Weird to wild: Hollywood hosts, jokes that crossed the line
Jo Koy's monologue at the 81st Golden Globe Awards was a major letdown, with his jokes failing to amuse attendees and viewers alike. His performance was labeled as "awkward, controversial, and deeply cringeworthy." Jokes, aimed at the movie Barbie, and pop singer Taylor Swift ignited a firestorm of criticism for its blatant misogyny. This isn't the first instance of a hosting gig gone awry. Here, we gather poorly received jokes delivered at some of the most esteemed award shows.
But first, what was the controversial 'Barbie' joke?
Koy's Barbie joke went like this: "Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies. The key moment in Barbie is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite, and flat feet. Or what casting directors call character actor!" The joke was met with unenthusiastic reactions from director Greta Gerwig, actor Ryan Gosling, and stars like Helen Mirren and Selena Gomez.
Koy addressed the backlash, blamed writers, preparation time
During his hosting stint, Koy took a swipe at Swift, who is dating American footballer Travis Kelce. He quipped, "The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL is that we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift at the Golden Globes." Addressing the backlash on What You Need to Know, Koy blamed his writers and the limited time he had to prepare, stating, "Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago, you want a perfect monologue?"
Ricky Gervais's comedy special featuring skit on terminally sick kids
Controversial comedian Ricky Gervais has stirred up backlash multiple times for his jokes being perceived as transphobic. In addition to ruffling feathers by labeling Hollywood as "disgusting, pill-popping, sexually deviant scum," the comedian faced criticism for his Netflix special Armageddon. In this special, he made jokes about terminally ill children. Eventually, he secured a historic win at the 81st Golden Globes in the new category of Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television with Armageddon.
James Franco and Anne Hathaway (Oscars 2011)
In an attempt to connect with a younger audience, the Academy opted for an unconventional hosting duo: Anne Hathaway and James Franco. However, the result was a comically mismatched pair. The lack of chemistry and an overall sense of clumsiness made their hosting gig feel painfully unrehearsed. In addition to a generally disastrous performance, a particular joke raised eyebrows: "It's been a great year for lesbians—not just in general, but in movies!"
When Seth MacFarlane made derogatory remarks about women
Seth MacFarlane hosted the 2013 Oscars with needlessly salty humor, featuring racial and gender commentary that felt mildly offensive to stars. His description of Jessica Chastain's character in Zero Dark Thirty as "a celebration of every woman's innate ability to never let things go" and the controversial We Saw Your Boobs opening number, left a crude impression. He also went on to say that viewers compensate for not understanding Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz "because they're so attractive."
