Ricky Gervais to Host Golden Globes in 2012?

For two years in a row Ricky Gervais has stirred up the media following the Golden Globe Awards. This year, he was particularly brash. His bawdy sense of humor was particularly offensive, or so we thought. Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) may have thought Gervais "pushed the envelope," but they can overlook the matter for the sake of ratings. The ratings are up for the 2011 Golden Globe Awards, and The Daily Mail reports that Gervais has been asked to host next year's awards.

And you thought he could never show his face on an awards show again!

In Gervais comments to The Daily Mail he mentioned that he didn't know how he could improve upon his two prior performances. I suppose it never occurred to him that he could clean up his act and actually tell a few funny jokes, instead of constantly slinging insults. His brand of humor just isn't funny.

Maybe it is not the humor, but the shock value that attracts HFPA. Knowing the media firestorm that his performance created this year, is it not to be expected that viewers would tune in to the Golden Globes in 2012 just to see what Ricky Gervais would say or do?

The honorable HFPA sets itself up as the organization that is high and lofty enough to condescend to let us know which movies and performances were of value, yet, they allow a man with the basest humor to host the show. Isn't it adding insult to injury to invite Gervais back for a third year?

Ricky Gervais didn't say whether he would host the show for a third time, he only quipped in his response that two seasons was enough - an oblique reference to his two seasons on "The Office."

I'll go one better. Two seasons is too much. I hope the HFPA understands that though no one was seriously offended by his rude remarks that they are not entertaining. The Golden Globes is an awards show where guests are to be honored, not spit roasted.

I can only hope that Gervais turns down HFPA's offer for his third consecutive season hosting the Golden Globes. Who wants to endure another night of his jabs and jeers?

*Edited Feb 2, 2011 -- Since the release of this article Ricky Gervais has clarified himself to Access Hollywood. He said that NBC, not the HFPA asked him to do the Golden Globes again.