Stephen Merchant - Comedy, Radio and Career | Talks at Google

Stephen Merchant stops by the Googleplex for a conversation with Nick Walsh.
Stephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the co-host of The Ricky Gervais Show in its radio, podcast, audiobook and television-show forms. The Ricky Gervais Show in radio form has won a bronze Sony Award. He currently appears in the new BBC TV series Life's Too Short in which he co-wrote and co-directed. He also voiced the character Wheatley in the popular 2011 video game Portal 2, co-developed Sky TV travel series An Idiot Abroad, and performs as a stand-up comedian.

[@wendy10698]

They start talking about Wheatley at 19:30-ish. And again at 25:00-ish. (Thanks Hammurabi Chode for the second time stamp)

[@AustinThomasFilms]

Thanks haha

[@catbehaviourchannel]

Thanks!

[@ClaDOS562]

Real mvp!

[@a_ean3]

Someone put "Weekly" in the English (not auto-generated) subtitles there. (Supposed to be "Wheatley")

[@jessicajayes8326]

Thanks

[@NikitaAlexeevdjeiden]

After his words about not receiving Portal 2 copy, Stephen probably will get like 50 copies for all platforms from fans...

[@woszkar]

Couldn't stop visualizing the talking blue orb (Wheatley) from Portal 2 as he was talking. So cool voice he got. :)

[@bluesnipersguy]

same he is also in Gnomeo and Juliet and Sherlock gnomes as paris

[@elitadream]

I love how, as Wheatley, Stephen is exactly himself. Sure, in the game he's says silly stuff because it was meant so for the character, but basically, in real life, he talks the very SAME way. It's so wonderful to hear. :D

[@Chillius]

Why is Wheatley talking to google.

[@PatWizard]

Because he's a bloody genius!

[@astupidquestion]

Google is Aperture Science comfirmed

[@firebird308]

Agreed

[@NastyRhythm]

Ricky, Merch + Pilky on XFM was the greatest radio show ever made. Comedy gold

[@sjn6704]

alyraver Oh man - Monkey News, Rockbusters, Educating Ricky, Do We Need Em, Cheeky Freak of the Week, Knob News, War Do You Think of That Then, Songs of Phrase... There's more I can't remember but any radio show that has those features is unbeatable

[@sjn6704]

alyraver forgot The Rice is Right

[@fastt4211]

fifteen Taiwan

[@HopeVJustice]

That's Rickydiculous!!!

[@1035pm]

Stop. Talking. Shit. But really... can’t find anything like it.

[@Lambda_Ovine]

"You could say the same bout Jesus." No comedian would be able to come up with that on the spot. That was stupidly genius.

[@notyourdaughter666]

26:06 As a 15 year old girl who makes a shit ton of portal fan work behind the scenes and art, I appreciate this comment

[@EruIluvatar]

The part where he talks about Google employees only doing minor stuff like changing the site icon was the funniest.

[@laurenbarrack6086]

When he describes some of the Portal 2 fans he's met... Well... I'm that! Too accurate, holy crap.

[@pokocrow]

WHEATLEY PFP

[@hillaryclaire6244]

WHEATLEY MY SON GIVE ME A HUG

[@MrEpic-qe2tt]

Am I the only one who came here because of Portal 2??

[@matthueloose7172]

You are not alone.

[@TheSwamper]

I didn't even know he was in Portal 2 until this interview. I became a Merchant fan from the Ricky Gervais radio show with Karl.

[@astralfishes2533]

My interest in Stephen Merchant started with Portal, but I have since watched some of his stuff. What did it for me was Hello Ladies.

[@astralfishes2533]

And of course the Extras. That show is hilarious! I also love Ricky Gervais.

[@Kanightley]

no, your not. I didn't come from portal 2. I came from the Ricky Gervais show

[@Scott-qi3wv]

I'm surprised so many people learned about him from portal 2 haha that's pretty awesome. You guys are lucky that you've got all the podcasts, XFM shows and tv shows to watch and enjoy now. Slightly jealous of first time listeners to the XFM shows :( take your time and enjoy!!!!

[@Asidders]

I'm one of them myself. I'd heard the name Stephen Merchant but not seen him in anything. Discovered The Office, XFM and Karl through there, really. I can't even remember the first time I listened to the shows, but man, they're great. 90 hours of shambles. I envy new people too.

[@GaryMcCaffrey]

i have to say, what ruins the relistenability of the xfm shows and podcasts, are rockbusters and other shitty contests. i can listen to the guides over and over again but those contests are bloody annoying which ruins listening to most of the podcasts again for me.

[@BreakingUFC]

I agree! Nothing beats the XFM shows

[@swagirl7072]

yup I'm obsessed with Wheatley :)

[@1035pm]

I'm obsessed with portal and the half-life series.

[@swagirl7072]

Yasss

[@mkj1577]

well he made that game 10x better.

[@swagirl7072]

+skjørte jeger he definitely did, and is not a moron (sorry not sorry)

[@swagirl7072]

Wheatley yus

[@darkria4]

I love Stephen Merchant. He was so funny in Portal 2, and now watching all these interviews I realize he generally is a very funny person. :)

[@matthewadams3565]

Say apple

[@sploofdudes1033]

(jumps)

[@alextr3me844]

Space

[@Milkshake-Bakes]

Google

[@sansational15]

*jumps*

[@jessicajayes8326]

*jumps*

[@alixlawrence1712]

I was looking for an interview of Stephen Mitchell .... xD

[@R33Racer]

Thank KZbin for re-directing you to someone more awesome.

[@ZPSBestProfileName]

R33Racer it's an inside joke

[@razlindez]

Nice !

[@HopeVJustice]

*MECHANT!!!* >

[@Aalborg42]

who do you call sad?

[@silvertheHH]

XD hearing him say moron is just *fangirls* awesome.

[@ItsukiKun92]

Oh my god...there is Wheatley in that body !

[@yeerkhater]

"........ 'LOVE PARTNER.' A partner in LOVE." Excuse me while I clean my tea off the screen.

[@lovenorthern]

Stephen Merchant as the Doctor though... I'm literally tearing up right now. If that.. that would be... I would just. Oh my. It's. Wheatley Doctor. Stephen, beautiful, tall, ginger, glorious Stephen. Please? Please do this for me. "Yep... we're both in space."

[@itsshrimpinabag9544]

Ohhhhhhh. He would be SO perfect.

[@Daywalker727]

Well he isn't wrong on the wheatley fangirl thing.

[@dr.madison9761]

Ehhh yah true

[@VentiVR]

HE IS NOT A MORON

[@chloroplast8611]

YES YOU ARE

[@ThrillzTheGreatest]

WELL HOW ABOUT NOW? NOW WHO’S A MORON?

[@Emm1lyn]

@@chloroplast8611 CAN A MORON... PUNCH... YOU... INTO... THIS... PIT!? HUH?! CAN A MORON DO THAT?! Oh no.

[@people6117]

@@chloroplast8611 YOURE THE MORON THEY USED TO MAKE ME AN IDIOT!

[@Rayan-bj8wn]

WELL HOW ABOUT NOW? WHO'S A MORON!

[@a_ean3]

His accent is just bloody *_MAGICAL!!_*

[@happyhappy85]

Steve Merchant would make a great Dr. Who

[@michaelotty]

+happyhappy85 No he wouldn't... He would not make a good doctor because he would not be a strong enough character, there are episodes where one moment is funny, another epic and minutes later emotional. Stephen is not that person, he could definitely manage the funny, but that is basically his limit. The last reason is that all of the doctors are not well known actors, and Stephen is definitely too notorious. So in short, he is a comedian, not a full actor and too well known.

[@happyhappy85]

+michaelotty well for one thing, im not american. I prefer the old dr who to the new ones and i only ever watched a single Matt Smith episode, so you've got that wrong. A bit too quick to judge, me thinks. Maybe you've got a point in there somewhere, but you certainly went about it the wrong way.

[@michaelotty]

Well, maybe I am too quick to judge, that was the vibe I got from your comment anyway. Even so my opinion on Stephen Merchant is that he an awesome bloke, but I don't think he would make a good doctor.

[@politure]

+michaelotty A vibe from one sentence lol.

[@brennarea7393]

JESUS CHRIST, stop looking down on Americans. I LOVE DOCTOR WHO, and I shouldn't have to deal with cruel people like you! If you love Doctor Who, then you know that it's amazing and meant for anyone! Stop having prejudice against people who are not from your country. Goodness. I AGREE he wouldn't be the best, but don't be cruel to other people please.

[@tapewyrm997]

I ONLY HEAR WHEATLEY OML

[@fullmastrinio]

WHEATLEY!!!

[@cloudbutterfly8103]

WWWWHHHHEEEEAAAATTTTLLLLYYYY

[@wheatleycore8475]

yeah, what?

[@cloudbutterfly8103]

+Wheatley Core AAAAAAAAHHGHHGGZJBVCVJHGLBCGJHCG hhhhhhmmmmmmmmnmmmm O///////////O ARE YOU STILL IN SPACE!? ARE YOU OKAY!?

[@swagirl7072]

+Wheatley Core *stares at you for a good minute* ...u real breh?... *five mins later* OMG WHETLEH BAE AIISNDUDIKEMSJMWMWMWLEKWKKKK OMGOMGOMGOMG :DDDDDDD

[@swagirl7072]

+Wheatley Core SUBSCRIBING

[@bubblegum_dum4838]

"Maybe I could work here at Google.. IF I NEW WHAT YOU DO" LOL I love it when he talks about Google and portal 2 favorite parts

[@camilapereira1226]

:) I love this voice, I love wheatley, I love my companion cube, I love aperture science, I love GLaDOS, I love whealtley so much!!!

[@deadmeme4058]

You love what? Stuffed humans?

[@pokocrow]

same

[@e2theoc]

Great actor, loved his Hello Ladies film!

[@kboehmer1]

I've recently started following this guy and I find him genuinely sweet. I hope he finds a welcoming American audience. He needs to drop the looking for a wife thing though. When you know that and watch him, it's difficult to not project that he's internally sad and lonely which makes the show slightly awkward and hard to watch. Overall, very good sense of timing and humor.

[@kboehmer1]

Huge Bummer. I've seen all his work up till now. I'm certain he's got some great work ahead.

[@GooglyEyedJoe]

kboehmer1 He's actually not that bad with the women as he plays on, but that's the whole comical being really, Ricky Gervais standup focuses on his ardent Atheism far too much etc but it's their entire persona they've tried to milk Think of The Office, it's awkward comedy and Stephen Merchant is a fairly awkward person so his comedy is meant to make you feel awkward and be hard to watch.

[@David-ud9ju]

I'm assuming you're not British, because that sad, lonely, down trodden persona works great for a British audience.

[@TheReesi73]

It's meant to be awkward and cringy. Hence the comedy phrase,.. cringe comedy!! Duhhhh 🙄😂

[@harrisonfackrell]

The voice of Wheatley has never played Portal 2. Huh.

[@belac0911]

i never knew he was wheatley, i dont know how i never put that together.

[@synchronyJEM]

If I were the guy at 30:09, I would ask: "Why are you holding your left arm like that?"

[@PrincessZozoBelle]

stephen: we both have the same voice but im a human.

[@urwow9]

I just LOVE wheatley! hopefully he comes back on Portal 3 and hopefully there going to make one!!!

[@visualdrone]

OMG IT'S WHEATLEY

[@superhamzah85]

Gervais - Merchant = Derek Gervais + Merchant = The Office Enough has been said.

[@penguinmaster7]

merchant - gervais = wheatley

[@zhyrikan1449]

2 Gervais = Derek + The Office and 2 Merchant = The Office - Derek ? I don't think you quite understand how arithmetic works.

[@BaldMancTwat]

Derek was good. Most agree.

[@alfiemitchell3026]

@@penguinmaster7 well not, because Stephen didn’t write for portal lol

[@VesmaVesma]

Close your eyes, what do you imagine

[@andrea_lanteri]

HighTime186 a blue-eyed core :D

[@nairgarin7523]

Wheatley talking :3

[@ryanhopf8324]

A blue eyed, Chell betraying, GLaDOS intelligence restraing, moron

[@hicksy5200]

a lanky goggle-eyed freak

[@dorigochs]

Pudim with ketchup

[@01Laney]

So impressed with how incredibly well Stephen answers every single question. Very inspirational guy :)

[@nairgarin7523]

All i hear is Wheatley talking ❤.❤

[@BrunoPortella]

You, sir! That was the first thing I thought when playing Portal 2. "Wonderful, the Doctor is helping me!"

[@MistyShnekin]

"When I got a life, I stopped." "I know, pathetic-I-I mean, beautiful! Really!"

[@MistyShnekin]

Wonder if he'd think differently if he'd actually gotten to play it.

[@felixflorb9051]

if you played portal 2 you'll get this ahem SAY APPLE

[@FindusGame11]

Rell Isobe **jumps**

[@fricot]

"Windows"

[@sebasm7027]

@@fricot "Microsoft"*

[@muhammadfadhiil3430]

(JUMPS 2 Times

[@milleniam]

J U M P

[@woodgatejack]

Now that they're adapting Stephen King's _The Dark Tower_ books into movies, I wouldn't mind Stephen Merchant being cast as Andy the Messenger Robot.

[@siddharthbhatia8815]

His interviews always feel so grounded.

[@stevegreen9460]

can see why stephen and ricky got on so well and made great comdy between them.

[@killjanPL]

26:28 Wheatley and Merchant merge together

[@becca4815]

I first saw (or rather heard) this guy on TV, and knew instantly I knew his voice, but couldn't for the life of me place it. Bugged me for months, then it just clicked one day that he was Wheatley!

[@francescamagali]

im so glad google got an interview with steve! so funny and charming

[@harvestercommander3250]

Portal 2 will always be my most favorite game ever.

[@itsnotdomsmainchannel]

Wheatley! Woohoo!

[@vtoraghost2316]

He's not WHEATLEY!!! Stephen made the voice of wheatley but hes NOT WHEATLEY!!!

[@itsnotdomsmainchannel]

ana victoria sanchez garcia. WOW! U don't say? I already knew that! I said Wheatley because he voiced him. :$

[@alexsillwood3889]

ana victoria sanchez garcia yes he is

[@itsnotdomsmainchannel]

What?

[@alexsillwood3889]

Wheatley

[@kellyshpeley]

I very much appreciate the amount of hard work Stephen and Ricky have put into their careers. I appreciate the observations.

[@andyholdmybeer]

love steve merchant and this was very watchable .

[@igals2343]

99% of the people came here because of wheatley. i am one of them :P

[@GooglyEyedJoe]

Igal Spektor Guess I'm the 1% who came here because of being a fan of the Xfm Ricky Gervais Show for years and years. o_o

[@igals2343]

thats still 1% xD

[@ProjectSheepFilms]

Igal Spektor I'm sure it's a lot more than 1%. Stephen is a pretty famous comedian. Who's been involved in a lot of projects.

[@igals2343]

2%

[@HALFPEEPS]

Also here because of this

[@polarisqwq6108]

"it's pathetic- Oh NO I MEAN BEAUTIFUL- No no-" Me: AWWWWWWW C'MON! BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WAS GOLD AND WAS THAT INTENTIONAL?!-"

[@kylewarner2828]

The Festive Otter yes it was, his comedy timing is spot on

[@polarisqwq6108]

Mightyimpact amazing, it really is amazing XD

[@Lambda_Ovine]

"What do you do at Google?" "Well, there is lunch and..." Brilliant.

[@redultra97]

Merchant is definitely the most underated comic genius' in the world. Gervais gets all the credit, for The Office, Extras, The Ricky Gervais Show, you think of Gervais and his genius or Karl Pilkington's stupidity, but consistently Merchant is there, whether the equal genius writing/directing or just directing Gervais and Pilkington so they look great.

[@secularscot5822]

This was excellent. Have always been a big fan of Stephen Merchant, always funny but also thoroughly insightful.

[@PokeySoggybottom]

Stephen Merchant makes me laugh just as much as Gervais. Plus his command of the language is a joy to listen to (as is that of Gervais). I can't get enough of this guy!

[@Fflurie]

I'm in love with this man

[@mattfox14]

Saw him in Derby, Amazing!

[@skilledtrailers]

Haha, Stephen's impromptu "what do you do at google" bit was great.

[@23CaptainCocoa]

Thankx mate!

[@twas8brilling]

cant get any better than that!

[@LaurenNZ81]

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Nice to see Stephen just chatting away to a non-annoying interviewer about random stuff and on his own. Great interview :)

[@anileda1116]

I just adore him :)

[@DavidMiramontes1]

I love Stephen Merchant. He's funny in a way that doesn't get enough credit. He's just a very naturally dry, funny guy.

[@esufmp]

Hats off to the interviewer on this one. Well done.

[@mudkiplegendstreamsmemesan3690]

this man singlehandedly made wheatley the funniest part of portal 2

[@CrystalInkArtist]

This video must of made some 14 year old wheatley fan girls cry when they heard about the part where he said he not your friend.

[@martinprocter2955]

this was awesome

[@imatooltoo]

No way! I would of never known! Thanks so much ShoktRobin!

[@person8203]

you just melted my mind, that would be awesome

[@bigbro890]

the part about google just killed it haha

[@ivantageMarketing]

Great interview!

[@bananasalesman1]

friends is a great sitcom. extremely well written, and funny.

[@Dattebear]

This is more entertaining than a lot of high production chat shows I've seen recently, suppose you can't replicate genuine comedy.

[@LexingtonB09]

absolutely love him! He's so charming! And totally right about those fans who are like fighting....i've come across those....i'm like 'geez....calm down.' haha

[@Morphindel]

The question girl at the end looked very pleased with her answer :D

[@JohnnyLeyenda]

18:04 "and making them do the worst possible jobs..." I was kinda expecting him to continue with "tending to all the smelly humans"

[@alliecat468]

ha! i know him besides wheatley! :) i actually became aware of wheatley only because jonathan coulton does songs for the portal games.

[@MrAlexjmercer]

25:18 It happens almost everywhere (fandom?) but I like his reaction is just all are welcome, chill lol

[@jacknolan312]

It does, you're right!

[@Sander001Che]

Smerch should have his own show! Starring him! He's simply brilliant

[@FutureAbe]

OMG never thought of that! that would be amazing

[@ThePSDGaming]

im proud to be Bristolian and have an accent like him. WOOO WHEATLY

[@UnbelievablyGauche]

wish they'd go back and do some radio!

[@FanVarious]

Love Steve's interviews. Money for old rope!

[@TheSmackietv]

Loveliest man ever.

[@juliesartdotcom]

#$%* can't believe he was at largo and i missed it. :( great interview!

[@VinceNet]

Thanks!

[@fours4ker381]

He also voiced Shaun from assassin's Creed brotherhood...love em

[@kolyatte8328]

Nah it was someone else afaik

[@Mayna00]

Such an underrated performer.

[@Vrailly]

Bigger doesn't equal better. I enjoy visiting castles, roman forts, groves and gardens of Britain. I enjoy the dunes, vistas, mountain ranges and hot springs of America. The Office, Extras, Peep Show, IT Crowd, Black Books, The Mighty Boosh, Black Adder, Fawlty Towers, Father Ted and I'm Alan Partridge are all great sitcoms imo. We also have shows like Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe, which you'd never see in the US mainstream, indeed, the only source of introspection America seems to have is...

[@Nrvr]

Stephen is the best

[@RSpudieD]

he totally fitted the wheatly role

[@Artemisio987]

aaw the first guy asking questions was so nervous :)

[@anthonycrean6421]

i agree

[@adamweishaupt2846]

24:37- Eyes bulging with imagined riches of starring in the Bond franchise