Golden Globes 2011: Ricky Gervais gets mixed reaction.

Ricky Gervais risked some close-to-the-knuckle
jokes as he hosted the Golden Globes ceremony,
but appears to have entertained his American
audience more than he offended them.
Gervais, 49, who was presenting the show for
the second year running, caused some
controversy with typically biting humour that
targeted some of the biggest stars in
Hollywood.
He opened proceedings with a sip from a beer
glass and said: "It's going to be a night of partying
and heavy drinking. Or, as Charlie Sheen calls it,
breakfast."
Linking a dig at the characterisation of thriller The
Tourist with the growth of 3-D film, he said:
"Seems like everything this year was three-
dimensional. Except the characters in The Tourist.
"I'd like to quash the rumours that the only
reason The Tourist was nominated was so that
the Hollywood Foreign Press can hang out with
Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. That is rubbish,
that is not the only reason. They also accepted
bribes."
The comic also took a jibe at an the sexualities of
unnamed Scientologists. He said: "Also not
nominated, I Love You Phillip Morris. Jim Carrey
and Ewan McGregor. Two heterosexual actors
pretending to be gay, so the complete opposite of
some famous Scientologists then."
Loud "oohs" and intakes of breath from the
audience ensued before he added: "Probably. My
lawyers helped me with the wording of that
joke."
Gervais also poked fun at Hugh Hefner, 84, for
marrying a 24-year-old woman and gave her
advice on how to handle the relationship.
Alec Baldwin was seen wiping a tear from his eye
at Gervais' jokes, while Robert De Niro, who was
handed a lifetime achievement award, dissolved
in laughter. Halle Berry appeared to laugh and
wince at the same time.
Some bloggers praised Gervais' attempts to
deflate the pomp of the ceremony but doubted
he would ever be invited back.
Caryn James said his performance could have
been "legendary" but fell just short. She wrote:
"He crossed lines of taste and civility at times, as
risky comedy always does. He made one
introduction, 'Ashton Kutcher ’s Dad – Bruce
Willis', and Bruce did not seem amused.
"Things got ugly when he said of Philip Berk, the
much-mocked head of the HFPA [Hollywood
Foreign Press Association - which picks the
winners], 'I had to help him off the toilet and put
in his teeth'."
Gossipcop summed it up as "awkward glory".
While some critics thought his jokes were in bad,
others and felt he had injected "much
needed edge" .
The Washington Post's celebritology site
described Gervais as "funny during certain
moments and less so during others".
The New York Times observed: "Mr Gervais’s
jibes at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association
divided the room... It was Mr Gervais ’ second
chance to host the Golden Globes; he may not get
a third."
Before the event - the 68th Annual Golden Globe
awards - Gervais had said: "I'll be close to their
edge, but I'm not going to go crazy."
He added: "I'm not worried about the celebrities,
they're all right, they're not scary!"
Last year, he was less controversial, and included
ribbing of Steve Carell for playing his
character in the American version of The Office.


Source: Http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/8263565/Golden-Globes-2011-Ricky-Gervais-gets-mixed-reaction.html