Globes Host Ricky Gervais Bringing Comedy Tour to US

Ricky Gervais, the UK comedy star who has somehow made British humor funny in America, is taking his shtick on the road with a world tour.

“The Office” star, 48, will perform stand-up in around 20 countries, including the United States.

Gervais is also one of the hardest working men in show business. He will host the Golden Globes on Sunday (Jan. 17) , a precursor to the Oscars that annually draws about 300 million viewers.

“It’s not sort of stuffy like the Oscars. I’m just going to go out there and have a go at the A-Listers. I think that’s what is expected of me,” he said in a recent UK television interview.

Then he’ll be back in the UK for a show at Wembley Arena on Jan. 22.

After playing London, “The Ricky Gervais Live:  Science” tour will come to Madison Square Garden in New York and the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. The show sold out in the UK last year.

Of the show, he said: “I’m doing a few days in Wembley … and a few dates all around the world. It’s like a first comedy world tour.

“‘The Office’ has been shown in about 90 countries now. I’m not going to play 90 but I’ll do about 20 countries. I’ll do a few bigger gigs, arenas and stadiums,” he added.

“I’m just starting to enjoy it (stand-up) more and more. I suppose I felt guilty because a lot of stand-ups sort of slug around for 20 years trying to get a show on television and I stroll into the BBC with this thing saying ‘It’s called ‘The Office,’ put it on,’” he said.

Other countries in which the British comedian-turned-Hollywood star will perform are still to be announced.

Most of Gervais’ stand-up has been confined to to the UK. His first successful show was in 2001 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

He has performed stand-up in the U.S. three times. Two were warm-up shows at the TriBeCa Performing Arts Center, and he headlined David Bowie’s High Line Festival in May 2007.