Ricky Gervais Refuses To Apologize For ‘Transphobic’ Joke About Caitlyn Jenner During Golden Globes
If anyone out there is still looking for an apology from comedian Ricky Gervais because of his caustic patter during Sunday night’s Golden Globes show, those folks are likely in for a long wait. After all, Gervais already apologized in advance of what he would likely say during the broadcast a week before the event, knowing for certain that he would cross some lines with his material. Indeed, Caitlyn Jenner was among those ribbed by Gervais during the show, and a verbal contingent of fans are not willing to let it go just yet.
During the monologue, Ricky Gervais made light of former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner’s transition from his old identity, Bruce Jenner. Jenner pulicly announced her gender transition in April, 2015, later posing for a now-iconic Vanity Fair cover photo shoot with photographer Annie Leibovitz.
“I’ve changed,” Gervais said during his opening routine, jokingly professing that he would be nicer with his jokes during this year’s Golden Globes show. “Not as much as Bruce Jenner, obviously – now Caitlyn Jenner, of course. What a year she’s had. She became a role model for trans people everywhere… She didn’t do a lot for women drivers, but you can’t have everything.”
The crack struck a sour note with people in the attendance at the Golden Globes event, although it was unclear as to whether people were more offended by a joke about Jenner’s transition or about the idea that Gervais used the death of Kimberly Howe to get a laugh.
Some home viewers also cried foul via social media, including senior BuzzFeed reporter Toal Dameron, who likened Gervais’ work to “accidentally sitting on a wet toilet seat in a public restroom,” as noted by Huffington Post.
experiencing ricky gervais is the same experience emotionally as accidentally sitting on a wet toilet seat in a public restroom
— toal dameron (@ohkayewhatever) January 11, 2016
Suggesting a joke about Caitlin Jenner is automatically transphobic is like suggesting a joke about Bill Cosby is automatically racist.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 12, 2016
For what it’s worth, Gervais also poked fun at Bill Cosby on Sunday, telling fans that he would rather join Mel Gibson for a drink in his hotel than be alone with Cosby. As previously reported by Inquisitr and many other news outlets, Cosby has been accused of drugging and sexually molesting a number of women.
Ricky Gervais continued a robust defense of his awards show fare in subsequent tweets on Tuesday.
In the future, everyone will be offended by me for 15 minutes. pic.twitter.com/sTiLO5p9w0
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 12, 2016
You have every right to be offended. Just don’t cry when no one cares.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 12, 2016
He ultimately tied together comments about Caitlyn Jenner’s transition with the subject of the car accident, asserting that he is not “transphobic” but “TransportPhobic.”
I made a joke about Caitlyn Jenner killing someone in her car. I’m #TransportPhobic.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 12, 2016
Caitlyn Jenner has not publicly commented on the flap.
Despite all of the wailing and gnashing of teeth regarding the irreverent British comedian, some sources, including Huffington Post entertainment writer Carly Ledbetter, are predicting that he will be in high demand in the years to come. If that is indeed the case, Ricky Gervais has plenty of time to apologize in advance, once again, this time for next year’s Golden Globes show.
[Photo by Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal/Getty Images]
