EXCLUSIVE: Ricky Gervais Unveils Jokes He Would Have Been BANNED From Telling at Golden Globes — Including Pops at 'Diddy' and Pope's 'Pedo Ring'
Comic Ricky Gervais has revealed the wisecracks he'd have unleashed at the Golden Globes.
Jan. 6 2025, Published 10:59 a.m. ET
Superstar comic Ricky Gervais has revealed the wisecracks that would have had stars at the Golden Globes squirming in their seats if he'd been allowed on stage.
The funnyman would have blasted off broadsides at Justin Timberlake, Sean 'Diddy' Combs and he even planned a pop at the Pope, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
But the brutal material would have earned him a ban from organizers.
Brit Gervais, 63, presented the awards ceremony for three consecutive years in 2010, 2011, and 2012 before returning to compère in 2016 and 2020.
He is fondly remembered for making blunt quips at the expense of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Gervais would have joked about Hollywood's ties with the Vatican, calling it the 'second biggest paedo ring'.
Comic Nikki Glaser became the first woman to host the Globes in its 82-year history, and now Gervais, who had advised the star to "be herself", has decided to come up with some jokes he’d have told in 2025 if he was fronting the ceremony again.
"Sat in the bath wondering about what I would say if I were hosting the Golden Globes on Sunday. It’s been a pretty good year for material," the creator of The Office and After Life wrote.
Gervais, who is embarking on a UK comedy tour later this month, would have started his stint with: "Hello, and welcome to the 82nd Golden Globe awards. What a year it’s been. Hundreds of entertainers jumped at the chance to go to The Vatican to meet The Pope. Many from Hollywood.
"Obviously they weren’t content with only being part of the second biggest pedo ring in the world…"
Jokes about Justin Timberlake's legal issues and Kevin Hart's uncomfortable experience at a Sean Combs party would have made up Gervais' 2025 Golden Globes routine.
And he joked: "Justin Timberlake was convicted of Drink Driving. If he’d have gone to jail, he’d have heard the words ‘Sexy Back’ a lot more often."
Meanwhile, Gervais would have addressed the Combs scandal with a joke involving diminutive actor Kevin Hart.
Gervais, showing his preference for non-PC wording, wrote: "Kevin Hart said that being at one of Diddy’s parties was uncomfortable, as he wouldn’t leave him alone. Eventually he had to shout 'Imma Midget, not a child.'"
Combs was arrested in September on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, with federal prosecutors alleging that the music mogul and his associates threatened, abused and coerced women and others around him "to fulfill his sexual desires".
Gervais is remembered his sharp Golden Globes jabs at Mel Gibson and Harvey Weinstein.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
Among Gervais’ most candid comments during his stint hosting the Golden Globes were jokes aimed at Mel Gibson’s DUI and antisemitic rant, disgraced producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, and Angelina Jolie-Johnny Depp stinker The Tourist.
Last year Gervais became embroiled in a row after a fellow comic accused the Golden Globes host of bullying him so badly he broke out in hives.
Robin Ince, who was The Office creator's support man on tour in the 2000s, quit comedy in 2015 after claiming the abuse he suffered from Gervais took a physical toll.
Ince, 55, said: "I am not saying it is a traumatic experience, but after two weeks I came out in red lumps that my doctor said were a stress rash.
Robin Ince has claimed Gervais caused him to suffer a stress rash.
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"I think my hair was coming out in clumps."
He added: "I look back now, and I think it is bullying...really it is."
One year before the Golden Globes was boycotted due to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) lack of diversity among its members, Gervais quipped: "Many talented people of color were snubbed in major categories. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about that because the Hollywood Foreign Press are all very, very racist."
The HFPA has since improved its membership as well as enacted reforms designed to curtail what was described as unethical behaviour.
