SINGAPORE — No one was spared. No one as Brit comedian gamely stepped up as the host of this year’s Golden Globes and brought his razor-sharp wit to mock, ridicule, pinpoint and poke fun at everyone from celebrities to award shows to even potential American presidential nominee Donald Trump.

It was Gervais’ fourth stint, having fronted the show from 2010 to 2012 and offending many with his somewhat “mean-spirited” jibes as Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr once described Gervais’ hosting. 


The Brit remained unflinching this time around, and took aim right off the bat. During his opening monologue with his pint of beer in hand, Gervais claimed to be nice as he had changed.

“Although not as much as Bruce Jenner obviously, now Caitlyn Jenner, of course,” he said, before, in reference to Jenner’s car accident, including a snide that Jenner didn’t do much for women drivers.

He went on to call out Jennifer Lawrence’s demand for equal pay for women in Hollywood, adding that nurses and factory workers are marching in support and saying: “How can a 25-year-old live on US$52 million a year?”

Gervais didn’t even spare his employer, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organises the Golden Globes, by calling the awards “worthless” and that he keeps one of his Golden Globe trophies his bed, adding that it was “a joke about me shoving Golden Globes, that I’ve won, up my a**. And they asked me to host four times.”

If you think that was rude, wait till you hear that one about Ben Affleck. Here are our picks of Gervais’ best roast:

On Ben Affleck and rumours of his separation from wife Jennifer Garner: He introduced The Martian star Matt Damon as “the only person Ben Affleck hasn’t been unfaithful to”.

Criticising Donald Trump’s xenophobic stance: “Eva Longoria and America Ferrera aren’t just beautiful, talented actresses, they’re also two people whom your (Americans) future president Donald Trump can’t wait to deport.”

Poking fun at Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Schumer’s excessive BFF display: “They’re best friends — it’s like they never had a friend before.”

Ragging Brad Pitt’s and Angelina Jolie’s adoption of children from Asia and Africa: While introducing comediennes Ken Jeong and Kevin Hart, he opined: “When Brad and Angelina see our next two little presenters, they’re going to want to adopt them.”

Presenting Mel Gibson whose alcoholism Gervais’ jibed about in his previous Golden Globes stint: “Okay, listen: I made a joke about Mel Gibson getting a bit drunk and saying unsavoury things. I now find myself in the awkward position of introducing him. Mel’s forgotten about it — that’s what drinking does.”

Deriding the long-windedness of the Golden Globes: “Kill me.”