Over the last decade, the big entertainment awards shows have gone from Hollywood roasts — hosted by Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes; Seth MacFarlane at the Oscars — to pep rallies led by teacher’s pets (Ellen DeGeneres at the Oscars, Jimmy Fallon at the Globes). Last year, after declared host Kevin Hart was burned over old politically incorrect jokes on social media, the Oscars went risk-averse and just gave up on having an onstage emcee altogether.
So you’ve gotta hand it to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which has decided to brave the Twitter outrage and bring back its most button-pushing host, Gervais, for Sunday’s Golden Globes on NBC.
“They make choices for a lot of reasons — but ratings are top of the list,” said one longtime Golden Globe press representative, who adds that NBC and Dick Clark Productions are also involved. “Number two is press.”
And while Gervais’ ratings have held steady, “the amount of press he generates is absolutely invaluable,” said a Globes insider.
It helps that Gervais, 58, boasts 13.4 million Twitter followers. “That alone gets them millions of dollars’ worth of free press,” a former Oscars producer told The Post.
NBC promos for this weekend’s telecast proudly feature Gervais touting how unpredictable and fearless he is.
And, Hollywood insiders tell The Post, there are plenty of stars — be they guilty of tabloid sins or just overly sensitive — who are on pins and needles about Sunday’s show.
In the past, Gervais has held no Hollywood lamb sacred.
Not body image in 2011: “One of the biggest TV events of the year was the finale of ‘Lost.’ It was quite a complicated finale, and I’m not sure I understood it all. From what I can make out, the fat one ate them all.”
Not addiction in 2010: “The Golden Globes … crushes prejudice and stereotype. One stereotype I hate is that all Irishmen are just drunk, sweary hell-raisers. Please welcome Colin Farrell.”
Not transgender people in 2016, after Caitlyn Jenner was cleared in a car accident that left one person dead: “What a year she’s had! She became a role model for trans people everywhere, showing great bravery in breaking down barriers and destroying stereotypes. She didn’t do a lot for women drivers.”
Not women’s age in 2011: “There were a lot of big films that didn’t get nominated this year, nothing for ‘Sex and the City 2.’ No, I was sure the Golden Globe for special effects would go to the team that airbrushed that poster. Girls, we know how old you are. I saw one of you in an episode of ‘Bonanza.’ ”
“Some of my clients get it, but some have held a grudge,” says one celebrity publicist. “Busting open someone’s prison past or sexual peccadilloes — these are things actors want to forget. Or they’ve tried to get the public to forget! Rehab, philanthropy, Oscars, they’ll change their image, only to have Ricky Gervais throw it in their face in front of 20 million people. On the other hand, they know it’s his job and they just have to grin and bear it. When he hits below the belt, it hurts.”
A Hollywood agent admitted that stars are dreading being dragged.
“When my clients are getting dressed for the Globes, they’re all excited. It truly is the party of the year,” the agent said. “But if Ricky’s hosting, they’re trepidatious — some hope if they keep a low profile he might let them off. But it doesn’t work that way.”
Gervais doesn’t have to tell Globes producers what sort of comic bloodbath he’s prepping, but he does run his jokes by a lawyer at the last minute.
“They don’t change anything because I know the law and what I can get away with,” he recently told British talk show host Graham Norton. “I’ve never libeled anyone.”
“Ricky doesn’t care if he ends up with scathing reviews,” said the former Oscars producer. “That’s the beauty of him. The worse feedback, the more social media uproar, the more followers, the more money.”
That said, Gervais this week admitted to the Hollywood Reporter that he regrets one joke, told in 2011 while introducing Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.
“What can I say about our next two presenters? The first is an actor, producer, writer and director whose movies have grossed over $3.5 billion at the box office. He’s won two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes for his powerful and varied performances starring in such films as ‘Philadelphia,’ ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘Castaway,’ ‘Apollo 13’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan.’ The other is Tim Allen.”
“I think he took it wrong … I didn’t want Tim Allen to think, ‘Oh, that was written for me. Why me?’ ” Gervais said of the actor. “Well, because you were standing next to Tom Hanks.”
He also told THR that, “Nowadays, you’ve got to make sure [jokes are] bulletproof in 10 years’ time, with people going through saying, ‘He said this once, 10 years [ago].’ Kevin Hart [lost] his job [as Oscars host] for 10-year-old tweets that he said he was sorry about.”
Indeed, another close Globes source told The Post that the Hollywood Foreign Press had a moment of concern in December after Gervais tweeted what some critics felt was a transphobic remark.
He had responded to a post about author J.K. Rowling’s support of a researcher who was fired after expressing anti-transgender sentiments; that original tweet included a link to a satirical story purporting to be written from the perspective of a trans woman. Gervais’ tongue-in-cheek comment egged on the spoof account.
“Those awful biological women can never understand what it must be like for you becoming a lovely lady so late in life,” Gervais tweeted. “They take their girly privileges for granted. Winning at female sports and having their own toilets. Well, enough is enough.”
“They’re putting on a brave front,” said the close Globes source of the Hollywood Foreign Press and producers. “But that whole trans Twitter controversy made them nervous.”
Gervais said this week that the whole thing was taken out of context, as he was responding to a spoof Twitter account.
“This is the problem,” he said. “You can say, ‘Listen, I was joking. It’s a joke.’ But that’s not always enough for people. They go, ‘Well, why were you joking?’ Also, add to that the nature of Twitter — it’s so curt, there’s no nuance, it’s there forever out of context.
“Deep down, I want people to know I’m not a racist or a homophobe or a sexist.”
And one former Dick Clark Productions head told The Post that while Gervais may roast the stars, he always toasts show staff.
“Ricky’s a total charmer, the consummate professional, hard worker, all-around nice guy. The producers love him,” the Clark source said. “All of the mean stuff’s a façade … Behind the scenes, [everyone’s] friends with him. A little afraid of him — but still very admiring.”