The Golden Globes is considered one of Hollywood’s biggest awards ceremonies that celebrates excellence in film and television. But from time to time the stage becomes controversial, be it over an actor’s speech or an unexpected and heated debate.
Netizens definitely know how to make the best of these mishaps – by creating hilarious memes. This list includes some of the most controversial moments from the Golden Globes over the years that became internet sensations.
Ricky Gervais’s monologue
The British comedian, known for his sharp wit and humor, became the talk of the town when he brought his cheeky humor to the stage at the 2020 Golden Globes. Year after year, Gervais would famously hold a beer in one hand and deliver unfiltered and unapologetic punches at the expense of many A-list celebrities.
The Office (British version) alumnus didn’t hold back from poking fun at the arrogance of some of the elite and the double standards of their industry. Nothing was off limits when he took to the stage and celebrities like Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Bruce Willis faced some stinging punchlines. However, the Golden Globes 2020 was their final excitement, and attendees were happy about it.
Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez’s gossip session
The gossipy exchange between besties Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez was definitely the highlight of the Golden Globes 2024, with a special shoutout to Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner’s viral PDA-filled awards night.
If you’re on the Internet, you already know the moment that had everyone practicing their lip-reading skills. According to a professional lip-reader, Gomez was talking about her interactions with the Dunne actor and his beauty-mogul girlfriend.
Jennifer Coolidge’s relevant acceptance speech
The actress was honored at the Golden Globes 2023 for her performance in The White Lotus. In the middle of his emotional speech thanking the show’s creator Mike White, he gave a powerful speech that related to the original. “My neighbors are talking to me about things like this. I’ve never been invited to a single party on my hill, and now everyone’s inviting me!” He said at that time.
Cate Blanchett’s drunk speech
At the 2014 Golden Globes, the actress was honored for her performance in Blue Jasmine. During his acceptance speech, he revealed that his celebration had begun long before receiving the award, referring to the vodka he had consumed earlier that evening.
She hilariously hailed a famous L.A. landmark and ended things with a corny joke about Judy Garland. In later interviews, Blanchett confirmed that she was drunk and expressed hope that she did not do “too many” regrettable things.
Sandra Oh calls out Emma Stone for whitewashing role in Aloha
Sandra Oh co-hosted the 2019 Golden Globes with Andy Samberg and delivered punchline after punchline. Most famously, he called out the La La Land actress, nominated for her role in Aloha, in which Stone, who is white, portrayed a half-Asian character.
At the end of the punchline, someone shouted an apology, which was not captured on camera. Stone later confirmed that this was her instinctive reaction.
Beyonce is late to fashion
Despite being nominated in the Best Original Song category for her work on The Lion King’s Spirit, Queen Bey decided to skip the beginning of the 2020 ceremony and walk in just before her award was announced.
He entered when Kate McKinnon introduced Ellen DeGeneres for the Carol Burnett Award. Although the Single Ladies hitmaker didn’t win the award, her iconic secret entrance is one of the best Golden Globes moments.
seth meyers calls hollywood
Meyers took center stage at the 2018 ceremony when the infamous MeToo movement was in full swing, and well-known industry faces like Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein were among the perpetrators. Meyers addressed the topic with humor and exposed Hollywood’s predatory past and present. “It’s time to address the elephant that isn’t in the room: Harvey Weinstein,” he famously quipped at the time.
Jennifer Lopez and Jeremy Renner
Possibly the most hilarious and controversial moment in Golden Globes history was when Renner slyly examined his co-presenter JLo and surprised everyone by passing a comment. When the two were deciding who should open the envelope, the singer asked if she could do it. “I’ve got nails.” The actor then pinched her deep neck and said, “You have globes too.” Although the audience was gasping, Lopez was happy rather than angry.
Jodie Foster (kind of) came out of the closet
The actress received the Cecil B. DeMille received a Lifetime Achievement Award and she infamously “came out” during her acceptance speech. Although Foster was technically out and had identified as gay since the “Stone Age”, she took the stage to talk candidly about her personal life and acknowledged her ex-partner and other loved ones.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
Since Ricky Gervais, if there’s anyone who can brutally roast people while maintaining the humor, it’s this iconic duo. These two have delivered great performances whenever they’ve been on stage together, so it’s hard to highlight one iconic moment out of so many. The actresses candidly roasted celeb A-listers like George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and others at the 2014 awards ceremony.
Gravity is nominated for Best Picture. This is the story of how George Clooney would rather go into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.”
