Ricky Gervais has never been subtle about his history with the Golden Globes, and his new Netflix stand-up special, Mortality, adds another carefully framed chapter to that legacy. Released Tuesday on Netflix, the special looks back at his years hosting the awards show and reflects on the fine line between confidence, caution, and personal judgment in comedy.
Ricky Gervais Reflects on Golden Globes Hosting History in Netflix’s “Mortality”
Gervais has hosted the Golden Globes five times, earning a reputation for pointed humor that openly mocked Hollywood culture. In Mortality, he explains that during all those ceremonies, organizers never formally blocked any of his jokes. However, he shares that there was one moment when he personally decided to pull back. According to Gervais, the decision came from his own hesitation rather than outside pressure, as he felt he may have been overly cautious at the time.
He goes on to explain that the unused joke was meant to introduce actor Jason Momoa and to highlight Gervais’s own self-awareness about who he feels comfortable mocking. The comedian frames it as an example of what he described as his hypocrisy, noting that while he has little fear of making jokes about actors in general, he felt less confident targeting someone with Momoa’s imposing physical presence. He also explains that a friend raised concerns about how the joke could be interpreted, which contributed to his decision to abandon it during the ceremony.
Netflix Special Shares the Joke Gervais Ultimately Saved for the Stage
Near the end of Mortality, Gervais revisits the full concept of the abandoned joke, presenting it in the controlled setting of his stand-up show rather than an awards broadcast. He explains that the bit relied on exaggerated, deliberately crude comparisons involving physical traits, intended to play with audience expectations and contrast different public personas. By sharing it now, Gervais suggests he is acknowledging both his restraint at the time and his belief that stand-up allows for more context than live television.
The discussion arrives as the Golden Globes prepare for their next ceremony. Comedian Nikki Glaser is set to host the awards for the second consecutive year, with the event scheduled for January 11. Information about Gervais’s reflections comes directly from his Netflix special Mortality and reporting by Variety. The Golden Globes are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is jointly owned by PMC, the parent company of Variety, and Eldridge.
