When we caught up with Ricky Gervais at the premiere for The Invention of Lying, we asked for the secret of his unbelievable success. “Being the butt of the joke,†he told us. “Comedy is about empathy, so if a comedian’s in a film, he better be a putz. There’s no room for coolness or machismo when you’re a comedian,†he said. But then he clarified: “In real life, I’m really cool.â€