of endearment; fat people; live radio; autograph hunters (aka freaks); why Jesus kills puppies; Karl Pilkington (a man "with a head like an orange"); and terrorists. So yes, it must be said that Gervais is not for all tastes. He's a bit rude and crude, but very, very funny.

My favourite part of the show is when Gervais does a set piece on the story of Noah, reading from a children's book and then "translating" it into the truth (ie, why God needs to chill the fuck out). I saw him do this piece live at a test run of this show earlier this year, and he had me rolling in the aisles. I wasn't rolling in the aisles this time around, but only because I don't have any aisles at home – I live in a flat. I did, though, have a laughing fit on my couch, which I hope will suffice.

I can safely promise that Daily Mail readers will hate Science (hey, many of them don't even believe in it). And a lot of mongs on the internet have trashed this release, saying Gervais has lost it, and is no longer funny. Well, watch this and judge for yourself. But he made me laugh. A lot. And that, for me, is the first test of comedy – and Ricky passes with flying colours.