Golden Globes Highs and Lows

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Robert Downey Jr.

Question: What’s much more fun than debating whether right-wing rhetoric and Sarah Palin campaign posters played a role in the horrific shootings in Tucson? Answer: Pondering Ricky Gervais’ polarizing performance as host of the Golden Globe Awards.

Whether you think the British comedian was rude and disrespectful to Hollywood’s elite or simply brought his brand of humor to the historically loose proceedings, Gervais himself is publicly, at least, expressing no remorse. After a series of digs about such topics as Robert Downey Jr.’s past drug use, the age of Bruce Willis and Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. president Philip Berk, many were puzzled by Gervais’ seeming absence from the podium during the back half of the telecast—resulting in speculation that he was being dressed down. But Gervais insisted that his remarks went down well.

What’s getting lost is some of the other fast and loose and often totally inappropriate comments emanating from the stage at the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom. Take Downey, for instance. Not his quick-witted comeback about Gervais creating a climate of hostility, but his statement that all actresses give a better performance after sleeping with him. First thought: his poor wife being publicly humiliated. It turns out to be his intro of the actresses nominated for best lead in a comedy or musical, including Julianne Moore, Annette Bening—who won for “The Kids Are All Right”—and Angelina Jolie. Filled with double entendre sexual innuendo, he concluding the intro by saying, “I wish I could give it to all five of you at once.”

Talking about actors sleeping with each other, the adorably pregnant Natalie Portman made it clear that her baby daddy, Benjamin Millipied, wanted to sleep with her even though in an iconic scene from “Black Swan,” he said he didn’t want to.

Paul Giamatti was apparently so overcome by seeing present Halle Berry’s sexy, sheer black number that he almost blanked out that it was his category and name she was calling as best actor for “Barney’s Version.”

Aaron Sorkin seemed to be kissing up to Mark Zuckerberg, saying his college girlfriend (as depicted to Rooney Mara in “The Social Network”) made a huge mistake in blowing him off, um, now that he’s made something of himself—and revolutionized the way people connect with each other online.

And what was Cecil B. De Mille honoree Robert DeNiro saying about people who should be deported, like most of the waiters in the room? Missed the beginning of that remark, which is probably just as well.

But the classiest act of the evening–of which there were few–came near the end, when the eternally handsome and now healthy-looking Michael Douglas got a standing ovation, ostensibly for presenting an award, but really for surviving a grueling battle with cancer. Here’s to his health.

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Author: Hillary Atkin

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