The one joke Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais wouldn’t say

RICKY Gervais didn’t seem to care who he offended at the Golden Globes, but one controversial joke never left his lips.

73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards - Season 73

RICKY Gervais spent his time on the Golden Globes stage as this year’s host throwing out enough barbed one-liners to offend just about everyone in Hollywood — from Caitlyn Jenner to Ben Affleck, Sean Penn and Jennifer Lawrence.

However, it’s been revealed that one particularly bold punchline appeared on the teleprompter and never left his lips.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gervais had well over 100 jokes to choose from during his time on stage, many of them coming during the hard-to-watch segment during which he introduced presenter Mel Gibson.

The Odd Couple. Picture: AP

Gibson has had his fair share of scandals over the past decade, and been the butt of many of Gervais’ jokes. Their exchange on stage came six years after the comic ripped into him at a previous Golden Globes ceremony for his DUI arrest.

“I like a drink as much as the next man,” Gervais said at the time. “Unless that man is Mel Gibson.”

Introducing Gibson during Monday’s ceremony, Gervais acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation, telling the audience, “I blame NBC for this terrible situation.”

“We know who Mel blames,” he continued, giving a loaded pause before moving on to his next joke.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gervais skipped his own punchline, which apparently appeared on his teleprompter. What was it? “The Jews” — a reference to Mel’s chequered history with anti-Semitic remarks and outbursts.

Of course, one could argue that Gervais’ joke was stronger for skipping its punchline, which rather belaboured a point that, judging by the laughter in the room, most had already picked up.

Gervais doesn’t mind laughing at his own jokes.

Whatever his reason for skipping it, Gervais has been unrepentant about the cracks he DID make on the Golden Globes stage — denying allegations of transphobia for his Caitlyn Jenner gag and labelling those who’ve criticised his hosting style “whiney c***s”.

“I’ve changed,” Gervais insisted to the crowd in his opening monologue. “Not as much as Bruce Jenner, obviously. Now Caitlyn Jenner, of course. She’s become a role model for trans people everywhere. Showing great bravery in breaking down stereotypes.

“She didn’t do a lot for women drivers. But you can’t have everything. Not at the same time,” he said in reference to Jenner’s involvement in a fatal car crash last year.

Talk then naturally turned to Jeffrey Tambor and his role as a transgender woman in Transparent.

“What an actor, what a role,” he praised the actor. “He has to put on all the women clothes and let people film him. That takes balls. I don’t know how he does it ... I’ve seen his balls — they’re huge and long.”

Gervais didn’t shy away from other big targets either. Next up was the Hollywood everygirl Jennifer Lawrence and her essay on pay equality.

“There were marches on the street with teachers and nurses saying how the hell could a 25-year-old live on $58 million?” he jibed.

“I’m getting paid the same as Tina and Amy did last year ... there's two of them it’s not my fault they want to share the money.”

Jennifer Lawrence laughs along with the joke.

He then shocked the crowd with a joke about controversial flick Spotlight — a film about an investigation into the Catholic Church’s cover-up of childhood sexual abuse. “Roman Polanski called it the best date movie ever,” he quipped.

Putting the awards into perspective for the nominees, Gervais revealed to the audience what he uses his three Golden Globes gongs for — one’s a doorstop, one’s to hit burglars and he keeps the other one next to the bed.

“That award is — no offence — worthless,” he told the audience. “One is a doorstop, one I use to hit burglars and the third sits by my bed because … well, it doesn’t matter what I do with it, it’s mine.” In true Gervais style, he went on to describe how he uses it as a sex toy.

Finally, Gervais skewered Ben Affleck over his infidelity.

“Now is the star of the hilarious comedy The Martian,” he said before breaking into laughter at his own joke. “He’s also the only person Ben Affleck hasn’t been unfaithful to — Matt Damon.”

Given that long list of brutal punchlines, it’s telling that Gervais pulled out of his Mel Gibson gag. But in the end, the room was laughing anyway.

“What? What did I say?”

Originally published as The one joke Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais wouldn’t say