Why Ricky Gervias Killed Last Night

Okay, apparently, there are people out there who hated Ricky Gervais as host of last night's Golden Globes. Mostly the more established writers at such papers as the NY Times, the La Times, the Chicago Sun-Times; basically any paper having anything temporal in its name.

They used such lovely words as "profane" "tame" and "unfunny". They talked about how the audience at the ceremony didn't find him funny either.

I thought he was hilarious. And to my eyes and ears, so did the crowd. Sure, he wasn't laugh a minute, but he did exactly what they hired him to do; be unpredictable and unbridled in who he went after. When he was hired, it was after several award show appearances where he popped off shots at the very celebrities who were being feted. That's what they wanted, and last night, that's what he gave them.

Here's some truly hilarious examples:

One thing that can’t be bought is a Golden Globe. Officially. (Big, shocked laugh from the audience) I’m not going to do this again, anyway.

I like a drink as much as the next man. Unless the next man is Mel Gibson.

We (he and Paul McCartney) actually came over on the same flight. I didn't get to speak to him because I was up the front in first class. He was behind me in coach. Saving money. He spent an awful lot last year (After a few scattered boosto the divorce reference). I don't think we have to feel too sorry for him. He's doing alright.

It's an honour to be here in a room full of what I consider to be the most important people on the planet – actors. They're just better than ordinary people, aren't they?

One stereotype I hate is that all Irishmen are just drunk, swearing hell raisers. Please welcome Colin Farrell.

To which Farrell ruefully replied onstage:

Oh, I once was a cliche. I heard Ricky had specifically asked to introduce me and I thought, "Oh, balls".


As for the rest of the night, it was sort of dull, with a shortage of exciting moments. We did have some fun train wrecks through (Harrison Ford looking like he just downed some ludes for most of the evening; Drew Barrymore's stream of consciousness acceptance speech; and what the fuck was wrong with the usually uber-pro Felicity Huffman? How drunk could she be that early in the night?)

There were some highlights though. Scorsese's tribute was nice, and De Niro was extremely funny. McCartney nailed his joke of saying animated films were for "kids and drug-taking adults", The standing O's for Sophia Loren and Jeff Bridges were sweet, and Robert Downey Jr. should give every acceptance speech this year:

If you start playing violins, I will tear this joint apart…I would like to thank Susan Downey, for telling me Matt Damon was going to win so don't bother to prepare a speech.

Look for a video of the rest of that speech. Classic.