Host Ricky Gervias opened the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards by blasting ‘woke’ Hollywood for being hypocritical and pandering to popular streaming sites.
While standing onstage at the International Ballroom Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, Gervias cautioned the star-studded crowd against making their acceptance speeches political.
‘You say you’re woke, but the companies you work for are unbelievable. Apple, Amazon, Disney – If ISIS started a streaming service you’d call your agent wouldn’t you. So if you do win an award tonight don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech, he said.
‘You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg. So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your god and then f**k off.
Back for more: It is the fifth time the 58-year-old comedian has emceed the gala as he has done previously from 2010 to 2012 and once again in 2016 (pictured)
He also took a jab at actress Felicity Huffman, who became caught up in the ‘Varsity Blues’ scandal.
‘But you all look lovely all dolled up,’ he began.
‘You came here in your limos. I came in a limo tonight and the license plate was made by Felicity Huffman,’ he continued, as the cameras panned to a shocked crowd.
He continued: ‘Its her daughter I feel sorry for. that must be the most embarrasing thing to happen to her and her dad was in Wild Hogs.’
‘Remember, they’re just jokes. We’re all going to die soon and there’s no sequel,’ he said before his eviscerating several guests.
It is the fifth time the 58-year-old comedian has emceed the gala as he has done previously from 2010 to 2012 and once again in 2016.
Leading up to the event the star revealed he regrets insulting Tim Allen with a joke he made during the Golden Globes, but stands by a controversial quip about transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner.
The 58-year-old British comedian sat down for a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter as he discussed the difficulty in balancing comedy with political correctness and Hollywood egos.
When asked if he had any particular targets for this year’s jokes, the comic insisted he wouldn’t be zeroing in on any one star.
‘I don’t think this time [any] individuals are [in the firing line],’ he said.
‘I think I’ll go after the general community.’
And when asked if there was anyone he regretted targeting for ridicule in the past, he admitted, ‘Yeah, Tim Allen.’
Gervais took a swipe at Allen when the Home Improvement star presented with Tom Hanks in 2011.
‘The first [presenter] is an actor, producer, writer, and director, whose movies have grossed over $3.5billion at the box office,’ Gervais said. ‘He’s won two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes for his powerful and varied performances. … The other is Tim Allen.’
Hanks hit back by saying: ‘Like many of you, we recall back when Ricky Gervais was a slightly chubby but very kind comedian.’
‘Neither of which is he now,’ Allen added.
He explained: ‘I think he took it wrong…I’m teasing Tim Allen. But anyone standing next to Tom Hanks, unless it’s Dustin Hoffman or Robert Redford or Robert De Niro, that could be me.
‘But it happened to be Tim Allen. And I have nothing against Tim Allen. He’s a good actor. He’s probably a nice bloke. So even though there’s no malice and I can justify it comedically and everyone laughed, I didn’t want Tim Allen to think, ‘Oh, that was written for me. Why me? Well, because you were standing next to Tom Hanks.”
Gervais also infamously poked fun at Caitlyn Jenner during his fourth time hosting the Golden Globes, in 2016.
When asked how he responds to accusations he is transphobic, he told the publication: ‘I just say I’m not [transphobic].’
The infamous 2016 gag involved Gervais quipping that while Jenner had ‘shown great bravery’ in openly transitioning into a woman, ‘she didn’t do a lot for women drivers’.
In February 2015, Jenner was involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle collision, in which one woman, Kim Howe, was killed.
Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges in the case.
However, the star of The Office claimed his joke was ‘misunderstood’.
‘I was very careful that the joke was about her being a bad driver. The joke was about stereotypes. I started off being correctly inclusive saying she’s brave, breaking down barriers. And then I [said] she didn’t do a lot for women drivers.’
When asked why he agreed to host the Golden Globes despite the criticism, Ricky answered simply: ‘Because it’s fun, it’s fun!’
‘That first time I did it, [I thought], “Do I pander to the 200 privileged egos in the room, or do I try and entertain a global audience of 200 million people sitting at home who aren’t winning awards?”‘
‘Well, no contest. I try and make it a spectator sport. I try and play the outsider,’ Ricky elaborated.
It could be Netflix’s big night as the streaming giant is up for several awards on the night with Marriage Story getting six nominations, The Irishman getting five and The Crown receiving two nods.
Marriage Story got the most nominations at the event, which was held at the Beverly Hills Hilton on Monday and non-Netflix movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood earned five nods.
Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver play parents on the verge of a divorce in director Noah Baumbach’s Netflix romantic dramedy, Marriage Story, which has been nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Motion Picture, to name a few.
Martin Scorsese’s latest masterpiece, The Irishman, nabbed two Supporting Actor nominations, as well as Best Screenplay, Director and Motion Picture.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood tells the story of TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), who make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore.
It is up for Best Director, Actor, Comedy/Musical, Screenplay and Best Motion Picture.
Phoebe Waller Bridge’s television show, Fleabag got THREE nominations, followed by The Crown and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel followed with two nominations apiece.
Andrew Scott features in the Best TV Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of the Priest in Waller-Bridge’s two series sit-com about the dating disasters of a sexually insatiable young woman living in London.
Waller-Bridge also, who won plaudit for her role as the show’s titular character, also features in the category for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
Elsewhere Killing Eve, co-written by Waller-Bridge and based on author Luke Jennings’ novel Codename Villanelle, takes a worthy spot in the category for Best Television Series – Drama.
Jodie Comer, the show’s leading lady, features in the category for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama.
The actress faces stiff competition from fellow Brit Olivia Colman, who gets a nod for her well-received portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, season three.
Jennifer Aniston also features for The Morning Show, while Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon go head to head in the same category for their roles in Big Little Lies.
Tom Hanks and Ellen DeGeneres will also be receiving special honors for their work in their respective fields.
Hanks, 63, will be receiving the honor of the Cecil B. DeMille Award which is an accolade for the film industry.
He has won four Golden Globes including for his acting in Big, Philadelphia, and Forrest Gump along with his directing for HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers.
DeGeneres, 61, earned the Carol Burnett Award which is the television equivalent of the DeMille Award but focuses on television.
The talk show host has won multiple Emmys and nominated for three Golden Globes. She has hosted her talk show – The Ellen DeGeneres Show – since 2003.
The awards show will also feature A-list presenters including Scarlett Johansson, Kerry Washington, and Charlize Theron.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association also announced that others hitting the stage and podium will include Sofia Vergara, Octavia Spencer, Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, Tiffany Haddish, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell, and Ted Danson.