HFPA try to control Ricky Gervais for Golden Globes
Ricky Gervais The 50-year-old comedian courted controversy at last year’s awards ceremony, taking pot shots at and making jokes about Hollywood bigwigs such as Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie – so prompting the show’s organisers to put some safeguards in place as the Englishman returns for a third time as host.
Gervais – who made his name after co-writing and starring in BBC television sitcoms The Office and Extras – has been informed that on Saturday he must rehearse his jokes with members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), producers and executives from American television network NBC in attendance.
Any one of these groups can ask for alterations in his jokes, although they do realise it will be tough trying to reins in the comedian.
An spokesperson for the HFPA chatted with The Hollywood Reporter, saying: “You can’t muzzle him and I don’t think anybody has any desire to muzzle him.”
However, because of Gervais’ impulsiveness, NBC have also decided to broadcast the live ceremony with a five-second delay so any bad language can be bleeped out.
Gervais, for is part, claims to be bemused as to why his jokes last year caused so much controversy – and has promised to be intentionally offensive come Sunday evening.
While saying this appearance as the awards host will “definitely (by the) final time”, Gervais took to his blog to write: “Now here’s the thing. The outrage I caused was of course, as usual, totally out of proportion to the things I said.
“I don’t think anyone had any right to be offended but they were. This year I’m going to make sure their offence is completely justified.
“The best thing about it is writing the gags. I love writing one-liners. Particularly when they can’t be used in any other context. It gives them a special weight on the night, if you know what I mean.”
The show will feature plenty of stellar awards presenters, including the recently-added Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rob Lowe, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Jimmy Fallon, Robert Downey Jr and Jessica Biel.
The above group joins the likes of Antonio Banderas, Clive Owen, Jake Gyllenhaal, Freida Pinto, Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek after they were confirmed as presenters this week.