I’ve been up for almost two hours and it just occurred to me – just now – that I probably needed to write something about Ricky Gervais. Do you think that’s a good sign, that I forgot about his bulls–t so quickly, that he annoyed me so badly and did his job so poorly that I didn’t even think about it? The Hollywood Foreign Press clearly wanted to be “controversial” but they also knew that Gervais is awful, so there was a time-delay and everything raunchy got bleeped out or cut out. It was stupid. His opening monologue had a handful of good jokes – the Jeffrey Epstein one, the Leonardo DiCaprio one, and the Two Popes one – but he lost the room in record time. Here’s the opening:
Tom Hanks’ face said it all throughout. Hanks was the Greek chorus to Ricky Gervais’ bullsh-t. Here’s the thing. I’m sure if you ask Gervais about it today or tomorrow, he’ll say he really didn’t care AND that his “I don’t care” attitude was part of his host-persona, that it’s all very artsy and high-brow comedy and we just wouldn’t understand the profundity of what he was doing up there. But… why couldn’t the HFPA just hire someone genuinely witty, someone who WANTS to be there? Gervais’s whole thing is that he’s both too cool to be there AND that it’s cool to do a sh-tty job. And he’ll also argue that someone needs to tell jokes about Judi Dench licking her ass in Cats. I don’t know, it’s all just so… stupid. Just hire someone else, HFPA. Stop giving jobs to transphobic, racist white dudes who think they’re too good for the job.
Speaking of Tom Hanks… his Cecil B. DeMille Award speech was amazing. He truly is the loveliest man.
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.
I actually thought there was something deeply enjoyable about the whole thing: the bad jokes, the room feeling bored or awkward, etc. Because the world is burning and nothing matters and awards are deeply absurd and nonsensical? I think Ricky is a bad host however.
Yup, and I loved seeing the stars who obviously take themselves WAY too seriously look stunned and disapproving (Ton Hanks, Keith Urban).
Same. Normally I’m not a fan of RG — he’s thin-skinned with a bloated ego and he has made some really horrible jokes in the past — however, that being said, I think this post is a bit of a weird take on what was a very sharp, biting monologue. He wasn’t punching down, he absolutely nailed Tim Cook, and I enjoy seeing Hollywood stars get a little uncomfortable once in a while.
Same, I enjoyed his opening monologue. You can dislike Ricky Gervais & like what he did last night.
+1 same take as Lou
Frankly I loved him last night! I loved his “I don’t give a damn let’s go out with a bang” attitude. That room DOES take itself way too seriously. They’re not a room full of scientists curing cancer or world hunger. They’re over pampered poodles who think they are “artitstes!”
Anyway, I vote for MORE RG!
Agree with Lou & TheOG@Jan, 100%
Ummm isn’t Gervais himself a rich Hollywood white man who works for those same companies??? Aren’t his shows on Netflix?? How is criticizing the very group one is in edgy? Kudos if he’s not flying private to the grocery store like the others, but he was there at the GG smiling away when his shows The Office, and Extras were nominated!!
I was actually looking forward to Ricky last night. I find him funny in an off color please don’t tell other people I laugh at this kind of way. However, last night his biggest problem was he wasn’t very funny. Sure some jokes were good, but most were not just off color and the usual inappropriate, but they were DUMB!!!!! Not just dumb for the audience he was performing too, but 5th grade humor DUMB. There is only so much of that you can take.
Seriously, he had the ridiculous movie with the strange special effects of Cats to work with and the best joke he could come up with is Judi Dench licking her private parts as a cat really. The worst part is he thought that was the funniest joke ever. Please. I thought Tom’s reaction was like dude is bombing more than anything. Can we just get Eddie Murphy to host one of these things if they want a little off color. Come on after watching him host SNL can’t we all just admit he is funny and good. I think he’d be great at it. I know he got scratched from the Oscars one year, but Ricky still does this. Please Eddie is far more talented and funny.
I watched it because everyone was talking about it, and I thought it was high time someone stopped kissing backside at those things. He wasn’t really joking, and that was important, I think. There’s nothing funny about the film industry and all that’s come to a clear public light over the past couple of years. He hit them where they live–right in the hubris. They fly on private jets whilst preaching about the environment. They live lives out of touch with anything resembling normalcy, and the majority of them are undereducated and under-qualified to wield the kind of political power they have. They’re hypocrites who join whatever virtue-signalling cause of the day is most popular, but then they turn around and do films with Woody Allen or go to parties with guys like Epstein. They’re rich, spoiled, hyper-privileged people who play pretend for a living and then act like they’re saving the world. Very few celebrities in that room do actual good in the world with all that money and all that influence. Some do, sure. But they are the exception.
The arts are deeply important to any society, but the power we hand these people is disproportionate, and someone speaking truth to them felt very long overdue.
So yeah. I liked his monologue. I liked it a lot.
First time in a long time I enjoyed him. Don’t get the bullshyt outrage. I’d have added way more.
Tom Hanks is a nice guy. He’s a rich nice guy.
God bless but these are his friends for decades and his reality. Don’t care if he doesn’t like it.
I completely agree with how funny it was in a cringing way…
Did anyone else feel like they were watching employment suicide?
Regardless, I’m still laughing! 😂
I like Ricky Gervais and I LOVE what he does when he hosts. More Ricky, please.
(Highly recommend his interview with Sam Harris on Making Sense – he’s fantastically articulate on the dangers of political correctness.)
(Also, if you want a good cry watch his show, After Life.)
I agree. I thought he was entertaining in a dry way and that it was a good job overall. Why so negative here..
What I loved about this monologue is that it was directed at us, the viewers. It was meant to appeal to us. We watch the show and that’s how NBC makes money. Ricky appealed to us and savagely roasted the overprivileged untouchable celebs that have their asses kissed 100% of the time. He called them out for being massive hypocrites. He made them uncomfortable for the sake of the audience that makes the network money by watching.
Ricky’s comedy is known for roasting others. That’s why he keeps being invited back. It’s clear to see his jokes were vetted and placed on a teleprompter. Everyone knows what he was gonna say (especially since he’s hosted before with the same style of roast humor).
Network needs ratings and follow-up clicks. Hollywood hired a controversial comedian to tell its rich people that they’re twats to make not so rich people at home feel good about themselves. It was funny but let’s not pretend that nobody was in on it.
Ricky Gervais’ is awesome period!! So you are defending fragile celebrities now? His jokes about the hypocrisy of apple,amazon and disney were totally on point. He should come back every year. Love him!!
I love him, too and I think he’s funny as hell.
same here, love him!
I also love him and find him funny as hell!
Same here, he did his job perfectly well.
I thought he was funny and said what needed to be said.
I love him ❤️
He’s a transphobic monster.
I loved him too.
It’s funny how he turned into an edgelord when his Hollywood career didn’t work out. Before that he was one of the biggest a** kissers around. Guess failing at the thing he really wanted does that to a bloke.
Exactly modiglia. I wish these funny hosts will call the big guns (amazon, disney) more. The epstein joke was also funny but..that’s about it.
Ricky isn’t funny these days. His delivery is very try hard. He literally had to keep saying that he didn’t care. Yet he did enough to be amongst these people.
The show as a whole was absymal and ricky was horrendous.
Are you kidding?? After creating The (original!!) Office, Extras, After Life… and the other comedy throughout the years, how could you possibly say he has a “failed” career??
…in Modiglia’s defense, she did say his HOLLYWOOD career, not his overall career.
My take on last night: when he hit, he hit big and hard. When he missed, it was tragic. He was fine hosting. Don’t like him as a person, but he didn’t make me want to turn the channel (I was recording “Doctor Who”, so all was good)
Jan, he wanted a Hollywood film career and failed at it.
He is the best!
I know, I have always thought he was so funny. It’s british humor, so maybe that is the problem? I always think of him on the Daily Show telling Jon Stewart how the british tabs call him the “tubby funster”. Or perhaps “chubby funster.” Both are funny. He had a netflix show last year about losing his wife and it was brilliant
@Girl on fire – Yup. 👏👏
My personal review/experience of Ricky Gervais:
Comic Relief Sketches/Red Nose Day: Absolute f-cking genius. One of the best uses of irony and farce, to send up virtue signaling celebrities, casual white privilege (even before we really knew what it was back then), and racism. TKO.
The Office + Extras: Again, just fucking genius on both counts. Have never experienced awkwardness used so pointedly before. Almost like a pair of pincers. Had me cringing + crying + laughing all at once.
Golden Globe 1: 😂😂😂🤭🤭🤭💩💩💩🎉🎉🎉💕💕💕😎😎😎
(Is this where the poison of money and power started toxifying the message? It started becoming more and more difficult to see where satire ended and where plain cruelty began)
Golden Globes 2010, 11, 12, 16: What is this shit? Oh well, it’s Ricky Gervais, it’s still funny, so shut up and sit down.
Golden Globe 2020: *What the hell is this shit??* We’re still picking wings off flies? Ok, let me grab my tweezers. 😒😞😓
I keep desperately waiting for him, to go at Trump with this sort of ferocity and sense of purpose – it would be glorious! But so far nothing. Just shouting pointlessly at some terrified Hollywood cupcakes instead.
In all, he’s still one of my absolute favorite Comedians, because when he doesn’t have his head up his own arse, he’s simply untouchable.
Bella, there are some great young Brit comedians who have spoken frequently about their disappointment with once finding him funny, and one pointed out that he finally realised that anything funny Gervais has done has mostly been Stephen Merchant’s jokes carrying the weight.
Get Ricky on his own and you just have a bitter little man who thinks shrieking “THERE IS NO GOD” makes him interesting.
Modiglia(ni?) 😉
The young comedians are right, his stuff has declined quite badly, but I don’t know if I would attribute it to Stephen Merchant, so much as I would to his outsize ego. Maybe a combination of those two and other factors.
I still enjoy his cranky old man routine, he just needs to make it more consequential. FGS, he’s made more than enough money, what does he need to pussy-foot around the conservatives anymore for?
Remember what Colbert did to Bush at the White House Correspondents dinner? Where he’d pulverized Bush into a fine, lump-less paste before anyone even knew what on earth was happenin?
In my opinion, unless Ricky Gervais attempts (and achieves) a similar sort of hit-job on the absolute buffoon of a president named Trump, his legacy will never be complete in my eyes. Enough kicking around rabbits and elves in the garden, there are some actual pickpockets at the gate. Go and take care of them.
Loved him! It was funny. It was uncomfortable, in a good way!
Can’t stand him, so happy this is his last year.
Yeah, that Apple/Amazon/Disney moment was incredible. And necessary. Good for him. He had some moments for sure.
Others… yikes. That Dench joke just bombed.
I like Ricky and love After Life, but this was not one of his best performances. Most of the jokes were not good and just stupid. I’m not sure if he really has gotten sick of this show or what, but compare this one to his first or second time hosting the GG and tell me this is still funny. It’s not. I like that he goes after people we normally don’t hear jokes about, but even those were not as funny as they could be. I think those topics might be why some on here still loved it. As you are right we don’t hear those kind of things enough.
I said above, I want Eddie Murphy even with all his weird baggage to do one of these. I mean his joke about Bill Cosby on SNL was funny as hell, appropriate considering he used to impersonate him, and not something you see a lot. Plus something that pissed Cosby off, so an added bonus there. Just saying I think Ricky is tired of this gig and just going for the paycheck. I can’t really blame him, I just wish he was a bit more funny. Maybe it’s hard to come up with five years worth of material to the same type of crowd. Who knows.
I do think that the whole endless awards show calendar has become bloated and boring. Ricky calling out those companies was interesting because he left out netflix’s, the streaming service his series is on. So Ricky plays the game also.
He is the only reason I watched and was fantastic. The Dench joke was gross but overall great. Whoever criticized him about working for Netflix? Huh? It does not have any type of record for abuse that I am aware of.
absolutely. I’m not a great fan of his, but what he did took a lot of courage. he spoke freely in a moment in time when everybody is politically correct and fake.
Meh. When you compare his “biting” humour to that of say, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, who when they hosted the Oscars also went for a few celebs, but managed to inject enough wit and charm and cleverness into their zingers – it just FELT different. Sure, Ricky makes people uncomfortable, and yes, a lot of these celebrities probably do need to not take themselves so seriously. But he’s just not good at it. It’s uncomfortable not because it’s so cutting-edge – saying true things. It’s uncomfortable because he has no finesse in doing so. And sometimes, people just want to go out and have a good time for a few hours. That’s what the storytelling of film and TV is. Having someone around who needs to make EVERYTHING into a statement or a lesson is exhausting.
that is why the globes got low ratings again. the whole thing was boring as heck
I didn’t watch the show (I’m Australian and am too preoccupied with our domestic issues to care) but I love Ricky. I’ve watched almost everything he does and think he’s amazing. His episode of coffee with comedians with jerry Seinfeld was glorious and he came across as very kind.
I’m generalising but I don’t think his humour works for most Americans. I think they get it but don’t find it funny.
Hang in there Brunswickstoval- it must be so tough for you Aussies at the moment.
Thanks for your comment- I love Ricky too and I think it might actually be a difference between UK and US humour? Whatever it is, I did not have any problems with him hosting this.
Another Aussie – stuck inside all day because the air quality was obscene.
My husband and I watched Ricky’s opening monologue this afternoon and both belly laughed through it.
Love him too and I think he is a genuinely compassionate person, based on interviews I’ve seen and his Twitter.
How do you get transphobic, racist from Gervais? What did I miss?
He’s wildly transphobic on twitter. Hates trans people, hates anyone who stands up for them, is your typical “they’re just men in dresses” tosser.
It’s disgusting.
He made some anti trans tweets, which he later explained to have been sarcastic and that he’s actually pro trans, but not everyone got the update.
He joked about trans people. He didnt say trans people were just men in dresses, he clearly separated men in dresses and trans women. But people really want him to be a TERF. And racist? I guess we are just labling everyone racist now? What has Ricky done thats racist?
He, Louis CK, Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld did a show on HBO, where Louis CK opined about not being allowed to say the N-word and the proceeded to say it over and over again, and Gervais laughs and said the N-word, while spending the entire video encouraging Louis CK as he says it. that is why he’s racist. It’s the reason black people were mad at Rock a while back, he didn’t stop them. And if Kevin Hart gets fired and labeled, rightly, a homophobe for Twitter jokes, then Gervais is Transphobic and should not have kept his job either.
I think Ricky’s biggest problem is his ego. He seems to think that he’s sooooo huge now, with everyone familiar with his style, that he can just riff whatever, and everyone will (or should) automatically get it. Which is clearly bollocks.
I saw the clip with him saying the n-word and honestly, he looks to me like he was shitting himself and didn’t quite know how to handle himself and was trying to goof it off.
Seinfeld had the best and most mature/dignified reaction by far. Louise CK, who I used to be a huge fan of, just sank a few meters deeper, into his pit of slime and shame with that glib exchange.
He’s not a racist or transphobe, he just likes to poke at anyone who’s self-serious. I like how he refuses to kowtow to the hysterical entitled victims going around trying to cancel anyone who’s a bit naughty – it makes me feel like we haven’t all gone insane on the political Left. If you listen with any discernment at all you’ll hear that there’s a lot of humanity in his schtick.
I see the humanity in his work, too, NYer, though I think (even though my humour is British) he does fall flat more than we like to admit. And he does have a privilege problem. But his shows are great…
And honestly, we may hate them but I think we need comedians who constantly attack any form of moral certainty. Even the moral certainty I personally embrace (e.g. fuck Trump, fuck racism–I’m pretty morally certain those are the right positions!). Moral certainty is what kills and oppresses and starts wars and leads to everything bad, so all forms of it should be put under a light. The good thing is, when he tickles at us lefties/progressives, he’s helping our moral arguments get stronger in a weird way. Modern jesters are fucking irritating, as their ancestors were, but they serve a purpose. Like parasites.
Sure, NYEr. I guess you’re right, trans people HAVE had it too easy for too long.
@ Modiglia
I don’t see where NYER claimed that “trans people have had it too easy too long”? Or even implied that?
I have to say this Twitter is just not really good for most people!!!! Not sure why people feel free to let every dumb thought they ever think out, but Twitter just makes it so easy. The only reason I sort of like Twitter is it makes our President look so stupid to a lot of people. If we didn’t have Twitter I think Trump would be so popular now. It’s Trump’s own tweets which make a lot go WTF!!!!! Without them, I think people would be a bit more clueless.
Exactly AM..where is RG transphobic and racist? What did I miss?
I love how subjective comedy is because I couldn’t disagree more. I thought Ricky Gervais NAILED it. I especially loved the closing joke reminding them all of their hypocrisy in working for huge companies that are destroying the world, and how ridiculous it is for a roomful of uneducated people living in huge mansions using up more than their share of the worlds finite resources to lecture all of the rest of us about climate change. You care about climate change? Stop flying around the world in your private jet then.
9.5/10 performance IMO (I also agree that the short joke was cheap, but I liked the rest of it!)
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 SO agree with you, runcmc!
I’m super short and I loved the short joke, and Scorsese was laughing, so that one gets a pass from me. 😛
Godwina, totally agree with your post (above) about the importance of the trickster comedians in our midst – they’re annoying and bitter-tasting, like the best medicine. They keep us strong.
I wrote a response to you above (but it’s disappeared) to say I was guilty of ‘siding’ with RG earlier when the truth is some of his stiff does fall flat, in my opinion. However, in general, I applaud his project. As you say, this trend of moral certainty on the Left is disturbing. It’s just so…fragile. And conservative. It’s the position the Right used to occupy. And if you’re old enough to remember history, it’s discouraging to see the Left using the same strategy of trying to silence any nuanced or rigorous interrogation of our knee-jerk beliefs.
I agree completely NYer except I wouldn’t call this moral absolutism about language left, maybe soft left at best. It’s neo liberalism and lacks the belief in restribution of wealth which is at the crux of left-wing philosophy. It certainly is stultifyingly conservative and leaves no room for real debate about the few taking so much from the many that’s leading to the destruction of world as we know it. The obsession with polite language means bugger all here in Australia at the moment.
He’s not my favorite, but when he lands a joke, he really lands it.
“I came here in a limo tonight and the licence plate was made by Felicity Huffman.” was amusing.
I’m someone who’s really torn when it comes to comedy. I don’t want comedians to constantly walk on eggshells. But I also care deeply about people, and I hate hate hate when they take a piss out of someone who doesn’t deserve it. The real key that so many people need to keep in mind is the whole punching down vs punching up thing. And I think a lot of comedians get to a certain level of fame where the old jokes just don’t do it. When they’re still relatively new on whatever scene – there are a lot of people you can punch up at. But when you’re super famous, at some point you really need to take an extra hard look at where your comedy is heading. And I don’t imagine that’s an EASY thing to do.
That said – at the end of the day, if you’re going to make a joke about something touchy you REALLY REALLY need to be on the top of your game. And a lot of people fail at that, and then blame it on the world being too PC. And sometimes, that’s probably the case. But more often than not, the joke just falls flat on it’s own.
I loved the Felicity Huffman joke. Her issue wasn’t being innocently caught up in a conspiracy. She flat-out committed a crime. A stupid one no less, because she could have just legally “donated” money to an endowment and grease the admission department wheels of whatever private school she wanted her daughter to go to.
I would have been disappointed if no one had joked about her last night. Lori Laughlin got off easy as far as I’m concerned. Now SHE needed some skewering.
@Erinn 100% agree about the comedians and blaming bombing on PC culture. Sure sometimes it is true, but sometime you aren’t funny. Okay, some liked him telling them the HFP is racist. Okay I’ll agree, but what’s funny about screaming they are racist? Sure it’s shocking considering some were in the audience, but not really funny.
Now I will say the Felicity Huffman joke was funny, but of all the things he had to work with this is what he came up with? It was funny, but not really ground breaking. A mother went and did something really stupid and committed a crime to elevate her child and her stature. Honestly, it’s kind of sad and in the scheme of society it didn’t do much as it didn’t really change the system which made that a possible crime. Now I preferred the topic of the Apple and other jokes, but they weren’t as funny, and neither was the this audience is hypocritical about things either. Liked the topic but didn’t like him just screaming this is so. Please not as funny. He could have done better.
I liked when he called the HFP racist. And that the solution to the lack of women being nominated as directors and in other categories was to stop hiring them. Elephant in that mostly very white room where for the first time in history a woman won an Academy Award in Best Composition. How ridiculous is that?
Further to great points by @runcmc, I sincerely hope the Sussexes and Cambridges were watching. Unlikely though lol.
In his speech, didn’t Hanks say he had 5 kids? When did he get an extra kid?
He probably lost count.
I’m assuming the woman next to Colin is his significant other.
He’s including his daughter in law.
Well, that’s very sweet <3
He was amazing. Loved Ricky last night.
Agree. It’s honestly kind of brave to tell jokes that are for the TV audience that the in person audience will hate. But he was so on, calling them out for their hypocrisy on Harvey, Epstein, etc. He roasted Leo DiCaprio SO BAD that Leo’s face actually turned red and though he was laughing you could tell he was embarrassed.
The only one I didn’t like was the crude ones like Judi Dench…unnecessary. But the rest was brilliant. No one in the room was laughing because they’re not used to cracks in their privilege bubble and are normally surrounded by people praising them at all times.
He even called out the foreign press for being racist!!!! Say what you will, but I do think it took guts to say that to your employer.
They had Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg last year, and it was a boring disaster, I choose a guy who “doesn’t want to be here” but at least really pokes all these celebs with funny jokes.
I loved Sandra Oh last year!
When did Ricky Gervais get so many stans?!
I can’t believe people cape this hard for a man who thinks the n-word is a punchline.
I’m not a Stan, I wouldn’t even call myself a fan as I actively avoid Ricky. But what he said last night? Yeah, I’ll cheer him for saying that because it needed to be said. These are over-privileged wasters who were happy to associate with Weinstein and Epstein until the public at large caught on to what dirtbags those men are, then they couldn’t condemn them fast enough. They flit around in private planes going on endless pleasure trips, then get up and make speeches about voting in people who will protect the environment. Any principles they claim to have fly out the window when a large payday is on the table, and they’ll work for the worst of the worst if it gets them on screen or nominated.
^^ THIS. Gervais may be a hypocrite among hypocrites but this was far healthier than typical, banal award show dross.
Not a fan but he nailed the opening monologue. These are the same people that associated with Weinstein, Epstein, Singer, Woody Allen, Polanski, Les Moonves? ( Head of CBS), the head of Disney…should I go on? Scarlett Johnanssen still praises Woody Allen..so yeah, he nailed the opening monologue. They’re all hypocrites.
And what about the marginalized people in that room? The ones whose wealth and fame doesn’t help shield them from inequality and oppression. Do they deserve to get “told off” too? Because the last time I checked that’s all Gervais does, criticize without action. Am I supposed to applaud a man who will makes pointed jokes and then go home to his own wealth and privilege? All while making light of slurs that I’ve heard all my life?
Please, tell me again how I should praise this man for his “honesty”.
I’ve never seen him do anything before. Only vaguely know who he is. I just watched the video above and thought it was biting, true, and very very funny. Does that make me a Stan? Because I laughed at something said by a someone that has also apparently said problematic things? I don’t have Twitter but maybe I ought to get it so I can check who said what before I laugh at anything.
I mean, I don’t know how helpful it is to use Twitter as a barometer for comedy, but maybe you could use Google more to help with your general ignorance?
I see your point, Aang. Laugh away. And no, you don’t need Twitter to vet what you laugh at.
Honestly it’s blowing my mind. People here are reaaly conscious of racism when discussing the DofS but somehow a man who thinks the n word is a joke is brilliant.
I guess we’re always just a punchline to people, no matter how woke they seem. I’m sure the people who called my father the n word also thought he should take a joke.
He’s the poster child for hypocrisy. He has no business telling people off for performance wokeness when he’s still out here being offensive while benefiting from the same industry they are.
@Marty people are fine with his humor as long as they are not the target. He punches down and he’s at a point in his career that the has nothing to prove or lose so he doesn’t care (or so he claims). He’s the epitome of peak white privilege: first letting all us know what is and isn’t racist but then proceeds to lecture the audience not to speak about politics because they don’t know anything.
I’m ambivalent about him on most days, because I know this is his schick. But I’m not going to fall in line to give this man a cookie because he’s criticizing rich, privileged people while wearing a $1000 suit and then going home to his mansion so he can laugh about using racial slurs.
I can’t believe how many people are saying they love him and that he was funny last night! Were we watching the same show?
Grossed out by people right now. Like laugh at whatever you want but don’t expect everyone else to join in…especially when this douche was crying about a Gillett commercial not long ago. But yeah..don’t use your speech for politics. He’s the epitome of hypocrisy and fragility. He’s not funny either.
I’m with you, but maybe for another reason. I’ll admit I will laugh at things I probably shouldn’t, especially in private, but either I’ve changed or grown or something but I didn’t find him funny. I’m dumbstruck at the amount of people on here who did, especially considering how woke a lot of the posts seem.
Unlike a lot on here, I also just try to enjoy a performance not all the background with it. I mean I can see a Woody Allen, Brian Singer or Harvey Weinstein movie and not put all their crap on it. I appreciate everyone’s opinion who can’t partake in that, but that is just not me. Maybe cause I know how many other people help create a work. To me it would be a shame to discount their hard work for others.
Going by Twitter, it looks like Ted Cruz is a new stan. So when Ted Cruz approves of your comedy, that pretty much should tell you all you need to know.
@Marty, there are a lot of people out there that really WISH they could use the N-word, so the very rich men who do so are their heroes.
THIS!
Wild that using slurs that a KKK member would have thrown around 70 years ago (and now) makes one an “edgy” comedian. Maybe next year they can see if Don Trump Jr is free, if that’s considered clever.
He was amazing. So was TH!
Tom Hanks is always amazing. His speech last night…!! (I sent it to my older nephew, who’s studying acting in college).
Yeah Tom Hanks speech was so lovely
What was so funny were all these headlines I saw before the awards show about him taking on the Hollywood elite. Um, isn’t he part of that group? He’s a rich straight white male so he’s privileged by default. He’s been a successful comedian for over 25 years. Like Chappelle, he doesn’t care or need to be mainstream anymore because he’s got a built in fan base. I didn’t even bother to watch because I knew he would be terrible.
What I’m finding hilarious is that conservative idiots like Charlie Kirk are cheering the monologue and embracing Gervais as if he is one of them and all the Kirk minions are ecstatic. They’re in for a shock.
That’s what I find funny too…they’re in for a shock.
Why would they be in for a shock? He’s “anti-PC culture”, which means insulting women and minorities and then thinking its “equal” to tell a joke about straight white men too (since you know, they’ve been so oppressed).
They’re the same sort of hateful people, I’m sure Charlie Kirk loved it.
He’s an athiest that believes in climate change and an animal rights activist. That’s why their minds will implode.
The fact jerks like Kirk are celebrating Gervais just goes to prove Gervais is trash, imo.
Ted Cruz too, if people really want to know who’s side they’re ending up on.
I totally agreed with his joke that if ISIS had a streaming service, everyone in the room would work for it.
So would Ricky.
I actually liked it(even though its tiring that he’s constantly saying I dont want to be there or whatever) I mostly like his truthful words about Amazon,Netflix and how people use their acceptance time for political statements!!
The whole irony being that these showbiz people celebrating and having glamorous parties whilst the world is burning/ upcoming ww3…etc!
Meh. His routine was pretty lazy last night and that alone is enough to give him a pass.
He was amazing. Love him.
I’m not a Ricky fan in general, but his monologue last night was really good, IMO. The only part of it I didn’t like was the Judi Dench joke, because that was just not necessary and not funny, but everything else was pretty much dead on. People in the room didn’t think it was funny because it was so dead on. They don’t want to be reminded of “issues” with various companies when they want those companies to hire and pay them.
I HOWLED at the Epstein/Prince Andrew joke, and the Leo joke was really good – even Leo cracked up at it!
I think the whole “I am too cool for this” persona was tiresome, since clearly he’s not too cool for it since he was doing it, but his actual monologue? Nailed it.
Leo laughing at the joke shows that he really doesn’t care what people talk about, meaning he will keep dating young girls.
He turned red though! He never does normally. I think that was nervous laughter and he was embarrassed. He’s still gonna date 20 year olds though.
Tom Hanks is the exact opposite in every way from Ricky Gervais and sums up why white men DON’T have to be problematic. His speech was an ode to how he wasn’t too cool for the room, how other people were crucial to his success, how professionalism is critical and it is a beautiful thing.
There’s a reason that Tom Hanks is beloved.
I’m tired of middle-aged white men telling other people to shut up.
My main problem is his delivery — that martyred attitude of “I’m telling you the hard truths, don’t blame me, you’re just not ready for it.” Like, dude, you are part of that showbusiness elite class that you seem to hate. You’ve profited and benefited from the machine. And you *delight* in being an a-hole, so don’t act like it’s a hair shirt you must wear.
His comments about big tech companies were good, but “massive capitalist companies behaving badly” is not exactly a clever or trailblazing observation.
This was my thought. That he was criticizing them for being part of an ecosystem that he is also very much part of and benefits from. That glaring fact sorta took the edge off, lol.
Thank you! He is literally only hosting because he plays the game enough to be at that level of notoriety. That is actually the funniest thing about him.
“I’m tired of middle-aged white men telling other people to shut up.”
Thank you! This is exactly my problem with dingbats like Gervais… you don’t get to tell people to stop talking. Ever. I’m soooooo tired of this “Hollywood needs to shut up cause they’re hypocrites” and “Hollywood needs to entertain, not talk politics” garbage.
Hollywood folks are people too, and tax payers who have the right to free speech. Stop trying to insult them into giving that up.
Also, if rich Hollywood types can’t speak out, who can? There are a lot of lower class folks who can’t speak out or can’t get politically active for various reasons (like losing their jobs). It’s only right that those with the privilege speak out for those that can’t. Stop acting like that’s some crime. Yes, it’s hypocritical in a lot of ways, but doesn’t mean it’s untrue. My folks were hypocrites who told me to eat veggies as a kid, even though they didn’t. Should I have ignored them as hypocrites?
Gervais is garbage.
Yup. Agree with you 100%.
(Except The Ricky said garbage part 😉)
Just out of curiosity, do you eat vegetables now, Rapunzel?
if hollywood people are people too who have the right to speak freely then people who disagree with them have that right too.
Yeah, I’m fairly neutral to Gervais. Sometimes he nails it for me, other times he doesn’t. He can be very funny when he puts his mind to it. However, the extent to which his “outsider looking in” persona at these functions is earnest, I’m skeptical. He’s been in the business a long time. He’s likely interacted with some of these #MeToo monsters, himself. That’s the only real criticism I have of his approach – can you really be the blunt, humbling voice if you’re benefiting from that industry, too?
@Tuntmore, VERY well said. It was absurd to see Gervais acting like he was doing Hollywood such a favour by showing up. He wasn’t hosting the Oscars or the SAG awards. He was the host of the GOLDEN GLOBES. Every year he claims he ‘doesn’t care’ but every year they ask him, he comes back. Either he’s hard up for work or he’s DESPERATE for attention. Pathetic.
This year my family and town was traumatized by climate change, I stand with Australians as they face this apocalyptic new reality. Ricky was Ricky last night and I think we needed that, no BS whilst the world is grappling with monumental change and disruption.
I hate his ass and his fake I don’t care attitude and like he is above the entire room, but his calling out of the studios/ companies was on point. Apple really do have sweatshops in China, a regime that is repressing and killing people. And constantly violates workers’ rights. In general the current political climate gives way to a lot of fake righteousness, it is easier to feel morally superior when you have Trump family running the country, but really we all should start by doing better ourselves in our immediate surrounding. For example why is the nasty Tarantino praised all around? Or why Woody Allen is still the best of friends of some of the nominees, etc. And yes, a lot of people are trying to do the right thing, many in the room do make meaningful and important stories but the mayor companies did deserve to be called out. The Harvey Weinsteins of the world would not exist if they did not have the protection of their companies driven by profit
He was freaking hilarious and I loved his bluntness and willingness to take down this self-congratulatory nonsense down. I don’t watch the show but watched his monologue on YouTube and it was too enjoyable to watch. Particularly when he told them they have no idea about the real world and that they’re in no position to comment on politics. The Greta Thunberg comment was too good.
I mean I kind of dug him calling out the actors as being hypocritical for being political but at the same time working with corporations like amazon etc. But it also made it pretty awkward for the rest of the evening.
But I do agree that his “I dont care” attitude gets tired quickly. Like, if you really didnt care Ricky…you wouldnt be here.
The “I don’t care” schtick was part of the routine…
He was hilarious!
I’m a huge fan of a Ringer Podcast called The Big PIcture, hosted by film critic Sean Fennessey, and he and cohost Amanda Dobbins put it succinctly by stating simply that the HFPA seem not to be reading the temperature of the room, so to speak, by asking Ricky Gervais to return, and that RG seems to be clawing at what fragile, dissipating relevance he may or may not still maintain. I preferred the Sandra Oh/Andy Samberg approach, but honestly, it is true that the entire operation is tone-deaf in light of a world 1. on fire 2. on the brink of war and 3. reckoning with the deafening death-rattle of the white, male, cisgender, patriarchal hegemony. I don’t know, man. Everything feels f*cked.
It’s weird to see so many comments defending him, saying his monologue was amazing for calling out the “hypocritical” and “sheltered” actors — if people have such bad opinions of the Hollywood in-crowd, why oh WHY did they spend an entire night watching a ceremony dedicated to reinforcing that whole system? Watching, or in any way caring about the GG, is just as much a kind of support for those corporations and that whole machine as acting, without the added bonus of it being part of your job. It reminds me of those kids who sneer they’re not sheep and then shop at Hot Topic.
Because I like to look at pretty dresses while I fold laundry. I’m not proud.
I don’t like him, but I liked that he called these people out. They’re hypocritical privileged people who like to point fingers at everything, you know? They will pretend to be woke while working with disgusting people. Or they will talk about the environment while traveling by private jet. He said what many people would like to say.
He was hilarious and on point!! Love him.
Agreed! I thought he was refreshing! I laughed and he was excellent!
That was funny as hell and so true. Gervais is great.
What was the point of the Vegan meal when we all know they don’t actually eat the food at the awards. That food probably all went in the trash at the end of the night. If they care so much about the environment don’t take private jets to travel down the road ! Also, how about all the limo’s that were used last night. Most of those huge limo’s had only two people in them ! They are all hypocrites to the fullest.
Sorry, you’re wrong — he was brilliant!
Loved the opening. I still think he’s funny.
I once knew a woman who was a big Ricky Gervais fan. She was a super judgmental casual racist and really into yoga. Which, when I think about it, makes complete sense.
I could not love this comment more.
I call it NINO — Namaste-ing In Name Only.
He may have lost the room but he won with me. He doesn’t pander to the millionaires and billionaires in the room, he’s speaking to the people watching at home. Loved it and laughed out loud.
“he’s speaking to the people watching at home”
And he’s getting paid very, very handsomely by the same millionaires those people work for and then he goes out and attends private drinking parties with those same millionaires wearing a suit that’s probably worth double of someone’s income somewhere in the world.
It just blows my mind people love him so much for “calling out the hypocrisy” when all those critcisms could be thrown his way as well.
Well, it’s unlikely that an underpaid social justice activist will be hired to host the Golden Globes. He had a platform and said stuff that ought to be said. I was entertained by it and appreciated it.
ricky was awesome, really funny opening monologue
Last night Ricky Gervais showed the world that he’s the Melania Trump of comedy.
I think it’s amazing and says a lot about the world we live in that so many people think a bunch of MOVIE STARS need to be told off. Are the people who take so much joy in Gervais’ lackluster performance last night as quick to contact their elected officials. Do they even VOTE?
Look at the top movies in the world right now. Folks aren’t going to thought-provoking pictures about man’s inhumanity to man. They’re going to watch the latest Star Wars sequel and then arguing online about whether or not an Asian actress ‘belongs’. Billions of dollars are thrown at studios for sequels and remakes (NOT the actors, who make a tiny fraction of what their work brings in), but HOLLYWOOD is the problem?
To me, most of the faces in the room didn’t register shock and horror. The people in the room looked bored and annoyed. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to sit there under those lights and listen to a man prattle on about how he didn’t care enough to do his job.
There was a huge gap in the show where it seemed like Gervais had disappeared. And the show got along fine. Presenters came and went. People won their awards and gave their speeches. There were several inspired moments and Ricky Gervais wasn’t involved in any of them.
Gervais only had ONE moment, in my opinion and that was his Harvey Weinstein comment. And he cowardly saved that for the end to guarantee they wouldn’t toss his pudgy ass out earlier in the show.
ricky (and especially his goddamg twitter account) have been getting on my nerves in the past few years, taintaing my appreciation for his earlier work.
that said, his show ‘after life’ on netflix was quite good and that weinstein jab at the end of the night… i lived AND died for it.
Exactly. Like most commenters here, I absolutely loved his speech. It was hilarious and changemakers are supposed to make rooms uncomfortable with truths about the reality and responsibility everyone holds in effecting actual change. I think we need MORE of these kinds of public speakers in widely watched arenas such as award shows. Full support, he was excellent.
I’m a big fan of awards shows and I prefer them when they’re funny, not stuffy and boring. I had forgotten that Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg hosted last year, probably because it was forgettable I guess.
I laughed out loud at most of Ricky’s jokes last night and I enjoyed the whole show in general.
That being said, I do think he comes off as arrogant in interviews and I’m uncomfortable with him using the n-word in that show with Louis CK. There’s no excuse for that.
Ricky Gervais is the main reason most people talk about this pathetic, outdated, tiresome awards show.
He was brilliant and a breath of fresh air.
+1
Oh look, the person who searches his name on twitter, blocking anyone critical of him including people with 3 followers told everyone he does not care. This same guy who seek out people with favorable opinions on Greta Thunberg and makes silly counterpoint told out the winners to keep the politics to themselves. He is practically just Piers Morgan at this point. I bet he is reading the comments here, hi Ricky.
Not just reading them- paying for a certain percent.
I didn’t watch and I have no intention to. I can’t stand Ricky and how he demands people grow thicker skins and get over his jokes when he’s the most fragile one of all.
And I’m sorry but people can be so easy to impress. Oh, he said a joke about rich people being hypocrites for advocating for climate change? How many times have I heard that joke in my life? I think he might be exactly the thousandth person I’ve heard say it. Oh, wait, I didn’t actually watch the show. So that’s still 999.
And keep in mind Gervais is just as priviledged and white as all the people he was making fun of. Idk if he’s just as rich but he’s a lot richer than you too. So don’t treat him as some kind of hero for the people.
That’s what makes me laugh about him – it’s all “you people are such fragile snowflakes, grow a thicket skin” and then most of his comedy is reading out mean things people tweeted about him that he’s crying about
I don’t think he’s a hero. He can drive home in a private fleet of SUVs and suck on plastic straws, but I’m still glad he said what he said.
The transphobic tweets and racist tweets suck. Having said that I appreciate Ricky and think he is enormously talented and funny. I appreciate irreverence but there are lines he’s crossed he shouldn’t. He’s a humanist, a vegetarian and he loves his cat. I liked his show Afterlife on Netflix too. The Judi Dench joke was uncalled for and gross. I guess I’m conflicted.
Why does Ricky get a pass though? Other celebs who tweeted racist or homophobic tweets had their careers ended. I don’t understand who/what decides that one celeb gets a pass and another doesn’t.
His awful trans jokes aside, I loved him last night. He brought the self importance of the room down and he absolutely murdered Apple.
He literally called Hollywood a bunch of pedophiles and told them to get off their soapboxes. What is not to love? Hahahahaha.
Apparently being racist and transphobia is ok….making jokes about Actors crosses the line.
Interesting to compare his monologue with Jon Stewart’s at the Oscars in (2004?) JS, arguably more beloved than RG, said pretty much the same thing, called the people in the room “out of touch” and was absolutely harangued for it and never invited back. 15 yrs later RG says much the same thing and is mostly praised. (FTR, I liked both.) World is changing!
I think Ricky Gervais is a shitty person…but did a great job last night.
Funny!
The videos won’t work in my country, depressing !
Or mine.
Everyone knows the kind of jokes he makes. I don’t know why Tom Hanks was pretending to be shocked. Like, duh, this is not the first time he’s been mean. Maybe Tom Hanks thinks it’s okay to make fun of Katie Holmes instead of Felicity Huffman.
To be fair, we’d probably think the celebrities were mean if they laughed along. But, again, duh, this is what he does all the time. Stop pretending to be shocked he’s capable of being mean. At least Leonardo DiCaprio had the good sense not to look shocked when he was made fun of.
First, I envy you gals for being able to sit through celebrity awards. I get online the next day for opinions and brevity lol. I didn’t read everything in this post, and I can’t stand RG (almost didn’t watch that clip), but that was entertaining. I think he nailed it and ticked some of my own boxes concerning industry frustrations.
I thought he was funny and took the piss out of some people/things that deserved it.
I loved Ricky Gervais. His whole “I’m so bored, I’m over this” schtick was perfect. I loved that he has no qualms going after everyone and anyone. I don’t care if it’s political or celebrity-related.
THAT’S why the Hollywood Foreign Press hires him. No one watched or commented last year when Sandra and Andy hosted. Heck, I didn’t even bother to watch. And that’s what the show needs. People on twitter and on blogs going nuts over the host – either pro or against.
No one hires Gervaise for tasteful jokes and comedy. That’s what Tina Fey and Amy Pohler are for.
Good grief yes, let it be the end. 🤞
Why? He was great.
I’m pretty sure people are talking about his monologue & digs at celebs & award shows more than anything else. I am tired of seeing the same people at every one of them & we all know that they are the biggest hypocrites around. The Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein, Brian Singer, CBS, Fox, NBC & ABC stories are just some of the perfect examples.
I’m no fan of his, but it needed to be said. They all think because they’re rich and famous they know better. They don’t.
I think many Americans don’t “get” English humour. Brits love to take the piss out of people, to mock, tease and ridicule them. Standing in front of a room full of self-congratulatory Hollywood big-wigs is just too much of a temptation for Ricky to mind his manners and make cutesy, inoffensive jokes that cater to all the big egos. Yes he is a hypocrite — he’s rich, white and tries wayyyy too hard to appear *controversial* (sort of like an English Howard Stern) — but his skewering of self-important, smug movie stars and sweat-shop big business was GREAT.
Oh, we get it. It’s just not funny.
I’m so over Ricky and his schtick. The Dench joke wasn’t about her licking her ass which made it over the line and just gross. Which I suppose is his thing. There were a couple of funny ones as you pointed out but the whole I DGAF is boring.
So what if people think award shows are pointless. For some it’s a genuine moment to be recognized in a fun atmosphere even it’s by people who shouldn’t really be judging this sort of thing but who cares. If you don’t want to watch or be part of it then don’t. But don’t host the fucking thing and then act so bored that you just suck all the fun out of it. For the first time I don’t think it was an act from Gervais and that made it horrible. But if they hire him again – and let’s face it, he’s hired, he’s not just “invited” then the Globes should explain why they also DGAF.
For the record, the international feed was not bleeped at all.
I understand why some people don’t like him but he’s playing a role when he “performs”. Last night it was a “I don’t want to be here and you are all hypocrites” performance. Some jokes failed but most were on the mark and funny….maybe not his best but still enjoyable.
I found his interview with Sam Harris (on “Making Sense” pod cast) really good…it showed who he actually is as a person and how he approaches comedy.
EXACTLY
He nailed it! It was hilarious and really funny..it made me to rewatch his gems from previous years and to laugh so hard (“that’s it for tonight and from myself and Mel Gibson shalom!” 😂😂😂
I also think Americans can’t get Bristish/European humour..but so Europeans don’t get SNL..I am mostly confused why snl regarded to be funny
His adopted persona is not my thing and I’m not a fan of his comedy.
But I can still appreciate jokes that call out hypocrisy and problematic behavior.
Yes, it’s hypocritical. But an “average,” non-famous person will never be invited to host. The elite rich are going to be asked to host. So should they all keep quiet because they have money, too?
How he tries to lecture the Hollywood elite when he himself is a Hollywood elite is so hypocritical. He needs to step off.
I thought he was absolutely hilarious. I don’t have an opinion on him as a person; I don’t know enough about him to form one. But that speech was pretty hysterical. I loved it. I thought it was relevant and a spot on commentary about Hollywood.
My biggest thing about it is that we basically have hypocrites praising a hypocrite for calling out hypocrites.
Rich celebrities aren’t the reason why companies like Disney, Apple, or Facebook have so much power. It’s the millions of citizens, many in this post and myself included, that patronize those businesses in spite of what we know. You think Sandra Bullock is ordering the newest Iphone in bulk or that Apple has to use underpaid labor to get to a price point that she can afford?
They’re also on the average just as smart as the average populace (not very) with the added exception that in their stupidity, they manage to generate an enormous amount of taxable income which is more than a town of non-famous idiots will ever do.
So I’m not going to give him a gold star for going to the whole “Us vs. Them” well when “Us” has clearly been more detrimental to the country (Hello Trump,Bush, dead Bush, Reagan) than them.
Loved it. Ricky was hilarious as usual.
It wasn’t an artsy Thing. It’s just who he is. He is very selfaware and wanted to Show those Hollywood people who they are. I actually do think he’s witty and funny. I guess Americans that believe in god probably feel offended by him. I find him hilarious.