-by Mike Finkelstein
For a minute, there, it seemed like Ricky Gervais would never host another awards show again. Yet according to Gervais, it seems like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association may be rethinking things.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Gervais said he has been asked to host the Golden Globes next year for the third year in a row, saying:
“The ratings went up again, and the organisers asked me to consider a third year. (But) I don’t think I should. I don’t know what I could do better. I certainly couldn’t get more press for them, that’s for sure.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Foreign Press is denying his claims, saying: “There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back. Nice try, Ricky,” HFP head Phil Berk said in a statement.
While many thought that Gervais went too far, he pointed out that really, no one that actually had a joke made about them made a huge deal:
“I did exactly what I went to do: improve on last year’s and have a laugh. The response was staggering. It was discussed on every news channel and chat show for weeks. The weird thing is, the question is always, ‘Did Ricky go too far?’ And the answer is always, ‘No.’ I have yet to find anyone who was actually offended by it.”
So I guess the question is, do YOU think Gervais went too far, and do YOU think he should be invited back. On the one hand, yes, some things may have been offensive. On the other, people knew before the show started that there’d be controversy and quips, and the impromptu roast got the best ratings for the Awards show in years….