Jonathan Ross: Ricky Gervais went too far with Golden Globe jokes

Bad jokes: Jonathan Ross thinks Gervais' "unnecessary" jokes will help his career
11 April 2012
The Weekender

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Jonathan Ross has given his verdict on Ricky Gervais's performance at the Golden Globes - saying many of his jokes were "unnecessary".

Comic Gervais, 49, sparked controversy after delivering a string of acerbic put-downs while hosting the US awards ceremony last month.

Ross, 50, said he would not have made the Scientology jibe, in which the Office star referred to "two heterosexual actors pretending to be gay" in a film and then added: "Sort of the complete opposite of some famous Scientologists then."

But he told the Radio Times that Gervais's headline-grabbing jokes would have helped his US career.

Ross said: "It was kind of brave, but a lot of those jokes were kind of unnecessary. I definitely wouldn't have gone for the Scientology joke. But you have to remember Ricky's career doesn't depend on the Golden Globes.

"I'd say what he did will be good for him in America. Being a comedian is dependent on being brave and brutally truthful. I texted him to say well done. I couldn't have done that. Ricky has balls of steel. I'm very glad it went well."

Ross, who has signed a deal to front a chat show for ITV, said the offensive broadcast that landed him and Russell Brand in hot water, after the pair left messages on actor Andrew Sachs's answerphone, could have been avoided.

He said: "I worried about it from the moment me and Russell left the studio. I kept calling, saying I didn't think it was right and were they absolutely sure Andrew was OK with it.

"We kept being told it was fine. I couldn't say this afterwards because the decision was made for me to say nothing, and I thought the thing to do was follow the rules. But Russell has since said this in his book. Neither of us wanted that to go out."

Ross also told the Radio Times that he suggested to Simon Cowell that Michael McIntyre join the panel of Britain's Got Talent, but that Cowell did not know who the comedian was.

He said: "He (Cowell) looked at me and said: 'Who is he?' When he finally met him, he opened the conversation by saying: 'The problem with you Michael..."'

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