The Golden Nodes of Tee-Hee PC

                               Golden Globes 2011 - Ricky Gervais 

 Now that I’ve had several cups of strong black tea to knock the cobwebs out of my sometimes fuzzy brain, and have finished my Internet reading rounds, it appears that aside from words of wisdom and tributes to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, and the good news on Gabrielle Giffords’ increasingly positive recovery process, the primary focus is on what happened at last night’s Golden Globes awards in Hollywood (technically in Beverly Hills).

It surprises me how the host, Ricky Gervais’ opening speech/monologue, has caused an enormous amount of dust to flair up into the rotating spotlights of the blogosphere today. People are shocked, I tell you, shocked, that he had the British form of cajones to throw several darts at many of Hollywood’s “finest” – as if that sort of thing had never been done before last night’s program.

Does anyone remember the many jabs Bob Hope would sling when he was the recurring host of the Academy Awards? Or Johnny Carson’s well-timed remarks doing the same gig years later? No? You’re too young? If so, ask your parents or grandparents. Part of the fun of many of the awards shows was the very “inside” jokes the hosts and presenter’s would aim at the poor ducks sitting in front of the podium, or, if smart, hunching down at a pre-requested little table or seat as close to the back of the room as possible.

Have the collective “we” become so incredibly PC that one now gasps when zingers are dead-on? Cruel humour is just what it is – cruel. Gervais has been accused of being so in his rip at Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie’s nominations for their lack of decent performances in a less-than-successful on any level film that ended up in the “Comedy” category rather than in “Drama” which is what the film was supposed to be - ”The Tourist” - which should be re-named “The Turdist.”

Gervais wasn’t “cruel” in my opinion. His remark was – it would seem to be – absolutely on spot with the suggestion that the nominations were a “bribe” and that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (hosts of the GG’s), merely wanted to ensure a way to lure Angelina Jolie out of hiding to amp up the appeal for the show’s PR machine. (Depp was nominated for another film, so he would have been there regardless…)

Listen, I’m not a fan of the Incredible Shrinking Woman Jolie (in fact, at the rapid rate of her weight loss I would hope Mr. Pitt would feed her more than a hand on her butt for the now-predictable Red Carpet photo op’s), I can almost assure you that she and Depp would have given almost anything not to have been in the glare of any lights last night. However, showing-up at an awards program when you have no viable excuse to be out of the country, unable to attend, is part of the job of an actor whose film or person (or both) has been nominated for an award.

But I almost digress focusing on Miss Jolie and Mr. Depp. Gervais had a few choice flame-throwers at two high-profile Scentologists’ sexual preferences. Hey, someone had to finally comment on those two (or three) rather than adhering to the adhesive tape all of “Hollywood” places over their mouths for fear of having their homes burned down or their agent losing his or her best table at the latest “hot” restaurant…not to ignore losing much, much more. Sometimes contained knowledge and/or rumours just explode following years of collective silence. Someone has to blow the lid off those boiling pots. And, gasp, Gervais did just that.

I’m completely, unwaveringly, PC when it involves racial slurs and the like. To me, it’s not a matter of being “politically correct” to avoid using inflammatory language against various groups. From my point of view, it’s common decency to refrain from name-calling. Although it’s clear to those who regularly read this blog that I’m far from what one may deem to be “Conservative” – beyond the use of the now-new word “Tea-Baggers” – you won’t find me using demeaning terminology or labels against those with whom I disagree. Yes, I will, on occasion, use base language if in a bit of a twit-fit, but beyond hitting a sour note from time-to-time, it’s all within what I consider to be reasonable bounds to flog with authenticity.

Beyond the above, I honestly believe everyone has become just WAY too PC! Where’s our collective sense of humour – especially when in many situations the jabs have at least a grain of truth beneath the joke? There is also a difference between using humour to bully and utilizing humour to be funny. Now, with that sentence in mind, Ricky Gervais did go below-the-belt with other comments throughout his time at the podium last night.

Was it necessary to make the President of the HFPA squirm in his seat over a bathroom and false teeth joke? No one other than a small percentage of the film and TV industry know who the man is, or why Gervais had to bite the hand that fed him? But, sometimes the aim goes awry when using one’s tongue as a weapon. Then again, Gervais used that very tongue to point out a perfect, albeit crass, indication of what it might be like for a 24 year-old Playboy Bunny to marry and have sex with the ole’ “Horniest Man in America” – 84 year-old Hugh Hefner.

Now, that’s the kind of tongue-wagging almost no one took issue with last night.

I wonder why?