What a difference a day makes. Last night as I was recapping the Golden Globes and following comments by TV critics and entertainment writers on Twitter, it was clear that I wasn't the only one who thought host Ricky Gervais was funny. There were guffaws over the jabs at Cher, Charlie Sheen, Hugh Hefner, and praise for Gervais for not being afraid to go for the jugular a little.
This morning, in the middle of a Golden Globe hangover of sorts, the world is a little more cranky. My Twitter feed (which also includes some Hollywood types -- actors, directors, screenwriters) is about 50/50 between "Gervais is a jerk" and "Gervais is brilliant!" Even the media seems to be more critical of the British comic today. One of the first headlines I saw this morning was this one, from the Washington Post: "'Glee' and 'Boardwalk' soar while Gervais crashes at Golden Globes."
"Crashes?" Really? The writer described his performance as a "meltdown."
I'm not sure we watched the same show (at the very least, we don't share the same sense of humor). Sure, he was a little harsh sometimes, but not out of line. Were any of the jokes unfair? Is a joke about Hugh Hefner marrying a 24-year-old woman unfair? A joke about Charlie Sheen's latest drunken brawl with a prostitute? A joke about airbrushing a "Sex and the City 2" poster? Jokes about the Hollywood Foreign Press taking bribes? Please. (And if you thought his joke about Robert Downey Jr. being famous for being in rehab was inappropriate, I say Downey canceled that out with his uncomfortable, detailed description of how he wanted to have sex with each of the nominated actresses in the audience).
But what's more important than what I thought, is that the audience laughed at Gervais. They also gasped a lot, but there was laughter. I can't see how it can be described as a "crash." Incidentally, after Hefner joke, the camera showed Alec Baldwin wiping tears from his face, Robert DeNiro completely cracking up, and Halle Berry shaking with laughter. What a disaster!
Maybe you don't care for Gervais. Okay, I get that. But the guy didn't bomb. Hollywood may have their feelings hurt a little today, but their egos can take it. I for one am not sitting around today feeling sorry for a bunch of millionaire movie stars.
And what did Gervais say about it? "I warned them."
Watch the opening for yourself (until the video is taken down). Here's another link showing some of Gervais' best jokes, from throughout the broadcast.
Brooke Cain isn't always proud of the number of hours she logs in front of the TV, but her loss of brain cells can be your gain. From reality shows to sitcoms to the more serious stuff, Brooke keeps her DVR smoking so that she can help keep you in the know. Brooke also tweets for Happiness is a Warm TV (you can follow
Comments
We didn't watch the awards
Tue, 01/18/2011 - 10:25 — coughlin_jakeWe didn't watch the awards show...because we never watch any awards shows. So, none of Ricky Gervais's jokes made any sense to us. They weren't funny nor were they not funny. Just a shrug. So the Great Big News [tm] that Hollywood had its feelings hurt was pretty much a dud to us.
However, we couldn't understand why in the world a performer would say "I hope I do such a bad job that they don't ask me again or such a good job that I don't have to say 'yes' again." ?????
Just say, "No", moron.
Not a bad job
Tue, 01/18/2011 - 21:33 — brookecain (author)Well, Gervais didn't say he was going to do a "bad" job so he wouldn't get asked back, he was saying he was going to do his kind of humor, which often offends, and he was pretty sure they wouldn't want him back after that. There's a difference. He wanted to do his thing, and he did. I think he's very funny.
First of all you did a great
Mon, 01/17/2011 - 14:50 — RonMexicoFirst of all you did a great job on the live blog last night and hope your cold is better. I read the article in the Washington Post and wondered if the writer has any sense of humor at all? I admit I'm biased in favor of anything Gervais does because I think he is hilarious but I just don't see how anyone could say he bombed. If she wanted to say his act did not totally go over well then fine but give the man his due for being funny!
"a bunch of millionaire movie stars"
Mon, 01/17/2011 - 13:08 — TVjunkieJasonI haven't watched an award show in years because I have no interest in watching extremely rich people congratulating themselves for the work they did the previous year. I know when someone has given a brilliant performance. I just don't need to be told how brilliant it was with an ostentatious awards ceremony. Although I do appreciate the entertainment industry for keeping me... well... entertained, I also really enjoy it when someone places a mirror up to it and mocks it vigorously. Kudos to Gervais. I'm looking forward to his new show An Idiot Abroad.