Top 10 Most Controversial Golden Globes Moments
These are the moments that shook the whole globe. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the most infamous moments in the award show’s history.
Transcript
00:00 I'll tell you how I got here. Why am I here on the stage with you guys tonight?
00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the most infamous moments in the history of the
00:11 Golden Globe Awards. Listen, I'm sure it's embarrassing for both of us, okay? And I blame
00:17 NBC for this terrible situation. Number 10. Seth Rogen's inappropriate joke.
00:22 The 69th Golden Globe Awards. Who could that be?
00:27 Go answer it. Just go on. While co-presenting with Kate Beckinsale at the 2012 Golden Globes,
00:32 Seth Rogen caught everyone in the room off guard. As they introduced the category of actress in a
00:36 motion picture musical or comedy, he announced that he had a slight problem.
00:41 Hello, I'm Seth Rogen, and I am currently trying to conceal a massive a*****.
00:45 How nice. The audience broke out in laughter,
00:50 and Beckinsale could hardly contain her giggles. The TMI moment even got to Rogen at one point,
00:54 although it seemed like it was all just fun and games. The joke probably would not have landed as
00:59 well in the age of #MeToo. My date did not go well, unfortunately,
01:03 due to a lack of chemistry, and I think an overuse of profanity on my part.
01:08 Number 9. Cate Blanchett's drunk speech. The 71st Golden Globe Awards.
01:13 One of the best parts of watching the Golden Globes is seeing celebrities gain liquid courage.
01:18 I had a few vodkas under my belt, and here we are.
01:22 At the 2014 ceremony, Cate Blanchett was honored for her performance in the film Blue Jasmine.
01:27 During her acceptance speech, it was apparent that her good night had started long before her win.
01:32 People like me are only slipstream picking up these heavy things that make your biceps look great.
01:39 She began by admitting that she had been enjoying some vodka. After that,
01:42 she gave some shouts to a famous LA landmark and capped things off with a crass joke about
01:46 Judy Garland. Blanchett later confirmed the rumors that she was intoxicated,
01:51 and hoped she didn't quote "do too many regretful things."
01:54 I just wondered, can people at home hear this music? Or do they suddenly just think that you're
01:59 just getting really fast because you're having a panic attack, which you're probably having.
02:02 Number 8. Emma Stone gets called out. The 76th Golden Globe Awards.
02:07 During her co-hosting duties at the 2019 Globes, Sandra Oh was on fire.
02:12 You fools are all about to get roasted!
02:15 Your base style! Hope you're wearing your flip-flops, Hollywood,
02:19 'cause we're about to scorch some earth.
02:21 The Killing Eve star delivered quip after quip alongside Andy Samberg. In one of the most talked
02:25 about moments of the night, Oh said a joke that called out nominee Emma Stone for her performance
02:30 in Aloha.
02:31 Crazy Rich Asians is nominated tonight for Best Picture, Musical or Comedy.
02:36 It is the first studio film with an Asian-American lead since Ghost in the Shell in Aloha.
02:46 Stone, who is white, portrayed a half-Asian character in the 2015 flick.
02:51 At the end of the punchline, someone off-camera shouted an apology.
02:54 Stone later verified that it was her, elaborating that her response was spontaneous.
02:59 Small talk and conversation, there's no time for it.
03:03 You are never going to offend me by being blunt to the point.
03:05 Number 7. Oliver Stone's speech. The 36th Golden Globe Awards.
03:11 And I've been playing it cool. I've been good. And now I'm damn tired of being good.
03:20 While accepting his award for Best Screenplay for Midnight Express in 1979,
03:25 director Oliver Stone seized the opportunity to speak his mind. Protesting U.S. drug policies,
03:30 Stone gave a passionate speech that was not well-received by the crowd.
03:34 I'm on the other side of history this one. I mean, I'm so in a disagreement.
03:37 The audience turned on the filmmaker, responding with boos.
03:40 Host Chevy Chase stepped in and encouraged Stone to stop, to no avail.
03:45 Eventually, security removed Stone from the stage. This wasn't the last time he addressed
03:50 the issue publicly. At the 1979 Oscars, Stone delivered a much shorter but equally passionate
03:55 speech. I think we're so distorted. We're so away from our, what we were and could have been,
04:00 that it's a deep, deep disaffection.
04:04 Number 6. Seth Meyers calls out Hollywood. The 75th Golden Globe Awards.
04:09 This was the year of Big Little Lies and Get Out, and also the television series Big Little
04:15 Lies and the movie Get Out. The Me Too movement was in full swing in 2018,
04:20 and Hollywood was at its center. During the Golden Globes that year,
04:23 host Seth Meyers faced the topic head-on by calling attention to Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein.
04:28 I've heard rumors that he's crazy and difficult to work with. But don't worry, he'll be back in
04:34 20 years when he becomes the first person ever booed during the in-memoriam. It'll sound like
04:42 that. Both men were facing legal cases as they had been accused of predatory behaviors and actions.
04:48 Meyers tackled the subject with humor, and made the disgraced Weinstein and Spacey the
04:52 butt of the jokes. I was happy to hear they're going to do another season of House of Cards.
04:57 Is Christopher Plummer available for that too? I hope he can do a southern accent,
05:03 'cause Kevin Spacey sure couldn't. Oh, is that too mean to Kevin Spacey?
05:10 He also called out Woody Allen and President of the United States Donald Trump. It was a fiery
05:15 opening to the ceremony, and reminded everyone in the room that Hollywood could no longer turn
05:20 a blind eye. There's a new era underway, and I can tell, because it's been years since a white
05:28 man was this nervous in Hollywood. Number 5. The year without the Globes.
05:32 The 79th Golden Globe Awards. I'll catch everyone in the room up.
05:37 If you settle down a little bit, I'll tell you what's been going on.
05:44 In 2021, a report by the LA Times called out the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its lack
05:50 of diversity, and its former president Philip Beck for sending an email in which he called
05:55 Black Lives Matter, quote, "racist." As a result, the HFPA received major backlash.
06:00 And there's been controversy after controversy, and now Tom Cruise,
06:03 one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, he's even slapped a return label on his Golden Globe statue.
06:08 The organization, which runs the Golden Globes, announced they would take steps to correct their
06:12 wrongs and do better. Months before the awards show, NBC took a firm stance and stated they
06:17 would not broadcast the Globes that year. The ceremony did go ahead, but was not televised,
06:23 and did not include a red carpet. In 2023, the broadcast returned. Here's hoping the HFPA
06:29 continues to make good on their promise. I took this job assuming they hadn't changed at all.
06:33 At all. I heard they got six new black members. Congrats to them. Whatever. Sure.
06:44 Number four, Ricky Gervais versus Mel Gibson, the 73rd Golden Globe Awards.
06:50 A few years ago on this show, I made a joke about Mel Gibson getting a bit drunk
06:57 and saying a few unsavory things. Ricky Gervais, known for his biting and sometimes harsh jokes,
07:02 hosted the ceremony for the fourth time in 2016. Never one to shy away from controversy,
07:08 Gervais knew exactly how to push Mel Gibson's buttons when he introduced the actor. Oh yeah,
07:12 okay, here you go. I'd rather have a drink with him in his hotel room tonight than with Bill Cosby.
07:18 Although the moment started off all right, with the two sharing a hug,
07:24 things soon turned sour. Gervais jokingly grabbed his beer away from Gibson, who was once involved
07:29 in an infamous DUI case. The braveheart actor wasted no time and threw some shade back at the
07:34 comedian. Well, if you'd left your drink, you don't need to leave your drink here. I'll put you to
07:40 sleep another way. Of course, Gervais had the last word and the cringy exchange wrapped up.
07:46 Number three, Jack Nicholson's confession, the 60th Golden Globe Awards.
07:52 "I'm so surprised because, um, doesn't Nicole look lovely with her old nose?
07:58 She looks nice with her old nose."
08:03 As one of Hollywood's greatest movie stars of all time, Jack Nicholson has given countless acceptance
08:08 speeches. When the legendary actor took to the Globe stage to accept his award for his performance
08:13 in the dramedy About Schmidt, he delivered a speech that was, well, memorable. "Well, I don't
08:18 know whether to be happy or ashamed because I thought we made a comedy." He started by commenting
08:23 on the presenter Nicole Kidman's face and joked about co-star Dermot Mulroney's hair. He capped
08:28 off the moment by announcing to the entire ballroom of his peers and millions of viewers that he had
08:33 taken a little something beforehand, which was probably the reason for his wild speech. "Took
08:38 a Valium tonight, so... So I'm just gonna thank Bobby Shades and his company who've done us
08:50 very proud." Number two, Ricky Gervais hosting, various. Of all the Golden Globe's hosts,
08:58 Ricky Gervais is likely the most memorable. In 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2020, the office
09:07 alumni took to the podium. "Now, the Hollywood foreign press have warned me that if I insult
09:12 any of you or any of them or offend any viewers or cause any controversy whatsoever, they'll
09:19 definitely invite me back next year as well." Year after year, Gervais, with a beer in hand,
09:24 roasted Hollywood's biggest names. No one was safe from his wisecracks and no topic was off limits.
09:30 "So the complete opposite of some famous Scientologist then? Um, Mark, Mark,
09:35 probably. My lawyers helped me with the wording of that joke."
09:43 Celebs like Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, and Bruce Willis were the punchlines to some of his most
09:48 cutting jokes. However, it looks as if 2020 was Gervais' last hurrah. The comedian has publicly
09:55 stated that he has no interest in returning to host, much to the relief of many celebrities.
10:01 "I don't care anymore. Um, I'm joking. I never did."
10:04 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
10:09 Sasha Baron Cohen's speech, the 64th Golden Globe Awards.
10:12 The Borat star delivered some gross-out humor.
10:15 "Kenneth, if it was not for that rancid bubble, I would not be here today."
10:27 Bette Midler's Golden Globes joke, the 37th Golden Globe Awards.
10:31 Midler offered up this memorable double entendre.
10:33 "I'm reminded of when Joan Crawford actually won her Golden Globe and she said, um,
10:40 'I can't do it. I can't. I have to be tasteful. They told me I was supposed to be.' She said,
10:45 'I'll show you a pair of Golden Globes.'"
10:48 Ewan McGregor thanking his ex and girlfriend, the 57th Golden Globe Awards.
10:53 McGregor's former wife was none too pleased over this speech.
10:56 "I want to take a moment to just say thank you to Ev, who always stood by me for 22 years."
11:02 Jeremy Renner staring at J.Lo, the 72nd Golden Globe Awards.
11:06 The Avengers star's gaze made everyone uncomfortable.
11:09 "And the Golden Globe goes to... You want to open it?"
11:13 "You want me to do it? I have the nails."
11:14 "Yeah, get after it. You've got the Globes too. Um..."
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11:32 Number 1. Isaac Mizrahi's Red Carpet Interviews. The 63rd Golden Globe Awards.
11:40 "That thing with Scarlett Johansson."
11:41 "Not just that thing, but people reacted in a very strong way to your performance on the
11:44 red carpet. They thought you had gone too far."
11:46 Red carpets are one of the most talked about parts of award season. In 2006,
11:51 all eyes were on the Globes red carpet pre-show, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi was front and
11:56 center as one of the co-hosts. While chatting with a 21-year-old Scarlett Johansson,
12:00 Mizrahi grabbed her chest and asked her if she was wearing a bra.
12:04 "In fittings, I do that all the time. And it's just a natural response. It's like a doctor going,
12:09 'Okay, cough.' You know? 'Well, I won't do that to you.'"
12:12 The uncomfortable moment was captured live on air and sparked lots of controversy.
12:17 Johansson went on the record with the LA Times, saying it was in quote,
12:21 "poor taste." As for Mizrahi, he felt no need to apologize at the time.
12:26 Years later, after much reflection, he admitted that his actions were wrong.
12:30 "In retrospect, I looked at it and I was like, 'Oh, that's true.' And when it happened,
12:34 I was so scared. I was so scared. And I didn't go like, 'Hey, wait a minute.' I was just shaking
12:38 her hand. I didn't say anything. I was like, 'Okay, I'm not going to say anything. Maybe
12:41 it'll go away.'"
12:42 Which golden moment do you think is the most controversial? Let us know in the comments.
12:47 "Did you hear about Willem Dafoe? Oh God, no. He was nominated. Don't do that. Don't do that."
12:55 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from MizMojo.
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13:03 [Music]