Jerrod Carmichael Addresses Golden Globes Racism Scandal In Monologue

Armon Sadler
·2 min read
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The 2023 Golden Globes were memorable for multiple reasons, primarily the fact that the show did not take place in 2022. Jerrod Carmichael, the evening’s host, addressed the reason for that head-on in a humor-laden monologue centered around racism during the opening of the long-running awards presentation.

“I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here because I’m Black,” the 35-year-old and inaugural Black Golden Globes host joked on Tuesday night (Jan. 10). “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 [in 2020]. So do with that information what you will.”

The Carmichael Show star continued his banter, saying “One minute you’re making mint tea at home, the next you’re invited to be the Black face of the embattled White organization. Life really comes extra fast, you know?” Amidst the jokes, the Winston-Salem, NC-born actor admitted that he was a bit conflicted in deciding whether or not he was going to take the gig. It was a conversation with his “homegirl” Avery that set him straight.

“I said to Avery, I said, ‘Avery, they asked me to host the Golden Globes.’ I said, ‘You know, what should I do?’ And she said, ‘Oh, Buki, I’m so proud of you. Now, remind me what awards show is that again?’ And I told her what the show was, and I told her about how last year didn’t air because of the no Black people thing. And she was like, ‘Well, how much are they paying you?’

“And I said, ‘Well, Avery, it’s not about the money. Honestly, it’s about the moral question of rather, I should elaborate.’ 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 the White people’s money.'”

The Golden Globes were under intense scrutiny in February 2021 after The Los Angeles Times reported that there were zero Black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes’ governing body. NBC announced in May 2021 that the show would not air in 2022 due to the controversy, and instead held a private ceremony devoid of an audience due to the growing Omicron variant of COVID-19 at the time.

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