Gervais: What’s The Problem?

I do not understand why various people are stropping over Ricky Gervais’ Golden Globes performance. He warned everybody. He presented last year to many an eyebrow raised. This is what he does. Anyone who’s seen him live is always left wincing. His act is about being close to the bone.

You do not invite the Big Bad Wolf to the party and then claim he’s scared Little Red Riding Hood and all her friends. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association knew exactly what they were getting when they hired Gervais: ratings and a talking point. 17 million Americans watched the awards this year, a little up on 2010 – and the media got something to commentate on. The Globes are held in LA: it’s not as if there are a lack of bland sycophants in that town who could have hosted, if that’s what they wanted. No, the powers at be at the Globes opted to be discussed for more than fashion and some odd nominations.

All said and done, Gervais had some good jokes. However the most memorable line of the night came from Michael Douglas: “there has to be an easier way to get a standing ovation”.

If anything is to go down in awards show history from this weekend, it will be Douglas, not Gervais. The latter is a storm in a tea cup, the former a legend. That’s as it should be and there really isn’t a problem here.