Ricky Gervais has shared the brutal jokes he would have made if he was hosting the Golden Globes this weekend.
The comedian, 63, presented the awards ceremony for three consecutive years in 2010, 2011, and 2012 before returning to compère in 2016 and 2020. He is fondly remembered for making blunt quips at the expense of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
One day before comic Nikki Glaser becomes the first woman to host the Globes in its 82-year history, Gervais, who has advised the star to “be herself”, decided to come up with some jokes he’d have told in 2025 if he was fronting the ceremony again.
“Sat in the bath wondering about what I would say if I were hosting the Golden Globes on Sunday. It’s been a pretty good year for material,” the Office and After Life star wrote on X/Twitter.
Gervais, who is embarking on a UK comedy tour later this month, would have started his stint with: “Hello, and welcome to the 82nd Golden Globe awards. What a year it’s been. Hundreds of entertainers jumped at the chance to go to The Vatican to meet The Pope. Many from Hollywood. Obviously they weren’t content with only being part of the second biggest paedo ring in the world…”
He joked in a follow-up post: “Justin Timberlake was convicted of Drink Driving. If he’d have gone to jail, he’d have heard the words ‘Sexy Back’ a lot more often.”
Meanwhile, Gervais would have addressed the Sean “Diddy” Combs scandal with a joke involving diminutive actor Kevin Hart.
Gervais, showing his preference for non-PC wording, wrote: “Kevin Hart said that being at one of Diddy’s parties was uncomfortable, as he wouldn’t leave him alone. Eventually he had to shout ‘Imma Midget, not a child.’ [sic]”.
Combs was arrested in September on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, with federal prosecutors alleging that the music mogul and his associates threatened, abused and coerced women and others around him “to fulfill his sexual desires”. he has denied any wrongdoing.
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Among Gervais’ most candid comments during his stint hosting the Golden Globes were jokes aimed at Mel Gibson’s DUI and antisemitic rant, disgraced producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, and Angelina Jolie-Johnny Depp stinker The Tourist.
One year before the Golden Globes was boycotted due to organisation Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) lack of diversity among its members, Gervais quipped: “Many talented people of colour were snubbed in major categories. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about that because the Hollywood Foreign Press are all very, very racist.”
The HFPA has since improved its membership as well as enacted reforms designed to curtail what was described as unethical behaviour.
