Ricky Gervais Trashes Hollywood at Golden Globes, Says Epstein 'Didn't Kill Himself'
Host Gervais blasted 'woke' Hollywood 'hypocrites' - warned against political speeches
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During the 2020 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, host Ricky Gervais mercilessly trashed "woke" Hollywood "hypocrites" during his opening monologue before declaring that deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein "didn't kill himself."
The British comedian also warned guests to avoid making political statements, saying "you know nothing of the real world," adding: "collect your award and f**k off."
Gervais pulled no punches during his controversial opening speech at the 77th annual Golden Globes at the International Ballroom Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles for his fifth time hosting the awards.
In one moment, Gervais made a pointed remark about the death of pedophile billionaire Epstein, leaving the stars in the crowd stunned.
He said: "[Netflix series Afterlife] is a show about a man who wants to kill himself... Spoiler alert, season two is on the way so he didn't kill himself... just like Jeffrey Epstein."
As the audience gasped, Gervais then doubled down on the remarks, saying: "Shut up. I know he's your friend, but I don't care. You had to make your own way here, in your own plane... Didn't you?"
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Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York, in August while awaiting trial on numerous sex offenses.
An autopsy ruled he had hanged himself, according to the Daily Mail.
Gervais also slammed hypocrite Hollywood stars for working for companies with controversial rights records while claiming to be "woke," and warned winners against making political acceptance speeches.
He blasted: "You say you're woke, but the companies you work for are unbelievable.
"Apple, Amazon, Disney - If ISIS started a streaming service, you'd call your agent, wouldn't you?
"So if you do win an award tonight don't use it as a platform to make a political speech.
"You're in no position to lecture the public about anything.
"You know nothing of the real world.
"Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.
"So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your god and then f**k off."
He also claimed that Apple, who launched their streaming service in 2019, used "sweatshops" to make their products, as CEO and owner Tim Cook watched from the crowd.
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Gervais, 58, also took aim at specific people in the audience, including actress Felicity Huffman who was jailed over her role in the college admissions scandal this year.
"You came here in your limos," he continued.
"I came in a limo tonight and the license plate was made by Felicity Huffman," he added, as the cameras panned to a shocked crowd.
Huffman recently completed an 11-day stint in jail after she pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to get one of her daughters into college.
Gervais continued: "It's her daughter I feel sorry for.
"That must be the most embarrassing thing to happen to her... and her dad was in Wild Hogs."
Several audience members broke out into shocked laughter, with Tom Hanks looking stunned.
Gervais, who has not hosted in the #MeToo era before, took a shot there too.
He said there was a wide variety of stars in the room, and they all have one thing in common: "They´re all afraid of Ronan Farrow," Gervais said.
New Yorker writer Farrow played a key role in outing sexual misconduct in Hollywood and exposing disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein.
Later in the show, Gervais introduced a clip for the film Birdbox, describing it as "a movie where people survive by acting like they don't see a thing.
"Sort of like working for Harvey Weinstein."
Gervais also mocked what he described as "pedophile movies."
"Talking of all you perverts, it was a big year for pedophile movies.
"Surviving R Kelly, Leaving Neverland, Two Popes," he says, before breaking down at his own joke.
"Shut up," he told the stunned crowd, "I don't care."
He then turned to Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio to poke fun at the age gap between him and the women he dates.
He said: "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood [is] nearly three hours long.
"Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere and by the end, his date was too old for him."
Cameras caught Leo's reaction.
It seemed the actor - who is currently dating 22-year-old Camila Morrone - was able to poke fun at himself, blushing and smiling while the rest of the room cracked up.
Amid laughter from the star-studded audience, Gervais added: "Even Prince Andrew is like, 'come on Leo mate, you're nearly 50, son'."
The Duke of York has faced intense public scrutiny over his relationship with convicted pedophile Epstein.
Andrew, 59, strenuously denies having sex with the financier's teenage "sex slave" Virginia Roberts and claims he can't remember meeting her despite a photograph of him with his arm around her.
Gervais set his sights on James Corden, who recently took part in the poorly reviewed movie Cats.
"The world got to see James Corden as a fat p****.
"He was also in the movie Cats, but no one saw that."
Critics and audiences alike have mocked the musical-turned-movie.
It has received a 21 percent Rotten Tomato score and inspiring thousands of ridiculing memes despite the all-star cast.
Gervais continued with an expletive-filled joke about Judi Dench, who also starred in the panned movie.
"Dame Judi Dench defended the film saying it was the role she was born to play because she loves nothing better than plonking herself down on the carpet, lifting her leg and licking her a******."
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It is the fifth time Gervais has emceed the gala, after previously fronting the show from 2010 to 2012 and once again in 2016.
The 58-year-old British comedian sat down for a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter as he discussed the difficulty in balancing comedy with political correctness and Hollywood egos.
When asked if he had any particular targets for this year's jokes, the comic insisted he wouldn't be zeroing in on any one star.
"I don't think this time [any] individuals are [in the firing line]," he said.
"I think I'll go after the general community."
