We’re still talking about Ricky Gervais’s performance as host of the Golden Globes last Sunday. We’re still talking about it because new people keep coming out to talk about how butt-hurt they still are. The latest: writer/producer/director Judd Apatow, who was the MC of the weekend’s Producer’s Guild Awards (where The King’s Speech took top honors). Apatow decided to rip into Ricky’s performance during the event. Well… I say “rip into” but that’s not really what happened. Apatow made a couple of good points, but if you read over all of the quotes, it just seems like Apatow was trying to soothe and massage the oh-so-tender egos of Hollywood power players.
Producers Guild Awards host Judd Apatow built his opening monologue around a profanity-laced attack on the way Ricky Gervais handled his Golden Globe Awards hosting chores a week earlier in the same room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
“What did you think of Ricky Gervais?” he asked the black-tie industry crowd Saturday night. “I didn’t like him. I thought he was mean.”
Apatow, whose movies include The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, knocked Gervais for his controversial jokes.
“He had that joke about the guy on Lost,” said Apatow. “He said he ate everybody else. Let’s be honest — Ricky Gervais just lost weight. Even now he’s four pounds away from not being allowed to do a joke like that. Did he lose weight just to make fat jokes? You think that’s how mean he is?”
Apatow had no problem with a Gervais joke about Charlie Sheen.
But Apatow added, “(Jay) Leno did it the week before.”
“I think he’s an OK target,” Apatow said of Sheen. “The people at CBS have said as long as he shows up on time, knows his lines, he can do whatever he wants.”
However, Apatow took exception to Gervais making a joke about The Tourist.
“(Gervais) says the characters were two-dimensional,” said Apatow. “Then he says he hasn’t seen The Tourist. So as a comedian, that’s not fair, is it? To make jokes about a movie you haven’t seen.
“I can’t do a joke about (Gervais’s movie) The Invention of Lying because I haven’t seen it. You haven’t seen it. None of us have seen it. So the joke would not work.”
Apatow also came to the defense of Cher, Hugh Hefner, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise and Robert Downey, Jr. – others who were Gervais targets.
“(Gervais) made a joke about Tim Allen who was standing next to Tom Hanks,” said Apatow. “Who looks good standing next to Tom Hanks? We all look like a piece of shit standing next to Tom Hanks. Warren Buffet would look like a piece of sh-t next to Tom Hanks. Tim Allen did 200 episodes of Home Improvement. He was in three of the highest grossing movies of all time. And his latest just crossed the one billion mark. Whereas The Invention Of Lying made $18 million dollars worldwide…Leave Tim Allen alone.”
[From The Hollywood Reporter]
Here’s the thing – some of Ricky’s set was funny, and some of the points Judd Apatow made were right on. Ricky did a better job of hosting the Globes last year, and he’s not going to come back for a third try. Apatow, on the other hand, just seems to be whining overall. Whatever. I’m over this controversy, and I’m over both Ricky and Apatow.
Thanks to Gawker for the story!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Maybe instead of worrying about Gervais being “mean”, he should worry about trying to make some funny movies for a change.
If Apatow’s goal was to be funny while massaging egos, he failed. It wasn’t funny. He did make some good points, but by responding in this way, it makes him look petty and small… just as bad as he thinks Gervais is.
But whatever, let’s call a spade a spade: Apatow opened this way so that big names would still do his movies and Gervais doesn’t seem to give two loads of crap about anybody in Hollywood regardless.
@ devilgirl
HA!
Judd Apatow has his hemorrhoids in a bunch cuz he will never be as funny as Ricky Gervais is on an off day.
I thought Ricky Gervais was hysterical on the Globes, and I think the cry baby whining from the ego’s in Hollywood is pathetic! I read this story yesterday and I thought every single “slam” by Apatow was petulant and lame. What a shame Hollywood is so up it’s own butt that they have to retaliate with petty insults.
Judd Apatow jumped the shark a long time ago, Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared were some of his best work. Since then I have not enjoyed a thing he has done.
It is easy for people to be funny on awards show when they have 10 writers. At the end of the day these people have millions to console them, who cares.
Everyone in Hollywood is so up their own ass. Just make your movies and stfu.
I wonder if there will ever be a revolution in Hollywood, or if we are stuck with these egomaniacs forever.
I’m so over people being offended that he hasn’t seen the Tourist, and therefore can’t make a opinion about it. The wonky accents, the bloat, it was bad. We can admit it.
I haven’t seen the Bounty Hunter, but I know it’s bad and made jokes about it. I haven’t seen Northern Lights (LeAnn and Eddie’s movie where they fell in love) but I know it’s bad. Hell, I didn’t even see “House Bunny” but I for sure know it’s bad.
Just because it had two big movie stars on a huge budget does not mean it was good. The end.
some Gervais jokes were easy but really funny(he was amost hysterical in his idiocy)but i don’t understand why Apatow is so offended (did he want to host the GG?)
Whatever. I have no idea who this person is.
Seems like Apatow is saying that Gervais was mean because he didn’t put his jokes into context?! … Sure Allen hasn’t done anything lately (point of joke), but he “did 200 episodes of Home Improvement. He was in three of the highest grossing movies of all time”. The Tourist characters might be two dimensional but Gervais can’t make a joke because he didn’t see the movie and “that’s not fair”. OK, Apatow, well in your joke about Gervais and his bad movie, you failed to put into context that well, Gervais is responsible for one of the most successful sitcoms ever, The Office. Apatow you are a meanie!
Hollywood’s all about the kiss up. Even at my level, it’s amazing the amount of backstabbing and kissing up that goes on. I just stay in my little bubble, take the jobs I get, and engage in a little nepotism whenever possible.
I don’t care what Judd thinks. He makes some of the trashiest films in Hollywood. There is only so much crap that any viewer can take; Apatow’s films are pure manure. I’m surprised this man has a career. Is it ‘who he knows’ or pure nepotism, because it’s surely not talent.
That whining is about as unfunny as the lot of his recent movies. Do fewer power lunches and more real life, Judd and it might come back to you.
If there’s one thing Judd Apatow knows, it’s how NOT to be funny. This is the man who’s written, produced or directed You Don’t Mess With Zohan, Knocked Up, and Superbad, plus about 20 other stinkers. Apatow’s way more offensive than Gervais and MUCH LESS funny than every other person on the planet.
Except Tim Allen.
Truth is, all this controversy and hurt feelings is not about the content of Gervais’ jokes, it’s really about the fact that Gervais had the audacity to tell these jokes directly to Hollywood’s face.
These types of “mean” jokes are told by late night talk show hosts every night, and yet Hollywood has no problem going on the shows to promote their stuff… as long as the monologue that evening does not have a mean joke about them.
Art for the public is made by egomaniacs. It’s not such a terrible thing to be an egomaniac as long as you can back it up, IMO. Gervais is one too. It’s a requirement for performance. As far as the roasting, many actors rolled with it and were laughing their asses off. We’ll never hear about them though, because that doesn’t feed the controversy. Some people liked it, some didn’t. Gervais polarizes. I agree w/ Bale, I wish he’d gone even further.
Gervais was the best thing about the Golden Globes, an awards show that is itself a big joke in Hollywood (remember years ago when Pia Zadora won because her rich husband paid them off). Apatow is a douche.
@Mia Girl: You’re absolutely right about the ‘context’ of the jokes! Good point!
I hate Judd Apatow movies. They are not funny at all and I think I was one of the few people who didn’t blame Katherine Heigl for criticizing her character in Knocked Up. Ricky Gervais is way funnier than Apatow will ever try to be.
Fail. Just revealed himself to not just be humourless but a complete idiot to boot. Had he done even a tiny bit of research before he made these suck-up comments, he would know that Ricky’s stand-up in the past has consisted of long pieces about weight/fat people, with much of it aimed at himself. AND, wrote the lyrics, again aimed at himself, of Little Fat Man, sung by Bowie on Extras, which include the lines:
Little fat man who sold his soul,
Pathetic little fat man,
He’s got no style, he’s got no grace,
He’s banal and facile, he’s a fat waste of space
See his pug-nosed face…Pug, pug, pug, pug,
He’s a little fat pug-nosed face, Pug, pug, pug, pug..
I hate Apatow’s movies and putting his wife in every one of them. Seriously, she has the acting skills of chopped brisket and her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard.
I bet the Brits are having a good laugh about what a bunch of pussies Americans are about this whole thing…
Wow, way to be a little bitch, Judd Apatow. What a pansy.
i am surprised by his ‘sensitivity’ given his films makes fun of everyone. gay, straight, black, white, indian, fat, slim, australian.
p.s.- is that hot blonde chick from 40yr old virgin & funny people REALLY his wife?!
way to out kick your coverage, buddy. 😆
I seriously went to IMDB to look up what Tim Allen did which made decent money.
I never connected him to Toy Story.
I bet noone really does 🙂
…. I went and saw the Invention Of Lying in theaters for date night with my man and we liked it….
What a douche. Poor little baby cant take a joke. Sure some of rickys jokes were stale like the one about hurley eating all the people on the island and the old guy pres of HFPA, but overall he was entertaining and the only reason I didnt flip the channel.
I like some of Judds movies but this totally makes him a loser to me now.
“the office” and “extras” are freaking genius, and ricky’s stand-up is way funnier than anything judd apatow ever wrote. as someone pointed out, gervais spends alot of time making fun of himself as much as anyone else. judd should just paint a big L on his forehead and stop talking.
He cried foul and “not fair” for Gervais to make a joke about a movie he didn’t see…
By his own account, Apatow, didn’t see Invention of Lying, but that didn’t stop Apatow from tweeting “The Santa Clause was better than The Invention of Lying” the day after the Golden Globes.
Well, we’ve learned many sad things about Apatow from this episode, most interestingly is that Tim Allen must be his best friend.
Judd: STFU. P.S. – Your movies suck.
I don’t like Apatow’s work, but I do think Ricky Gervais was an asshole. It’s one thing to goof on people in a funny way, but he rarely goofs on himself (like the way Chris Rock and Steve Martin do at the Oscars), which takes him into the realm of just being a prick. The shot at Robert Downey Jr. was pretty damn low, considering he’s 10 years sober, too. I don’t think anyone reading this would like being called out publicly like that, though I know some will protest they don’t mind. There’s a lot of space between boring ass-kissing and fawning and being a jerkoff.
Yeesh. I hate when trailers introduce a film Apatow ha smade as “A Jude Apatow film”.. as thought it’s supposed to indicate some aort of quality standard like “a Fellini movie”..
His films are NOT funny.
Why is he being such a tight ass about it? I kind of agree about the Hurley joke but that was a harmless joke. I laughed my ass off about the Tourist joke AND I AM A LOON. Judd you’ve so lost your street cred.
Boo hoo hoo. Poor little hollywood and their precious hurt boo boo feelings.
I really like “The Invention of Lying.”
Uhhh…”The Invention of Lying?” BRILLIANT!!!!!! Ricky Gervais is unmatched in the Department of Comedy!
I also like The Invention of Lying.
I don’t hear ass kissing. He pretty much just stated the truth. Ricky Gervis hadn’t seen The Tourist yet he was dissing it? Thats not right. LOL love what he said about Ricky making fat jokes…like seriously Ricky making fun of fat people when you are fat yourself.
I am over the Golden Globes already…like seriously is over. Ricky didn’t even make a dent in my thoughts. I do love Judd for what he said though.
I liked The Invention of Lying too. Really good film.
OH LORD! Just when I thought i could dislike Judd Apatow any more he goes and opens his mouth and spews unitelligent, nonsense yet again!!!
His movies are terrible. They are college frat boy humor and stupid as can be! He could learn a thing or 2 from Adam McKaY & will Ferrell about how to write humor for that genre that is actually FUNNY.
All he kept saying is how much money the actors Ricky made fun of make?! Duh! If he had any talent he would realize no one wants to hear jokes about poor and not famous people. He really is a moron.
Original Kate- EXACTLY!
The tourist joke was for him to say “I shouldnt make fun of it I have seen it – WHO HAS?” He couldnt make the joke without saying he hadnt seen it. Alot of people obviously didnt “get” the joke.
Ricky Gervais was mean? Seriously? These are grown adults we are talking about not 5 yr olds on a playground w their mommies telling them to play nice. Grow up people.
How about…they are both a**holes? That works just fine.
SMOOOOOCCCHHHHHH!!!! I can hear the sound of Judds ass kissing all the way across the country. Pathetic! Concentrate on making a good movie and getting attention for that vs. kissing ass of Hollywood egos because you are one of them.
Ricky Gervais is hilarious! The best thing the Globes could do is have him host next year! But im sure he’s over it.
We all know the old saying:
“If you cant laugh at yourself – your an ahole!”
Boy, does Hollywood need a ego enema or what?
@WhiteNoise I loved Extras and that episode is classic.
What’s the difference between an Apatow film and The Hangover? Nothing. BTW, I haven’t seen the Hangover.
Now I understand why Apatow focuses on immature losers.
I am so pleased to see I am not alone in my bias opinion. That Apatow is a big ole ass kisser.
I am stunned he is defending Tim Allen. Who is known as a huge a**hole. But then again, I am sure Apatow is looking to future casting and needs to suck up a bit.
Gervais was funny. He stomped on the toes of the pretty people. And they all deserve it.
Plus I laughed out loud many times and never once did I think it went over the line.
If he wanted to take a shot at Gervais he should have done it in a funny way the way Robert Downey Jr did. Instead it read like pages torn from a sad little girl’s diary. “They said my story was stupid but like … they totally didn’t even read my whole story … “. Grow up ..
On another note I think Robert Downey Jr needs to host at some point in time … his whole monologue before giving out the award to best comedic actress was hilarious … I loved it …
So Ricky didn’t see The Tourist. He didn’t have too. He just needed to read ALL the bad reviews to know it sucked. Judd Apatow needs to grow up. Ricky is hilarious and much funnier. 40 Year Old Virgin – ok. Knocked Up – sucked. I’ll see Ricky do anything (hello? The Office)! before I’ll spend money to see another Apatow movie. Poor, whiny hollywood babies!!!
not only does Apatow uses his wife in his films, he also uses his kids in many of his films. Whatever, I loved extras, the office, ghost town and the invention of lying. All of these productions were funny, more so than a lot of Apatow’s films.
@devilgirl: my thoughts exactly!
wah! mean-ol ricky gervais made fun of me and didnt kiss my @sshole
what a bunch of whiny prick babies hollywood is!
wasnt the whole point of the dissing the tourist joke the fact that he hadnt seen it?
that he was just jumping on the bandwagon rather that making his own opinion, just like a lot of reviewers? i thought he was making fun of that rather than the film itself.
and the tim allen joke was Hilarious!!!
Waaah waaaah waaah someone needs a wssssahmbulance.
I just wanted to throw in that I really liked the invention of lying too! Ricky’s hilarious!
Btw, has anyone else here seen Ricky’s spot with Elmo on sesame street? It’s so funny, I’ve actually watched it more than once. And yes, I know the words “have you seen *blank* on sesame street?” sound totally weird coming from a 25 year old with no kids. I think I found it originally on YouTube during that whole Katy Perry/Katy Perry’s boobs/Elmo scandal. I swear, I don’t actually watch Sesame Street anymore.
*looks around awkwardly, grabs collectable tickle me Elmo doll from 1996 and runs off into the distance without looking back*
@RHONYC. That is so true. Apatow’s films do make fun of almost every single minority and nationality, and yet, if anyone said anything about Apatow (being Jewish), he’d probably fly off the deep end. So this is what annoys me about Hollywood. It is all right for Jewish directors and actors to make fun of every Gentile, but if it is in reverse, they say it is ‘anti-Semitic’.
Talk about hypocrisy.
I refuse to watch any more Apatow films after ‘Funny People’. I’m amazed how Apatow’s films get the green light when they are written so badly to begin with.
I thought the Gervais set on the Globes was entertaining in that it was brave for that kiss-a$$ culture and gasp-inducing, but not all that funny.
I think it’s interesting that Gervais’s comedian routines tend to be quite mean, while his movies are mostly mawkish and weak in character and plot development. He claims he wants his movies to be Capra-esque, like the kinds of movies James Stewart might have been in — but instead they’re just shallow, naive and quite lame. Like after-school specials for 8-year-olds.
Capra’s movies were sentimental, but they were also sincere, tightly plotted, with wholly-drawn characters, and with a relevance to life issues everyone faces. Gervais’s have been simply muddled and simplistic.
Obvs., he and Stephen Merchant should stick to TV. They do it well. (Relying so much on star cameos on Extras, though, suggests that Gervais is as eager to be part of celebrity culture, as he is to appear above it.)
@Samigirl, LittleDeadGirl and Hmmm: ITA.
What a whiner. If he said something witty about Gervais’ performance maybe it would have come across better. As for his critique of Gervais being critical of The Tourist without seeing it, does Apatow understand how the movie business works?? People watch the trailers amongst other things and make a decision whether the movie’s bad enough to skip. Lots and lots of people did that with The Tourist and quite a number of those who did see it (other than the GG committee) also thought it was crap…. and told people who also didn’t go and see it.
I guess I must have a really low brow sense of humor…I liked most of the Apatow movies everyone here is saying sucked. I thought Knocked Up was funny and kind of sweet, I liked Superbad and the 40 Year Old Virgin was hilarious. I like Gervais. I think he has the propensity to be a colossal ass, but I still think he’s funny. I like Apatow, too. Maybe his Gervais comments were so much HFPA ego stroking…who cares? All of this is much ado about nothing.
I’m usually not uptight about my religion…but The Invention of Lying was very offensive to me.
snore. for Judd Apatow to bring up something that had NOTHING to do with him or his wife or family is petty. Apatow has ridiculed many people in his films. Here is a gem from Knocked up: “Steely Dan can gargle my balls?” Judd, how is this different from what Ricky did?
I hate Apatow’s movies with a passion (of a thousand suns), they’re supposed to be comedies but they’re not funny at all (oh, and they feature mean and just plain racist jokes — many times!) and he thinks he can teach Gervais anything? Puh-lease!
@ LOVE ANGELINA:
I don’t hear ass kissing. He pretty much just stated the truth.
Well, I do. A lot of repulsive, shameless ass-kissing.
Ricky Gervis hadn’t seen The Tourist yet he was dissing it? Thats not right.
He did say something about felling bad for the joke considering he hadn’t seen the movie (he said: “I’m just jumping on the badwagon”) but then he took another dig by saying “Who has?”. Please, I plan to see the movie and buy the DVD and I still thought that Gervais was freaking hilarious!
LOL love what he said about Ricky making fat jokes…like seriously Ricky making fun of fat people when you are fat yourself.
You know, to be fair, he has adressed his own fatness while he making such jokes.
@ Gigohead:
Apatow has ridiculed many people in his films. Here is a gem from Knocked up: “Steely Dan can gargle my balls?” Judd, how is this different from what Ricky did?
There is a difference: Ricky Gervais is actually funny.
P.S.: I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t return next year — the reason I watched the Golden Globes (the entire thing) was only because he was hosting it.
Funny, Hollywood sure enjoys “mean” jokes about political figures. Big bunch of babies. Rock on Ricky Gervais, maybe he’ll get another show on cable where he can rip into these full of themselves, egotistical clowns. He could reinvent Dean Martin’s Roasts.
@Eve what Apatow film have you seen where the lines are mean and racist? The two Apatow films I have seen, Knocked up and The 40-year-old Virgin were very funny and not mean spirited at all…certainly not racist.
I know a ass kissing when I hear it. I do quite a bit of it…I am not proud of it but I gotta do what I gotta do until I get where I wanna be, then someone will be kissing my ass. To me Apatow was just stating his opinions and he wasn’t really coming to the defense of anyone who could boost his career. I mean if your gonna kiss ass your gonna kiss the ass of people who can do something for you. If anything Apatow was just getting a lil famewhoring in by bringing up Ricky since the Golden Globes seem to be hawt topic.
I know Ricky has addressed his own weight issues. LOL I have seen his HBO stand up specials, loved the 1st one. The 2nd one he did right here in Chicago. I love Ricky I only felt offense to the RDJ thing and the Scientology thing, other then that I expected Ricky to take the night where he did…although insulting the HFPA president was unexpected.
Hollyweird hypocrites.
Chris Rock was a lot harsher at the Oscars, but not at all funny unlike Gervais who was hysterically amusing.
Where were all these comments then? Hmm? Afraid his protector Oprah would not sell their movies? And haven’t half of them involved themselves in roasting half the country’s choices for politicians? But can’t take it themselves?
It’s so boring to have a million award shows about Hollywood promoting Hollywood. They are just actors and clowns for our amusement. The amount of reward they expect for the childish stuff they do for a living begs for this fun treatment. They used to get roasted big time when they were a lot more talented, huge mega stars.
Now they whine more, and insult half their audience’s political choices and intelligence almost daily so I’m fresh out of sympathy for these millionaires.
Now we know how his movies get funded.
Ricky Gervais was the only thing that kept me watching. These Hollywood crybabies need to get over themselves. Does anyone really think if RObert Downey Jr didnt get arrested, go to rehab and make news anyone would even remember him beyond Less Than Zero. I wish Ricky would come back.
Judd is a fucking scientologist U2 jew. The lowest form of life on the planet, in other words.