Movie News
Gervais in Globes 'No shock' shock
Monday 16 January 2012
Watch his opening monologue here.
That's not to say he wasn't funny. And besides, the shock value is long gone at this stage and Gervais wisely stuck to the main task of keeping the show rolling along. He even told the winners to keep their speeches short.
"We're already five minutes over," he said at one point. "Keep your speeches short." Gervais added that there was no need to thank family members, as they had done nothing for the winners' various productions.
"Just do the main two," he said. "Your agent and God. I know for a fact that my agent and God have exactly the same amount of input."
A few days before the Globes, Gervais told the media that he doesn't really care if the audience is offended by his jokes. "I've got nothing against those people in the room," he said. "I admire most of them.
"They are just gags. I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings or undermine the moral fabric of America. I'd rather they laugh than gasp, but I cherish the gasps along with the laughs."
During his opening monologue, Gervais was far less shocking than last year, taking shots at mostly safe targets such as Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber and NBC. There were no audible gasps this time around.
The closest he came to a truly offensive remark was when he joked that cuddly Oscar-winner Colin Firth is a racist, doesn't understand why women are attracted to him and is convinced that Firth is "evil".
"What you don't know about him is he's very racist. Very, I mean, really nasty stuff," Gervais said. "I've also seen him punch a little blind kitten . . . Please welcome the evil Colin Firth!"
As Firth took to the stage to present the award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama), he noted that he had seen "some very angry religious people outside with big placards threatening us all with brimstone and pestilence and perdition for our sins".
"What they don't realise is - we have Ricky," he added.
Ricky Gervais: the best of 2012
Gervais on Kim Kardashian: "The Golden Globes are to the Oscars what Kim Kardashian is to Kate Middleton - a bit louder, a bit trashier, a bit drunker and more easily bought."
On Kardashian's 72-day marriage: "I've sat through longer James Cameron acceptance speeches."
On Eddie Murphy quitting his Oscar hosting gig: "He walked out on them. Good for him. When the man who says 'yes' to Norbit says 'no' to you, you know you're in trouble."
On Bridesmaids showing that women can be as crude as men: "Farting, burping, cursing, performing wild sex acts, even pooping in the sink. I heard for research they spent the weekend with Dame Helen Mirren."
Introducing Melissa McCarthy: "[She] made her mark in comedy this summer by defecating into a sink. Amazingly, that's still less demeaning than what most of you have done to make it in show business."
Introducing Natalie Portman: "Last year, our next presenter won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for her work in Black Swan. This year, she took some time out to have a baby. Consequently, she's been nominated for nothing. Really pathetic. But she learned that valuable lesson you all already knew: never put family first. Please welcome the very foolish Natalie Portman."
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