Ricky Gervais, whose infamous rant as host of the Golden Globes in 2020 ensured he wouldn’t be invited back any time soon, is known for telling it like it is.

He did so that night in Hollywood and more recently during an appearance on “The View.”

(Bet you didn’t expect a mention of that cringefest of a show in this space.)

The subject was how people increasingly seem to go out of their way to be offended by anything and everything.

Gervais wasn’t having it.

“That’s the thing being offended, isn’t it? Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right,” he said. “Offense is about feelings and feelings are personal. Some people are offended about equality. So what? You can’t second-guess people. If you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one.”

Gervais was mostly referring to politically incorrect comedy, but his words can also be applied to other aspects of everyday life — especially in today’s superheated political climate.

Don’t believe me? You should listen to some of the voicemails and read some of the letters and emails we receive.

Depending on the day, this newspaper is either too liberal or too conservative, often based solely on the nature of the political cartoon published on the op-ed page.

If we run one too many conservative-friendly cartoons, we’re in the tank for President Donald Trump. Did you know he’s a fascist and a modern-day Hitler? Don’t you know he’s destroying America?

But God forbid we run a cartoon poking fun at Trump or Elon Musk, because then we’ve turned liberal. There have been folks who’ve canceled subscriptions because we are supposedly pushing “a communist-socialist” agenda.

I have to admit that it’s a bit disheartening to receive so much vitriol about a single cartoon from day to day, when we also publish many columns and editorials from all points on the political spectrum. Messages about those occasionally come in, but cartoons seem to be what gets everyone in a frenzy. Maybe they are easier to digest and then react to than an 800-word, nuanced column.

Some people only want to consume news or opinion that confirms their beliefs. Try to present them with anything else and they recoil in disgust.

And speaking of being offended, Ohio State’s national championship football team visited the White House on Monday, where the Buckeyes’ players and coaches met with President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

From the reaction of some Ohio State “fans,” you’d think the Buckeyes showed up clad in maize and blue or met with Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and the Unabomber. Actually, some of the critics would likely have felt better about that than a White House visit.

Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith posted images from the White House appearance, during which he spoke with Trump and shook the president’s hand.

The negative reactions were swift.

“Jeremiah, I am a die hard (sic) buckeye but this ain’t it bruh this aint a good look,” one woman posted on X.

Another: “Yall should have just declined the invitation now i have lost all respect for yall.”

But wait, there’s more: “Definitely wouldn’t be proud of meeting him. Now Obama that would’ve been different.”

A Miami Hurricanes fan felt compelled to interject: “Now I’m glad he’s not a Cane. What a loser.”

Smith and the Buckeyes should give these comments and others like them the proper consideration — which is none. Someone sitting on their couch or in their parents’ basement is angry because Ohio State accepted the White House invitation and enjoyed the visit? These people need to work on themselves.

As Gervais said, just because you’re offended, that doesn’t mean you’re right and are somehow morally superior to anyone.

Years ago, my boss was invited to the White House with the Youngstown State football team after the Penguins won a Division I-AA national championship. He accepted and accompanied coach Jim Tressel and his team to Washington, where they were greeted by President Bill Clinton.

I’m pretty sure my former boss never voted for Clinton, but he was proud to be invited and smiled and shook the president’s hand when they met. It was a show of respect and appreciation, because that’s how normal people are supposed to act.

No matter what you see on X or any other social-media platform, the perpetually offended are not always right. Ricky Gervais nailed it.

Ed Puskas is editor of the Tribune Chronicle and The Vindicator. Reach him at 330-841-1786 or epuskas@tribtoday.com.