Ricky Gervais is going live and unscripted as he hosts the Golden Globe Awards on NBC this Sunday night.
“They can’t censor me, it’s live. That’s the beauty of it,” the British funnyman said following his HBO Television Critics Association panel to promote his new animated comedy series, “The Ricky Gervais Show.” “When they first offered me the job, I said, ‘I’m not gonna rehearse. Can I say what I want?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ They haven’t seen the script, my ideas, so they can’t censor me. I suppose they could stop the show and replace me.”
“Is there a script? Let’s be honest,” Ricky’s writing partner and “Ricky Gervais Show” co-star Stephen Merchant chimed in.
“There’s not a script, no,” Ricky replied.
As a result, Ricky suggests celebrities should be on their toes on the big night.
“Anyone who isn’t concentrating will get it, so they better listen, they better not talk,” he said during his TCA panel. “They can talk when everyone else is on, but they better not talk when I’m on, because then they get my attention and then they’re in trouble.”
Ricky already has one celebrity on his hit list – a friend at whom he’s taken swipes during past award shows – U.S. “Office” star, Steve Carell.
“Oh, yeah, he’s definitely in for it. Obviously, that’s a staple,” Ricky said. “But no, [my Globes hosting] — it’s not gonna be carefully choreographed things, I’m not gonna do a song and dance, I’m not gonna do a routine… As I say, it’s going to be more like off the cuff stand up.”
On Wednesday, Ricky had a chance to catch up on current affairs stateside when he served as a guest on “The Tonight Show,” and watched Conan take a swipe at Jay Leno during his monologue. The Brit called Conan’s opening, “one of the funniest, most biting monologues I’ve seen on a chat show for years,” but he isn’t sure America’s late night latest will make it into his Globes banter.
“We were gonna be talking about Haiti weren’t we, and they just knocked that off the news,” Ricky joked. “No, it won’t affect that… I’m hopefully going to try to talk about the people in the room… I’m gonna treat it like a corporate party.”
In fact, Ricky said he’s going to really go for it when he presents the show.
“They’re not gonna invite me back, so I might as well [have fun],” he said.
“I’m gonna be drunk,” he added. “Everyone else is.”
Ricky may also try to incorporate the characteristics of a late, great entertainer.
“I’m modeling myself after Sammy Davis Jr., but without the song and dance or any of the skills,” he said.
“Or the obvious talent,” Stephen chimed in.
“Yeah, I’m like Sammy Davis Jr. without the talent,” Ricky said.
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