Golden Globes 2011: Ricky Gervais Was Too Nasty, Cruel
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The 2011 Golden Globe Awards were held last night, January 16, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, with Ricky Gervais on hosting duties. Though he did give fair warning of the jokes he’d make, his humor still proved too much for some.
Starting from the first moments of the ceremony, Gervais managed to get people in the audience a bit confused as to whether they were expected to laugh at the jokes or be offended by them.
In the end, as the video below will also show, many of them chose not to applaud and just stand there frozen-faced. Some, though, like Robert de Niro and Tina Fey, were clearly amused.
Still, that doesn’t change the fact that Gervais didn’t know how to work the crowd, PopEater says. Instead of making surprising and easy jokes, he went for clichés and nasty humor.
In his opening monologue alone (which you can see below), he included the who’s who of celebrity world, giving voice to what bloggers have been saying for months about stars like Charlie Sheen, Tom Cruise and films like “SATC 2” and “The Tourist.”
While some are defending Gervais saying British humor is more direct, several media outlets, like PopEater, believe he crossed the line of common sense and good taste, reveling in nastiness.
Take for instance the joke he made about “The Tourist,” of which he said it was the only thing in 2010 not to come in 3D because it had one-dimensional, bad characters.
While there’s no denying that the film was a commercial and critical flop, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie are not exactly actors that can be mocked in such a cheap manner. Depp was obviously affected by the joke, even though he tried to hide it beneath a smile.
However, PopEater believes the most offensive jab was the one about Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, who play lovers in “I Love You Philip Morris,” and of whom Gervais said they were straight dudes playing gays.
“So the complete opposite of some Scientologists, then,” he added, taking a swing at an absent Tom Cruise. He tried to cushion the blow by saying he’d written this line with help from his lawyers.
The problem with Gervais as host was that he did not know who to pick on, PopEater believes.
‘Here was the problem with Gervais’ jokes: He didn’t play to the room. Ricky went after soft targets with some hard jokes,” the e-zine says.
“There’s a reason every Oscar host gives Jack Nicholson hell every year – it’s because Jack laughs back from behind his shades and knows how to play along. Most of the time at last night’s awards, no one was laughing with or at Ricky,” PopEater writes.
If you didn’t see the entire ceremony, below is Ricky Gervais’ opening monologue. Watch it and judge for yourself whether it was too nasty for the Golden Globes.
His irreverence was hilarious and he did what celebrities are supposed to be doing..entertaining their audience. He was the only reason I turned this show on. These dime a dozen glitzy award shows take themselves way too seriously.
Comment #5 by: Stephen Merchant on 17 Jan 2011, 11:33 UTC
Gervais was a total fool, rude arrogant
and made many enemies. I thought
he was the most repulsive host I have
ever witnessed. Have the producers
gone totally mad to put this fool British * on. Gervais has ruined
his connections totally in Hollywood.
And I hope Charlie Sheen meets him on the street someday he will deserve
anything he gets.
Comment #8.1 by: Truth_Hz on 17 Jan 2011, 15:19 GMT
Ha ha talk about over sensitive, no wonder there's so much gun crime in the US!!
Comment #8.2 by: LaughinginCanada on 17 Jan 2011, 16:03 GMT
I thought Gervais was VERY funny, as always. And I think Truth_Hz response about gun violence is PERFECT.
You all need to chill out in the US...take it with a grain of salt and laugh every once in awhile...not everything is a friggen attack.
Comment #8.3 by: spektator on 03 Feb 2011, 09:47 GMT
Too bad mr. Sheen didn't follow the Bush doctrine and make a pre-emptive strike. He could have made jokes about Ricky instead... in his funeral.
Let's hope the hosts know better than to invite him back next year. Hopefully, they provided Tums for this year so that the guests could ameliorate the acid build-up from his off-color, caustic "jokes". I did enjoy Robert Downey's response.
Comment #10 by: Truth_Hz on 17 Jan 2011, 15:17 UTC
Just goes to show if it isn't slapstick playground humor the yanks don't get it..
Comment #10.1 by: drywall on 17 Jan 2011, 15:51 GMT
Yeah, it seems there's more than we Yanks imagined about the Brits that we just "dont
get". I'm still trying to "appreciate " their whole approach and attitude toward BP's fouling
up the Gulf Coast last April.
Comment #10.2 by: Truth_Hz on 17 Jan 2011, 16:03 GMT
You mean the BP that is only 40% owned by british Investors and is also 40% owned by US investors? you might want to look a bit closer to home for your "enemies" and look through what is only a company name or is that too difficult for you as well?
Comment #10.3 by: buns on 17 Jan 2011, 17:05 GMT
hahaha! Drywall you were owned,fool! Yanks are unintentionally hillarious with their uptight attitude.
Comment #10.4 by: Icdedppul on 17 Jan 2011, 22:59 GMT
Oh yes, and British humor is not at all slapstick or playground with the likes of Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served or that Hill character. Such clever grownup humor there.
I agree totally. Gervais was nasty, mean spirited and absent of any grace even if the is and joke about the Golden Globes in the industry. He just seemed very hateful. The whole event seemed so uncomfortable and ugly.
Comment #11.1 by: drywall on 17 Jan 2011, 18:09 GMT
Yes, I do mean THAT BP. And you managed to either miss ( or sidestep ) the point of my
above post : the British response to the mess, and yes, that would include Tony Hayward.
Bravo for you!
Comment #11.2 by: lily on 17 Jan 2011, 18:17 GMT
well put and totally agree
Comment #11.3 by: Icdedppul on 17 Jan 2011, 22:55 GMT
Agreed. Everyone seemed so completely put off and uncomfortable. He bombed and with any luck, he'll take himself back to Britain where rudeness is acceptable.
I thought he was funny. Granted the Tourist jab was a bit beyond my taste, because I actually enjoyed the film. He did not say anything that has not been speculated or even made public knowledge. If the Hollywood crowd cannot stand negative spotlight, then they need to keep themselves out of the tabloid limelight. KD
He was brilliant! In award shows filled with narcissists, he was able to put some much needed perspective in the much to do about nothing! I continued to tune in just to hear what he would say next! Bravo!!
I don't watch these because they are so boring and a bunch of Hollywood people patting themselves on the back. I wish I had seen it though. With Ricky Gervais as the host, it would keep me from falling asleep. Get a funny bone people and quit being so * sensitive.
Did anyone really think "The Tourist" was good? Just because good actors are in a movie doesn't make the movie good or worth any award.
I thought he was funny Did he really say anything everyone hasn't already said behind closed doors or in whispers? Please they were jokes. get off your high horse He was funny
I loved Ricky in the movie Ghost Town but every thing else I have seen him in has been very disappointing. The only person who does humor by putting people down and does it well is Kathy Griffin. I could watch her all day. That stuff coming out of Ricky's mouth wasnt funny at all. What kind of persons think that stuff is funny is very scary. And from the looks of the comments here, there are a few who think that stuff is funny. Very sad.
Comment #24 by: Icdedppul on 17 Jan 2011, 22:48 UTC
Gervais' rude comments were irresponsible and unecessary in this day of a call to civility. He obviously lacks a clever wit and intelligence needed to pull off being a truly gifted and classy comedian.
I am not easily shocked or offended. In fact it can be nearly impossible to shock or offend me. Neither am I big on "banning" or "boycotting" things or people for there ideas or statements...But last night, I made up my mind early on in the broadcast of the Golden Globes that I would never attend or watch at home another movie casting Ricky Gervais and will give up on watching the award shows I look forward to every year if they are foolish enough to have him host or even present and award in the future. It was almost as if he had already been told he would never be asked by anyone to appear on anything again so he wanted to be as big a * to EVERYONE as he could. (like some disgruntled employee) Pitiful...
I think this "ricki" or whoever he is was way too hard on these wonderful actors and actresses! And his last comment really made me angry. This is America and "In God We Trust" may not be the motto from where he's from but in America we trust in God so he can just sail his little boat back across the pond!
I think that host needs to sail back across the pond to where he came from. What a POS!!!! In God We Trust is what this country stands for. If this guy ever gets a job in the US again, shame on us!
surprised at rob downey taking offense, thought he was cooler than that..many celebs put themselves out there for ridicule with the antics some of them get up to..it shows great character to laugh at ones self, alas most of the so called a-listers possess none ironically.....except de niro he seemed to lap it up.....now thats an actor!!
It was VERY funny. He was playing the part he played in "The invention of lying" before lies came into the picture! He was saying the precise truth! And it was funny as hell!
Comment #31 by: BayAreaGuy on 19 Jan 2011, 03:03 UTC
Who the hell is this person to present trueisms about "how Johnny Depp really felt"? Of course it's uncomfortable to be roasted by Ricky. It should be because he's good at it. I still doubt that mr. Depp went home and wept. He probably laughed about it later.
As for the whole "distasteful" and "mean-spirited" gang, all I can say is: If there ever was a crowd in need of a sarcastic view/perspective on themselves, it was the crowd at the Golden Globes. Is it really important for you people to protect their halfgod-like aura, or do you realize that pointing out the elephant in the room was exactly what made Gervais' performance genious?
I can just picture some sad over-hyped celebrity sitting in the audience all dressed up in $150k outfit thinking: "No, mr. Gervais! You're making baby Jesus cry!"
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