Ricky Gervais has hosted the Golden Globes more times than anyone else: What made him so controversial?
The comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director has hosted the Golden Globes on several occasions. But just why is he controversial?
Ricky Gervais has hosted the Golden Globes five times - in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2020, taking to the podium at the prestigious awards show.
The 63-year-old comedian made headlines worldwide, cracking jokes deemed too inappropriate for some attendees and viewers- A-List audience, with his last one in 2020 being the most prominent.
Gervais, the co-creator of the original The Office, is known for his racy humor and specifically his don’t-care attitude. Following the Los Angeles Times exposé that referred to the ceremony as racist, Gervais joked about the allegations claiming: “The Hollywood Foreign Press are all very racist”, seconds after joking that they “can barely speak English”.
The Golden Globes knew what they were getting in for when they invited him back. As we can see below in 2011 he started off strong, roasting the actors in “The Tourist,” Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie: “It was a big year for 3D movies [...], it seem like everything this year was 3-dimensional. Except the characters in “The Tourist.” He went on to rip on the movie, “I haven’t even seen the “The Tourist,” who has?”
His last appearance at the Golden Globes in 2020 was more like a roast than an awards ceremony. “’Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ was nearly three hours long. Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premier and by the end his date was too old for him,” he joked. “Even Prince Andrew said, ‘come on Leo, you’re nearly 50 son’.”
He continued ripping on Hollywood and the attendees: “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, right? Come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your God and fuck off,” he said.
It will be difficult for even Nikki Gaser to top that comedy in 2025.