The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced yesterday that Ricky Gervais would return to host the Golden Globe Awards for a third consecutive year. The decision comes after a 2011 show in which Gervais made sharper, funnier jokes about the actors in attendance than the po’ widdle A-wist stars were used to hearing (more on that here and here). Recently, after months of speculation about his possible return, Gervais threatened to air a competing live podcast with comedian friends like Louis C.K. and Chris Rock if he wasn’t asked to host. I don’t know whether it was all a big publicity stunt, but Gervais will return for more withering one-liners.
The group, composed of 83 entertainment journalists from around the world, voted Wednesday to bring back the performer for a third consecutive year, though a small but vocal minority dissented. Sixteen out of the 62 members who voted were opposed to Gervais’ return, according to a person who was present at the meeting but asked not to be identified because of the confidential nature of the proceedings…
According to the person at the vote, the majority of the dissenters were older members who found Gervais’ material in January insulting and were concerned that some of the A-list stars on the receiving end of the jokes wouldn’t return for more abuse. “My worry was that he was insulting, and when I invite someone to my house, they don’t insult me,” said longtime HFPA member Judy Solomon, who writes for an Israeli publication. “But this is show business. I guess I’m old-fashioned.” [LA Times]
Yeah! Go suck an egg, Judy! I guess the Jews don’t run Hollywood after all.
