Posted by:
steve benson
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)
Date: January 18, 2011 03:47AM
British comedian and host of the 68th annual "Golden Globes" award show, Ricky Gervais, dropped a lot of bombs--and jaws--Sunday night where, after insulting basically anybody and everybody in Hollywood's red carpet world, he "went out with a bang, saying 'I want to thank God for making me an atheist.'"
("Ricky Gervais Ends Golden Globes By Thanking God For Making Him An Atheist," by Colby Hall, "Mediaite," 16 January 2011, at:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/ricky-gervais-ends-golden-globes-by-thanking-god-for-making-him-an-atheist/)
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The ensuing hell-of-a-boo-hoo hulabaloo by the ever-so-sensitive, self-important, kiss me-camera crowd prompted Michael Musto of the "Village Voice" to come to Gervais' defense, declaring, "[T]here is no God or there would be no 'Golden Globes.'"
("The Last Word," hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC, at:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/41127036#41127036)
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TV critic Caryn James summed up Gervais' controversial opener-and-closer act this way:
"If you were watching Ricky Gervais host the 'Golden Globes' on Sunday, for the first hour you could tell you were watching a go-for-broke performance that would become--and I‘m not exaggerating--legendary, a benchmark by which other flameout hosting gigs are measured. . . .
"The jokes might have been more daring than funny, but the risk felt exhilarating because Gervais wasn’t being outrageous for its own sake. He was targeting the hypocrisy of Hollywood and the inanity and self-importance of awards themselves. The idea of rewarding excellence in film and TV is a crazy, politicized business, which makes these awards shows full of smoke-and-mirrors pretense. It’s as if no one is meant to notice the Wizard behind the curtain, orchestrating the big-money campaigns, and Gervais’ specialty is pulling that curtain back.
"He crossed lines of taste and civility at times, as risky comedy always does. . . . [Robert] Downey came back with his own mockery, genially delivered (he is a good actor). 'Aside from the fact that it’s been hugely mean-spirited with mildly sinister undertones, I’d say the vibe of the show is pretty good,' he said. . . .
"Then Gervais all but disappeared and the rest of the three hour show became lethally dull. That’s the pattern of most awards shows: a funny or flat opening, then endless thanks from the winners. . . . . He returned much toned-down. I would love to know what arm-twisting and litigious threats might have been flying around backstage; that would be a miniseries itself.
"On the red carpet before it all began, Gervais said that when he hosted last year the HFPA [Hollywood Foreign Press Association] asked him to return while that show was still going on, they were so happy with him. That’s not happening again, but I wouldn’t have missed Gervais’ weirdly honest implosion. I’d like to think there’s no going back to sanctimony after that, but I’m sure those Hollywood wizards can find a way."
(Caryn James, "TV Review, Ricky Gervais' 'Golden Globes' Implosion," with video of Gervais' "notorious monologue," at:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/carynjames/archives/tv_review_ricky_gervais_golden_globes_implosion/)
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Were some of Gervais' bawdy jokes in bad taste? I think so; but, hey, religion is also a performance in bad taste.
What goes around comes around. :)
Edited 16 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2011 05:56AM by steve benson.