14 DAY TRIAL // A couple of days ago, British comedian Ricky Gervais said that, despite the controversy around this year’s Golden Globes, organizers wanted him back for a third time, in 2012. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is now calling his bluff on that.
Not only did they not ask Ricky back for another year, says a spokesperson for the HFPA, but this is nothing short but a campaign to get his name in the running, leading the public to put pressure on the organizers.
Gervais said the other day that the HFPA wanted him back but he didn’t know whether he should accept the offer because there was literally nothing more he could do for the Golden Globes in terms of ratings.
The HFPA boss issued a statement to deny this, blasting the comedian for what they believe is his failed attempt at getting the media and the public on his side in the hope of an invite for next year.
“Nice try, Ricky. There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back,” HFPA President ,' Philip Berk says, as cited by the Daily Mail.
All this time, Gervais sticks by his side of the story: a senior exec at NBC personally contacted him to let him know that, if he wanted it, the job as host of next year’s Golden Globes was practically his.
Should the HFPA formally ask him to come back, Gervais warns they shouldn’t expect him to tone down his jokes. On the contrary, actually.
“The TV show organizers said they were happy with everything and asked me to not rule out a third gig. However, it is not entirely up to them. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and various other committees need to meet and agree,” Gervais wrote on his blog by means of an explanation, the same Daily Mail informs.
“I have no idea if they want me back again. It depends whether they care about fifty delicate egos in the room or 200 million people watching at home who want a laugh,” he further writes.
Should an offer be made to him, he’ll consider it. If he accepts it, everybody involved should know he will be sparing no ego in his quest at entertaining the people at home, Gervais writes.
“But I’ll tell you this. If they do invite me back and I accept, I’m going to pull exactly the same [expletive] again and even worse. Once again, everyone has been warned,” the comedian concludes by saying.