Ricky Gervais Shrugs Off 2020 Golden Globes Backlash

Published on January 7, 2020.
Brittany R

Ricky Gervais has continued to laugh off or shrug off criticism of his Golden Globes monologue, and is standing by his decision to “tease huge corporations” and the “most privileged people in the world.”

Gervais, who hosted the award show for the fifth time on Sunday, poked fun at celebrities for claiming to be “woke” yet working for big companies like Apple, Amazon, and Disney. He also pointed out to the audience not to bring in their political agenda into their speeches as they “know nothing about the real world.”

The 58-year-old comedian’s monologue received mixed reviews from journalists, television personalities, and fans. The criticisms that stood out the most was him using the platform as a “right-wing talking point” and using it for mocking celebrities for “trying to use their influence to change things for the better.” Gervais has since then responded to the criticism he’s received on Twitter, writing: “How the f– can teasing huge corporations, and the richest, most privileged people in the world be considered right wing?”

Vanity Fair writer Mark Harris also criticized the comedian publicly on Twitter. He tweeted: “Here’s my Ricky Gervais problem: The idea that celebrities are not only pampered babies but hypocrites who cause the problems they make speeches deploring and should therefore shut up and act/sing/be grateful is a right-wing talking point, and an especially stupid one.”

Harris also added: “It’s not an act of speaking truth to power or of bravery to attack celebs on that front—it’s a tired way of scolding people into silence because you don’t like what they’re saying, and saying that he’s ‘calling out’ the hyperprivileged is just the same thing in a new guise.”

Lorraine Ali, a television critic for The Los Angeles Times, also slammed Ricky Gervais’ Golden Globes monologue. She tweeted: “the #GoldenGlobes mood was already sober thanks to an impeachment, the threat of war with Iran and devastating bush fires in Australia. 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.”

During his Golden Globes monologue, the comedian targeted Apple saying the company “runs sweatshops in China” as Apple’s CEO Tim Cook was sitting in the audience.

“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,” Gervais said at the time.

Then moving on to the audience, he added to his speech: “You say you’re woke, but the companies you work for, I mean, 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, right?”

“You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything,” he continued. “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,” Gervais concluded the speech.

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