For award watchers and showbiz prognosticators, Sunday night’s Golden Globes went pretty much as expected. Lots of people hit the “like” button for The Social Network. Acting front-runners Natalie Portman, Colin Firth, Annette Bening and Christian Bale all took home statues. And the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Toy Story 3, found equal favor with the voters in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. No big surprises … that is until host Ricky Gervais told a few jokes that put the wrong people in his comedic crosshairs.
On a night intended for wanton self-promotion and self-congratulation, some of Hollywood’s elite found themselves squirming in their pricey tuxedoes and designer gowns. Gervais took shots at Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen, Johnny Depp, Tim Allen, Robert Downey Jr. and others who reportedly didn’t appreciate the extra attention. But the mean-spirited cracks that really landed the British comedian in hot water came at the expense of Philip Berk and his Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that chooses the Golden Globe winners.
In addition to personal jabs at Berk, Gervais said, “I’d like to quash this ridiculous rumour going around that the only reason The Tourist was nominated was so the Hollywood Foreign Press could hang out with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. That is rubbish. That is not the only reason. They also accepted bribes.” That barb is a reference to a lawsuit pending against the HFPA that claims the group’s members have received lavish gifts in exchange for their support of certain films.
According to PopEater columnist Rob Shuter, the HFPA’s reaction was swift and unforgiving. One member assured him, “Ricky will not be invited back to host the show next year. … For sure any movie he makes he can forget about getting nominated. He humiliated the organization last night and went too far with several celebrities whose representatives have already called to complain.”
I find this whole thing fascinating. Gervais’ humor went too far for the HFPA, the very folks who just last year gave the award for Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical to The Hangover, a raunchy R-rated film loaded with deeply offensive material. In 2007 the HFPA essentially endorsed mean-spirited comic assaults by handing the Best Actor award in that category to Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat, which was all about breaking taboos and offending real people on-camera. Those movies crossed lines for laughs and were rewarded for it. But when Gervais does the same thing at the HFPA’s expense, the hammer comes down.
I’m not excusing Ricky Gervais. He was out of line Sunday night. Many of his jokes were malicious and inappropriate. It just strikes me as odd that the motion picture industry—which loves to champion tolerance and unlimited artistic freedom of speech—applauds offensive humor until they’re the ones offended.
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