Golden Globes host Jerrod Carmichael didn’t waste any time Tuesday roasting the Hollywood Foreign Press Association during his opening monologue.
“Welcome to the 80th annual Golden Globe awards. I am your host Jerrod Carmichael,” the comedian said. “And I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here because I’m black.”
He continued: “This show, the Golden Globe Awards, did not air last year because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single black member until George Floyd died. So do with that information what you will.”
NBC did not air the awards ceremony last year because it said HFPA was undergoing “meaningful reform” which would take “time and work.”
“We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right,” the network said at the time.
The former star of NBC’s “Carmichael Show” explained where he was when he got asked to host the awards ceremony.
“One minute you’re making mint tea at home, the next, you’re invited to be the black face of an embattled white organization,” he joked.
He said he was torn about taking Globes producer Stephen Hill up on the offer.
"I said Stephen, 'I'll be honest with you, I'm a little torn because you know, one, it's a great opportunity. Thank you for the call. But I'm only being asked to host this because I'm Black,'" Charmichael remembered. "And Stephen said, 'Let me stop you right there. You are being asked to host this show because you are talented. You're being asked to host this show because you're charming — but Stephens' black, so what does he know?"
He called a friend for advice, who urged him to take the “white people's money.”
"I did what I do when I have a moral racial dilemma. I call the homegirl Avery, who for the sake of this monologue represents every black person in America," Charmichael said. "And I said to Avery, I said, 'Avery, they asked me to host the Golden Globes.' I said, 'You know, what should I do?' And she said, 'Oh, Buki, I'm so proud of you. Now, remind me what awards show is that again?'
"And I told her what the show was, and I told her about how last year didn't air because of the no black people thing. And she was like, 'Well, how much are they paying you?' And I said, 'Well, Avery, it's not about the money. Honestly, it's about the moral question of rather, I should elaborate.' She said, ' ... How much are they paying you?' and I said, '$500,000.' And she said, 'Boy, if you don't put on a good suit and take the white people's money.' "
Carmichael went on to brush off the HFPA’s diversity changes.
"I heard they got six new black members, congrats to them, whatever. … But it's not why I'm here," Carmichael said. "I look out into this room and I see a lot of talented people, people that I admire, people that I would like to be like, people that I'm jealous of, and people that are actually really incredible artists.
"And regardless of whatever the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's past may be, this is an evening where we get to celebrate, and I think this industry deserves evenings like these. And I'm happy you all are here,” he added.
And here is your host for the 80th Annual #GoldenGlobes... It’s Jerrod Carmichael! 🎤 pic.twitter.com/tc8KIyt1E5
— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 11, 2023
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