NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Comedian Ricky Gervais says he is not surprised by the success of his BBC show "The Office" abroad, noting workplace humor is universal.
Gervais wrote, directed and starred in the Golden Globe Award-winning comedy series about a boss from hell and his long-suffering employees.
"I'm not amazed that it translated (outside of Britain,)" Gervais told UPI in New York recently. "I'm amazed that Americans would want it or need it, but I knew, fundamentally, that it wasn't quintessentially English. The themes were universal -- a bad boss, a job, relationships -- and also all my influences were American; I was very influenced by (mockumentary) 'This Is Spinal Tap' and (HBO series) 'Larry Sanders.'"
The show initially aired on British television and then gained a following in the United States when it was broadcast on BBC America.
NBC has ordered a second season of the U.S. version of the series, which stars "The 40-year-old Virgin" actor Steve Carell.
Gervais most recently lent his voice to the character of Bugsy the pigeon in the hit computer-animated movie, "Valiant."
