The Extras star was being questioned by reporters during a conference call about hosting next month's Golden Globes in LA when he appeared to go off on one.
Ricky said: 'For the first years of being famous I was scared of using the word 'art' because I thought it was pretentious.
'But now I think it's my responsibility to consider myself an artist because that's why I'm doing it and it's being honest. I can't apologise for that.'
The 49-year-old Office star added: 'Art, TV, furniture making, most tables are rubbish.
'But when you see a really brilliant table that the guy spent four years making and he was a master craftsman and it's lasted 700 years, you want to cry. It brings a lump to your throat.
'And, yes. I want to bring a lump to your throat.'