As revealed in an interview he gave ahead of his famed fifth and final time hosting the Golden Globes Sunday, Ricky Gervais was well aware that his brutal rebuke of Hollywood virtue-signaling would result in some major blowback against him.
In the interview — which Gervais promoted on Twitter Wednesday after gaining hundreds of thousands of new followers and spending the days since his self-declared “last time” hosting the show having yet more fun at his critics’ expense — the comedian predicts that people are going to “hate” him for the jokes he was about to deliver on national television.
Asked by the interviewer how he’s feeling ahead of the awards show, Gervais responded with a sigh, “Regretting it.”
“I regretted it immediately, as soon as I said yes,” Gervais added. “I put the phone down and I went, ‘Why did I say yes? Christmas ruined! Now I’ve got to write jokes that people are going to hate me for. Why do I do it? Why do I do it?'”
Asked why he does do it, Gervais explained, “Because I suppose you’ve got to do things that scare you… This is my extreme sport. Some people jump off mountains; some people jump out of planes; some people go deep sea diving; some people jump over buses on a motorbike. I get up and say things.”
After laughing at himself, he explained that he doesn’t really get nervous ahead of events like this because he knows “what’s going to happen.”
“I know what’s going to happen,” he said. “Some people are going to love it. Some people are going to hate it. Some people are going to love everything except one thing. Some people are going to hate everything except one thing … Everyone’s different, so you’ve got to just go do your job and stand by it.”
Asked if the more “socially sensitive time” impacts how he approaches this kind of event, Gervais said grinning, “It’s a great time for comedy — because they’ve given away their hand.”
“You know, ten years ago when someone was offended by something, you looked into it, you went, ‘Oh, what have I done?'” he explained. “Now you go, ‘Everyone’s offended. Who cares?'”
“You know the same people that were offended last time are going to be offended this time,” he said, adding that there’s “a new thing to be offended about every year — same as the old thing.”
I was interviewed the day before The Golden Globes https://t.co/EaBqOeNimU
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 8, 2020
Since the show Sunday, Gervais has repeatedly posted tweets and retweets ridiculing the blowback from his relentless roasting of Hollywood for its hypocrisy, including the issues of sexual misconduct, corporate corruption and human rights abuses. In a tweet Wednesday, the self-described liberal took a moment to explain why he felt compelled to torch the industry.
“I didn’t roast Hollywood for being a bunch of liberals. I myself am a liberal. Nothing wrong with that,” he wrote. “I roasted them for wearing their liberalism like a medal. I’m such a snowflake, liberal, I can’t even really hate them for it. But my job is to take the piss. I did that.”
I didn't roast Hollywood for being a bunch of liberals. I myself am a liberal. Nothing wrong with that. I roasted them for wearing their liberalism like a medal. I'm such a snowflake, liberal, I can't even really hate them for it. But my job is to take the piss. I did that. 😇 pic.twitter.com/bYwqxiyeKu
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 8, 2020
He also posted a list of reminders about politics and humor for those perpetually offended folks he referenced in the interview:
- Simply pointing out whether someone is left or right wing isn’t winning the argument.
- If a joke is good enough, it can be enjoyed by anyone.
- It’s not all about you.
- Just because you’re offended, doesn’t mean you’re right.
1. Simply pointing out whether someone is left or right wing isn't winning the argument.
2. If a joke is good enough, it can be enjoyed by anyone.
3. It's not all about you.
4. Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 8, 2020
Below is the transcript of Gervais’ opening comments at the Golden Globes:
You’ll be pleased to know this is the last time I’m hosting these awards, so I don’t care anymore. I’m joking. I never did. I’m joking, I never did. NBC clearly don’t care either — fifth time. I mean, Kevin Hart was fired from the Oscars for some offensive tweets — hello?
Lucky for me, the Hollywood Foreign Press can barely speak English and they’ve no idea what Twitter is, so I got offered this gig by fax. Let’s go out with a bang, let’s have a laugh at your expense. Remember, they’re just jokes. We’re all gonna die soon and there’s no sequel, so remember that.
But you all look lovely all dolled up. You came here in your limos. I came here in a limo tonight and the license plate was made by Felicity Huffman. No, shush. It’s her daughter I feel sorry for. OK? That must be the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to her. And her dad was in Wild Hogs.
Lots of big celebrities here tonight. Legends. Icons. This table alone — Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro … Baby Yoda. Oh, that’s Joe Pesci, sorry. I love you man. Don’t have me whacked. But tonight isn’t just about the people in front of the camera. In this room are some of the most important TV and film executives in the world. People from every background. They all have one thing in common: They’re all terrified of Ronan Farrow. He’s coming for ya. Talking of all you perverts, it was a big year for pedophile movies. Surviving R. Kelly, Leaving Neverland, Two Popes. Shut up. Shut up. I don’t care. I don’t care.
Many talented people of color were snubbed in major categories. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about that. Hollywood Foreign press are all very racist. Fifth time. So. We were going to do an In-Memoriam this year, but when I saw the list of people who died, it wasn’t diverse enough. No, it was mostly white people and I thought, nah, not on my watch. Maybe next year. Let’s see what happens.
No one cares about movies anymore. No one goes to cinema, no one really watches network TV. Everyone is watching Netflix. This show should just be me coming out, going, “Well done Netflix. You win everything. Good night.” But no, we got to drag it out for three hours. You could binge-watch the entire first season of Afterlife instead of watching this show. That’s a show about a man who wants to kill himself cause his wife dies of cancer and it’s still more fun than this. Spoiler alert, season two is on the way so in the end he obviously didn’t kill himself. Just like Jeffrey Epstein. Shut up. I know he’s your friend but I don’t care.
Seriously, most films are awful. Lazy. Remakes, sequels. I’ve heard a rumor there might be a sequel to Sophie’s Choice. I mean, that would just be Meryl just going, “Well, it’s gotta be this one then.” All the best actors have jumped to Netflix, HBO. And the actors who just do Hollywood movies now do fantasy-adventure nonsense. They wear masks and capes and really tight costumes. Their job isn’t acting anymore. It’s going to the gym twice a day and taking steroids, really. Have we got an award for most ripped junky? No point, we’d know who’d win that.
Martin Scorsese made the news for his controversial comments about the Marvel franchise. He said they’re not real cinema and they remind him about theme parks. I agree. Although I don’t know what he’s doing hanging around theme parks. He’s not big enough to go on the rides. He’s tiny. The Irishman was amazing. It was amazing. It was great. Long, but amazing. It wasn’t the only epic movie. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nearly three hours long. Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere and by the end his date was too old for him. Even Prince Andrew was like, “Come on, Leo, mate. You’re nearly 50-something.”
The world got to see James Corden as a fat p****. He was also in the movie Cats. No one saw that movie. And the reviews, shocking. I saw one that said, “This is the worst thing to happen to cats since dogs.” But Dame Judi Dench defended the film saying it was the film she was born to play because she loves nothing better than plunking herself down on the carpet, lifting her leg and licking her [expletive]. (Coughs) Hairball. She’s old-school.
It’s the last time, who cares? Apple roared into the TV game with The Morning Show, a superb drama about the importance of dignity and doing the right thing, made by a company that runs sweatshops in China. Well, you say you’re woke but the companies you work for in China — 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. 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*** off, OK? It’s already three hours long. Right, let’s do the first award.