Viewers are calling for the Golden Globes to bring back comedian Ricky Gervais as host, following the opening monologue by Jerrod Carmichael.
The 80th annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony, which took place at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, saw US comedian Jerrod Carmichael open the show by addressing the ceremony’s previous diversity controversy.
The 2022 show was turned into a ‘private event’ by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) after criticism over a lack of diversity.
Carmichael, who is black, said in his monologue:
“I’ll tell you why I’m here, I’m here because I’m black. I’ll tell you what’s been going on. This show, the Golden Globe Awards did not air last year, because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single black member until George Floyd died – do with that information what you will. One minute I’m making mint tea at home, the next you’re invited to be the black face of an embattled white organization. Life really comes at you fast.”
Despite his opening being being met with laughter from the audience, it seems that viewers on social media are calling for five-time host Gervais to make a return. Viewers at home, commented:
“Ricky Gervais wishes he could’ve made that room as uncomfortable as Jerrod Carmichael did.”
“Jerrod Carmichael just made a great [point] for why the #GoldenGlobes2023 should have brought back Ricky Gervais.”
“Isn’t it premature to declare Jerrod Carmichael the anti-Ricky Gervais?”
The 2022 awards were announced on the Golden Globes website and social media accounts, after US network NBC refused to air the show.
It was claimed that none of the HFPA’s 87 members were Black, prompting the organization to recruit 21 new members.
This caused the HFPA to make a promise to overhaul its bylaws and implement changes, which would address ethics and inclusion.
Gervais, who has hosted the Golden Globe awards five times, is known for his controversial and edgy hosting style. He has a reputation for making jokes and comments that often push the boundaries of good taste.
Some viewers believe that Gervais’s style would have been a better fit for addressing the serious issues of diversity and inclusion that the ceremony has faced.
Gervais, however, has previously said that he won’t be hosting the Golden Globe again.
Carmichael has not confirmed if he will be hosting the ceremony again in future years. However, the Golden Globe organizers will have to keep in mind the audience’s feedback and choose the host that best serves the show’s purpose and audience.
This year’s Golden Globe awards ceremony saw Ke Huy Quan win the first Golden Globe award of the evening, best supporting actor in a motion picture, for his role in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’.
He used his acceptance speech as an opportunity to pay tribute to Steven Spielberg, the director who gave him his first opportunity, and to express his gratitude for the opportunity he got more than 30 years later. He said:
“I was raised to never forget where I came from, and to always remember who gave me my first opportunity. I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight,” he said.
“As I grew older, I started to wonder if that was it. If that was just luck for so many years, I was afraid I had nothing more to offer.
“That no matter what I did I would I would never surpass what I achieved as a kid.
“Thankfully, more than 30 years later, two guys remembered that kid and they gave me an opportunity.”
In conclusion, Jerrod Carmichael’s opening monologue at this year’s Golden Globe awards was met with mixed reviews, with some viewers calling for Ricky Gervais to return as host.
Gervais, who has a reputation for making jokes that push the boundaries of good taste, is known for addressing serious issues in an edgy way. However, he has said he won’t be hosting the Golden Globes again.
