Ricky Gervais' hosting gig at the Golden Globes has led to furious debate.Credit:AP
"Apple roared into the TV game withThe 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 to a smattering of gasps."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 ya?"
He continued:"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. 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--k off."
Of course,everyone loves a celebrity roast. It takes some sort of nihilistic guile to mock the shiny and revered right to their plastic faces – but it's not real. That's why Don Rickles died in his Beverly Hills home at 90 rather than being blasted in the face by mobsters on a Las Vegas casino stage in the 1960s.
Gervais explained as much in an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter last weekend ahead of the hosting gig."I try and play the outsider,"he told the publication."I've got to be the bloke sitting at home who shouldn't have been invited. That's who I've got to be."
The stars in the room seemed to get the act,as few paid heed to Gervais'dog-whistling antics. Here's a guy self-righteously telling a room to shut up and jog on,and one by one they ignore him. Sounds like an episode ofThe Office.
Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett were the first to use broadcast time to make an urgent call for climate action,highlighting Australia's bushfire crisis;Patricia Arquette reminded everyone the world was"on the brink of war"and urged her fellow Americans to vote for change in 2020;a pregnant Michelle Williams spoke in support of abortion rights;and Joaquin Phoenix mumbled something about ditching"private jets to Palm Springs".