Golden Globes host Gervais offends as transgender slurs provoke social media ire

He had promised he would be offensive, and Ricky Gervais certainly delivered as host to the 73rd Golden Globes.

He took jaw-dropping swipes at Mel Gibson, Sean Penn and Ben Affleck but it was perhaps Gervais’ repeated jokes about transgender issues that has caused the greatest stir.

The first victim was Caitlyn Jenner and while Gervais momentarily suggested he would behave, he soon knocked that on the head:

"I’ve changed,” he said. “Not as much as Bruce Jenner, obviously.”

And continued: “Now Caitlyn Jenner, of course. What a year she’s had. She became a role model for trans people everywhere, showing great bravery in breaking down barriers and destroying stereotypes.

“She didn’t do a lot for women drivers, but... you can’t have everything,” Gervais quipped, referring to a fatal car accident Jenner was involved in last year.

Next in the firing line was the hit Amazon show Transparent and its star Jeffrey Tambor, who plays transgender woman Maura Pfefferman:

“Every day, [Jeffrey Tambor] has to put on all that women’s clothes and the hair and makeup and let people film it. That takes balls.

“I don’t know how he does it, I really don’t. I’ve seen his balls: They’re huge and long,” Gervais said.

Many social media users were less than impressed:

It was perhaps unsurprising then, that Gervais held no punches when introducing Eddie Redmayne, who plays real-life transgender artist Lili Elbe The Danish Girl.

Having described Redmayne as a “beautiful and talented actress,” Gervais pretended to do a double-take as he exclaimed “it’s a dude!”

Gervais wasn't kind to many over the course of proceedings.

He described the crowd of television and film stars as “disgusting, pill-popping, sexual deviant scum”.

In his opening monologue, he said he would deliver his piece and then “go into hiding”.

“Not even Sean Penn will find me. Snitch,” he said, referring to Penn’s recent interaction with the now-captured Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

On top of all this, Gervais did not shy away from the subjects of child sexual abuse and pay equality.

“The excellent Spotlight has been nominated,” he said.

“The Catholic Church are furious about the film, as it exposes the fact that five percent of all their priests have repeatedly molested children and have been allowed to continue without punishment.

“Roman Polanski called it the best date movie ever.”

On Jennifer Lawrence and her Hollywood pay-gap stance, Gervais said “there were marches on the street with teachers and nurses saying how the hell could a 25-year-old live on $58 million?”

Matt Damon appeared stunned when he was introduced as “the only person Ben Affleck hasn’t been unfaithful to,” following speculation over Affleck’s fidelity.

Damon’s recent release, The Martian, took a knock as well:

“The Hollywood Foreign Press Association deemed The Martian a comedy and even nominated it. Hence Matt Damon is here tonight. So that worked a treat, didn’t it.

“To be fair,” Gervais said, “The Martian was a lot funnier than Pixels. But then again so was Schindler’s List”.

One man who had been the butt of numerous Gervais jokes previously and a target when Gervais hosted the Golden Globes in 2012, was Mel Gibson.

Surely, he was not expecting an easy ride, nor did he get it.

Introducing him, Gervais said it was “awkward” having to do so, “embarrassing for both of us”.

“I blame NBC for this terrible situation. Mel blames... you know who Mel blames. I still feel a bit bad for it. Mel has forgotten all about it apparently. That’s what drinking does.”

Gervais did, however, want to say “something nice about Mel before he comes out”.

“I’d rather have a drink with him in his hotel room tonight than with Bill Cosby.”

But, as if in some danger of going too soft on Gibson, Gervais returned to the stage to fire one more quip as Gibson was mid-awards presentation, asking “what the f**k does sugar tits even mean?” in reference to Gibson’s alleged comment to a female police officer during a 2006 DUI.

One more to top it off: “From myself and Mel Gibson: Shalom,” Gervais said, drawing a close to the ceremony.

Those expecting an apology from Gervais for any offence caused are likely to be disappointed.

He tweeted soon after the show that he could not wait for people to start reporting that he had "offended some people".

"Of course I f***ng did," he said.