By Rachel Krueger
I don’t think Ricky Gervais is a homophobe. But in his Golden Globes opening monologue he delivered a right zinger that was entirely predicated on “gay” being an insult. Referring to Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor in I Love You, Phillip Morris, he quipped, ‘Two heterosexual actors pretending to be gay. So the complete opposite of two famous Scientologists, then.”
Zing, Tom Cruise and John Travolta. You two dudes like dudes, and that is a ridiculous and comical thing for two dudes to do.
On the one hand, Ricky Gervais is British, which means that he can literally say anything and at least one person in the room will laugh. Also, he is wildly successful, which means ditto. Also also, the entirety of the awards show was awesomely or uncomfortably (depending on your tastes) uncomfortable. And the fact that he meant Tom Cruise and John Travolta but didn’t say “Tom Cruise and John Travolta” but everyone metaphorically looked over at Tom Cruise and John Travolta means the joke landed. Successful joke, in that everyone got it. But not a successful joke, perhaps, in its pointed meanness.
Because, ok. I’m not a fan of making fun of the gays right now, but I support the idea of one day being able to do so. A sign of the General Non-Oppression of White People is how “cracker” carries no real insultory weight. We’ll have reached Utopia when we can good-naturedly josh the gays and no one’s hackles will rise because they can get married and be in the military and all-around be treated like people. We are, obviously, not there.
So until we’re there, I suggest passing on the “You’re so gay” comments. How about “You’re such a Real Housewife of New York,” for a change, or “You’re so Jersey Shore”? Things that are actually mean.
Raych, Raych, Raych. Off day, maybe? I think (OK, I know) the comments above are all spot on. And being American but living in the Land of Eng, I wanted to hug Ricky G for his terrifyingly persistent willingness to puncture the egos of the people he was hired to entertain. Very brave. Very funny.
“But in his Golden Globes opening monologue he delivered a right zinger that was entirely predicated on “gay” being an insult.”
Um, not it wasn’t, it was predicated on that fact that pretending to be straight when you’re not is ridiculous. Something which many people think Tom Cruise and John Travolta to be guilty of.
Americans, lets make something clear:
Ricky gervais, as Sascha baron Cohen, and as a great part of the world, think americans (by its majority) are ridiculous, their culture, their stupidity, their prejudices, etc. No matter how much they say they love America in talk-shows…deep in their minds, and among their closest (non-american) friends, they have a lauguh. Americans are an endless source of fun just by exposing their uncountable political correctness and social unflexibility.
No, on the contrary
Gervais was criticising Hollywood homophobia.
Instead of hiring gay actors for gay roles…(THE HAVE NEVER DONE THIS>>>>NEVER), they ease things by hiring heterosexual actors. Ricky was aiming american-hollywood hypocresy.
He skewered the boring and the self-absorbed, in equal measure. Gay people, not, imho
Agree with the comments too. He wasn’t homophobic at all!
The joke was on scientology (which claims it can “cure” homosexuals) and high profile members being rumoured to be closeted gays
Ditto the comments.
Yeah…gotta agree with everyone else, it wasn’t making fun of gay people or using it as an insult…
He wasn’t making fun or homosexuals, moron, the joke was related to ongoing rumors that Cruise and Travolta are gay and Scientologists. So unless you know thay ARE gay, there was no gay joke.
Find another way to be offended.
Sorry Admin, but you’ve simply missunderstood the set up being about contrast (pretenting to be gay verses pretenting to be straight). Everything else is simply your projection. Move along, nothing to see here..
Yeah, he quite clearly didn’t say anything homophobic. It’s really shocking that people can really misinterpret stuff to this extent.
Being a scientologist at all is “a ridiculous and comical thing for two dudes to do.” For anyone to do.
He wasn’t making a “you’re so gay” joke where gay = lame.
He was saying they are literally gay. As in they both like men. Literally.
And if you want to talk about pointed meanness, read what the Church of Scientology says about homosexuality.
OMG! Are you serious?? This wasn’t an anti-gay/poke fun at gays joke…it was a dig at CLOSETING and SCIENTOLOGY. I should think it was obvious, but from the flap and furor, apparenlty some people need Cole’s Notes for Comedy/Stand Up Routines. Egads.