What is it about Ricky Gervais and award ceremonies?
Give the man a stage, a mic and the spotlight at some glitzy award bash, and he just can’t help himself.
He has caused controversy as the host of the Golden Globe Awards in the past with a series of edgy and near-the-knuckle jokes aimed at the nominees.
But this time it was Gervais himself who was the recipient of a gong at this year’s BAFTA awards in Los Angeles and yet again, he was bang on form.
The Office star’s acceptance speech for his comic achievement award was nothing short of spectacular.
He dispensed with tradition and rather than thanking his friends and family, he jokingly called his partner a freeloader who had contributed ‘fuck all’ to his career.
He admitted he was a little drunk, joked he had nothing but contempt for the award and said he could only surmise that it meant everyone in showbiz thought he was better than Charlie Chaplain.
“I’ve been to a lot of awards ceremonies here. Someone always gets up and says ‘I haven’t prepared a speech. I didn’t think I’d win’.
“Well I knew I’d won and I didn’t prepare a speech. It shows you the contempt I have for this award and this town in general.
“I’m joking of course. This is a great town. It’s all about celebrities, which are the best people in the world. The most important.
“And BAFTA is the best award. So put them together, BAFTA and LA, the most important award ceremony in the world.”
“This particular award is the probably the greatest BAFTA award. So the best award in the history of the universe.
“What I’m taking from this is you, and everyone in show business, is saying to me that I’m better than Charlie Chaplin. I humbly accept this award.”
Then he gave his girlfriend Jane a special David Brent-style mention that had the audience in stitches.
“And my girlfriend of over 30 years Jane, although she has not really contributed to my career. This is all me. In fact thinking about it she has done f**k all.
“She is around now of course because there is free champagne. She has really fallen on her feet. So I just wanted to mention her.”
Gervais then went on to admit: “I am drunk. Thank you. I would like another award next year – it was a free trip thanks to BAFTA and American Airlines you know it let’s be honest, shut up.
“I am going to get drunk more.”
He’s basically a chilled out entertainer.
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