Golden Globes Host Jerrod Carmichael Mocks Scandal: “I’m Here Because I’m Black”

The 80th annual Golden Globe Awards wasted no time addressing its scandal-filled past.

Globes host Jerrod Carmichael immediately tackled the elephant in the room at the start of the show, which returned to NBC for the first time in two years, in a highly unusual and rather candid monologue.

Taking a conversational seat at the edge of the Beverly Hilton stage, Carmichael said: “I’ll tell you why I’m here: I’m here ‘cause I’m Black. I’ll tell you what’s been going on. This show, the Golden Globe Awards, did not air last year because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association – which I won’t say were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single Black member until George Floyd died. So do with that information what you will. I’ll tell you how I got here.”

Carmichael recounted being called by Globes producer MRC’s executive vp of creative, Stephen Hill, and being asked to host the show. “One minute you’re making mint tea at home, the next minute you’re invited to be the Black face of an embattled organization. Life comes at you pretty fast, you know? So I said Stephen, ‘I’ll be honest with you, I’m a little torn because you know, one, it’s a great opportunity. Thank you for the call. But I’m only being asked to host this because I’m Black.’ And Stephen said, ‘Let me stop you right there. You are being asked to host this show because you are talented. You’re being asked to host this show because you’re charming … But Stephens’ Black, so what does he know?”

“So I did what I do when I have a moral racial dilemma,” he continued. “I call my homegirl Avery, who for the sake of this monologue represents every Black person in America. They asked me to host the Golden Globes. And I said, ‘You know, what should I do?’ And she said, ‘Oh, I’m so proud of you’ … and I told her about how last year it didn’t air because of the no Black people thing. And she was like, ‘Well, how much are they paying you?’ And I said, ‘It’s not about the money, honestly, it’s about the moral question…’ She said, ‘How much are they paying you?’ And I said, ‘$500,000.’ And she said, ‘Boy, if you don’t put on a good suit and take them white people money…’ And I kind of forget that where I’m from, we all live by a strict take the money mentality. Black informants for the FBI in the ’60s, I bet their families were still proud of them.”

Continued Carmichael: “I was really proud of that decision, until I got an email from a publicist saying that Helen [Hoehne], the president of the HFPA, wanted to have a one-on-one sit down with me. I said, ‘No thanks, I know when I hear a trap.’ Then they came back like, ‘Well, they’re not really asking, they’re insisting that you take the meeting.’ And I’m like, ‘Or what?! They’re gonna fire me?!’ Then haven’t had a Black host for 79 years and they’re gonna fire first one? I’m unfire-able.” (Just for accuracy, we should point out here that Louis Gossett Jr. was one of three hosts of the show in 1993).

“And it came back again, a third time,” he continued. “‘Helen really just wants to educate you on the changes that the organization has made in regards to diversity.’ And I’ll be totally honest with everyone here tonight: I don’t really need to hear it. I took this job assuming they hadn’t changed at all.”

“I heard they got six new black members, congrats for them, whatever, sure,” he said. “I’m here, truly, because I look out into this room and I see a lot of talented people. People that I admire. People that I would like to be like. People that I’m jealous of, and people that are actually really incredible artists. And regardless of whatever the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s past may be, this is an evening where we get to celebrate. And I think this industry deserves evenings like these. And I’m happy you all are here. And I hope you have some fun tonight.”

The monologue is certainly rather unusual in the history of awards shows and it basically represented the host spending the bulk of his opening defending why he agreed to do the show in the first place.

In 2021, the HFPA received considerable criticism over its lack of diversity, with the organization having zero Black members as of early 2021 — and reportedly hadn’t had any since 2002. Some members resigned due to the scandal, calling the organization “toxic.”

The Globes also came under fire after a reporter filed a lawsuit accusing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association members of accepting thousands of dollars in payoffs from industry awards campaigners.

While the organization pushed back on the lawsuit, skepticism increased when the news broke that dozens of HFPA members were flown to Paris to visit the set of Netflix’s Emily in Paris and then the modestly reviewed series received two Globes nominations, including best comedy series (while more critically acclaimed shows in its category, presumably ones that didn’t offer luxurious trips, were snubbed).

NBC refused to air the show last year, saying that the HFPA needed to make meaningful changes to its organization. Major studios like Amazon, Netflix and WarnerMedia likewise declared they would boycott the organization. Tom Cruise returned his previous awards to the organization, and was snubbed this year for best actor for Top Gun: Maverick (but the movie was nominated for best drama).

Carmichael later took aim at Cruise for returning the awards by making a joke about his link to Scientology. “Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned,” he said. “Look, I’m just a host briefly or whatever, but I have a pitch. I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige.”

The HFPA has responded with multiple rounds of internal changes, including recruiting new members, changing eligibility requirements and laying down stricter conduct rules.

(The HFPA, which presents the Golden Globes, is owned by Eldridge Industries. The Hollywood Reporter is owned by PME Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge.)