Ricky Gervais shuts down claims Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia is a ‘disability’

Ricky Gervais has fired back at people calling Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia a “disability”.

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars last month after the comedian made a joke about his wife’s hair loss condition.

Rock has been widely criticised for the gag but Gervais has come out in his defence.

Responding to fans on the subject during a Twitter Q&A, The Office star said: “You don’t hit people over a joke, however bad it is. And it wasn’t bad!

“That was like the tamest joke I would ever have told.

“Someone said it was joking about her disability.

“Well I’m going a bit thin, so I’m disabled. That means I can park right up next to Tescos now.”

He added: "And I’m fat. That’s a disease, isn’t it?"

Gervais then joked how he should be able to apply for benefits due to his “disability”.

“I’m fat and balding. I should get f***ing benefits,” he quipped.

It is not the first time Gervais has aired his opinions about the shocking incident.

Last week, while performing in London, Gervais said on stage: “I’ll get it out of the way. I have not got any Will Smith material.

“I trended when that happened and I was not even there. ‘What would have happened if Ricky Gervais had been doing it [hosting the Oscars]?’"

“Well, nothing,” he continued.

He then went on to explain that rather than focus on Pinkett Smith’s hair, he would have made a jibe about her well-known affair with “boyfriend” August Alsina.

Singer Alsina is now reportedly planning to release a tell-all book about his relationship with Pinkett Smith.

Gervais has not hosted the Oscars but has hosted the Golden Globes five times.

His jokes about Hollywood stars are famously close to the bone. His awards show repertoire has included gags about Jeffrey Epstein’s “suicide” and the age of Leonardo DiCaprio’s date.