There's a debate raging in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and unsurprisingly, it's about Ricky Gervais.
While he's perhaps most notable for creating such great sitcoms as The Office, Extras, and his new series Life's Too Short, Ricky Gervais made waves earlier this year when he hosted the Golden Globes for the second time. And while he only provided the segues between the awards, Gervais deserved one of his own for turning what's usually just another boring awards show into something outrageously funny. After all, his act was just a teensy bit controversial, since he poked fun at some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Remember when he introduced Robert Downey, Jr.?: “He has done all those films, but many of you in this room probably know him from such facilities as the Betty Ford Clinic and Los Angeles County Jail.”
Or how about his quip about Philip Berk, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association?: “Next up, Eva Longoria has the daunting task of introducing the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press. That’s nothing! I just had to help him off the toilet and pop his teeth in.”
Berk's response to Gervais's performance was slightly critical, but ultimately toothless (pun totally intended). “He definitely crossed the line, and some of the things were totally unacceptable. But that’s Ricky. Any of the references to individuals is certainly not something the Hollywood Foreign Press condones.”
Now, it seems, the HFPA is wondering whether they should invite Gervais for a return performance -- his third time hosting the show in a row. A decision between having Gervais back or having no host at all will be made by Friday, it's being reported.
Gervais hosting would almost certainly boost the awards ceremony's ratings, but that's not what the HFPA is worried about, according to Deadline: "If the Hollywood Foreign Press says yes to Ricky, it risks turning the Globes into The Ricky Gervais Show and leaving the impression that they’re annually throwing a great party while inviting someone who humiliates all of the guests. If it says no, the HFPA looks like it has no sense of humor about itself."
And then there's this kicker of a line: "[Gervais] effectively dwarfs the importance of the ceremony itself.”
But isn't that sort of the point? The wonderful thing about Ricky Gervais hosting the show was that he poked holes in the bubble of pretension that usually surrounds such ceremonies. He made the Globes relevant for the first time in who-knows-when, and turned the ceremony into something other than how it's commonly viewed: the presentation of the not-Oscars.
"Some think the job of a host should be enhancing everyone’s experience and making sure they all have a good time," Deadline's source within the HFPA says. "But that isn’t where Ricky’s head is at. He tends to make it all about his career and all about him."
But who's to say that Gervais wants to do it again, anyway? He is very good at saying when he's finished with something. He recently announced that there wouldn't be a third series of his popular show An Idiot Abroad, though he acknowledged the possibility of a special. The Office and Extras also ended after two series and a special each. And though more episodes could prove lucrative, Gervais has pretty firmly closed the book on both. He knows the importance of going out on top.
So should Gervais host again? I think not. While the Golden Globes have been hilarious for the past two years because of him, it seems likely that the HFPA will only bring him back if they can have greater control over his material for the show. But I'm not interested in seeing a tamed Gervais -- and I don't think he is either.
For me, it's either a Ricky Gervais just as outrageous as he was this year, or no Ricky Gervais as all.
I'll leave you with these words from The King's Speech director Tom Hooper: "I thought he was hilarious but will he ever present another awards show again? I don't know, but if he went out, he went out burning."
They should have gotten him to host the "Oscars".