By Denise Martin, Special to the Times

Reason No. 983764 to go back and watch the original British version of "The Office": Ricky Gervais.

He single-handedly gave Sunday's Emmy audience its first reason to laugh (an hour into the show), offering speech advice -- “Keep it short, please, particularly if you’re not on-screen talent. No one cares about the producer. (And) don’t cry. It’s pathetic. It’s just an award” – and belittling Steve Carell into giving him back his 2007 Emmy. “I’ve heard you carry it around with you to get into restaurants,” he told Carell.