Is Spencer Jones (Kempe) Channeling Ricky Gervais?

It was clearly overtly Brentian, but for the life of me I don't know why. I didn't get the joke, if that's what it was. And subtle it was not. Is it some sly dig Elton's having at Gervais over the fleeting nature of fame and fortune, given that Kempe eventually died largely anonymously and in poverty? Gawd knows I'm reaching there, but it made no sense.

The whole episode was desperately underwhelming, unfortunately. Apart from Rob Rouse's Bottom. I liked Rob Rouse's Bottom.

Quote from review in The Guardian Newspaper

"The only time the noise from his observations becomes too loud, is on the entrance of Shakespeare’s favourite clown Will Kempe, played by Spencer Jones, himself an accomplished comedy performer. Elton has noticed that Kempe, a famous comedian who received great acclaim abroad and who has become consequently smug, is a bit like Ricky Gervais, now enjoying star status in America. But instead of letting the comparison hang there, he has Jones deliver all of his lines as David Brent, aping the exact intonation and facial gymnastics. It’s the only discord in an otherwise entirely fit-for-purpose comic creation."

So apparently Will Kempe's history was similar to Ricky Gervais's and it is an in joke for Shakespere experts methinks

He certainly is channeling Gervais.

It's that man again!!

Yes he's doing a superb Gervais, unfortunately for me I can't stand the man!