MISS THE POINT MUCH? LA Times Embarrasses Itself (Even More) With Tirade Against Ricky Gervais

Comedian Ricky Gervais gutted Hollywood on Sunday with a scathing, eight-minute deconstruction of everything the gathered limousine liberals hold dear. Nearly every outlet in America praised Gervais for finally tearing down the bleeding heart phonies who decry climate change on awards shows, then jet around the world and lounge on mega-yachts off Cannes.

But not the Los Angeles Times. No, the paper of the super elite was distraught — weepy and heartbroken — over his “gloom-and-doom monologue so cynical it made the effervescent Tom Hanks scowl.”

“The last thing anyone needed was for the smirking master of ceremonies to reprimand them for having hope, or taunt the room for trying to use their influence to change things for the better,” wrote television critic Lorraine Ali in a piece headlined, “Politics reigned at the Golden Globes. Too bad Ricky Gervais didn’t notice.”

The piece went on to cite the numerous political statements made by people who make millions pretending to be other people. During the three-hour-plus show, in which celebrities gushingly gave out awards to other celebrities, the stars commented on everything from abortion and climate change to President Trump and diversity and veganism.

At the outset, Gervais had mocked the glitterati for chiming in on issues they know nothing about. He was harsh, but succinct (saying something that nearly every viewer — from either side of the aisle — could get behind): “If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a political 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 f*ck off. OK?”

It’s an awards show, people.

Right after Gervais finished his diatribe, the camera cut to Hanks, who made this face:

May I present, the first viral meme of 2020 #GoldenGIobes #TomHanks pic.twitter.com/oIHkN9816m

— Austin Noll (@AustinNoll_) January 6, 2020

Not exactly a scowl, as Ali said, but more like a Hanksian, “hoo boy.” Ali wrote that “Meryl Streep shook her head. Eddie Murphy refused to smile. Quentin Tarantino looked more disturbed than usual.” Aww. The TV critic also noted that Gervais rained on the parade of “the crowd of A-listers who’d looked eager to get the party started until he stepped onstage.” Double aww.

Ali, though, seemed not all that concerned about the celebrities’ political messages being overshadowed, writing at one point that: “The most notable moment aside from a few awards upsets was the late arrival of Jay-Z and Beyoncé. The pair stood back during [SNL cast member] Kate McKinnon’s moving tribute to [Ellen] DeGeneres before taking their seats, but they at least provided a high-voltage moment in a room full of star power.”

Wow. Now that’s the moment of the night. Much more important than veganism.

The Trump-hating site The Independent also got in on the whinefest with a piece headlined, “Ricky Gervais cheapened the Golden Globes – but worse he overshadowed vital political statements.”

“Gervais really did come across as an idiotic clapping monkey – grabbing your attention but for what you’re not really sure,” wrote Jo Murch. “And oh the nastiness! It made Tom Hanks – that classic and humble reminder of old Hollywood – turn in disgust, birthing the first real meme of 2020.”

“Presenting Gervais, like a teenager acting up to shock his parents, is a step in totally the wrong direction. It sends out the message that Hollywood is a place with no morals or respect,” Murch wrote.

But that was exactly the point of Gervais’s scathing monologue! It’s an award show. Winners should thank all who helped them along the way, talk about their craft (a craft that Americans truly love), and vamoose. No one needs actors who dropped out of high school because they were pretty or handsome to lecture them on politics or abortion or climate change or (especially) veganism.

That The Times and The Independent were butthurt over Gervais’s comments proves exactly what he said: “You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything, you know nothing about the real world.”

And neither does the Los Angeles Times.