Wanda Sykes Accepts Golden Globe on Behalf of Ricky Gervais

At the recent Golden Globes, comedian Wanda Sykes took the stage to accept an award for Ricky Gervais, expressing her thanks to God and the trans community. During her speech, she joked, “Ricky Gervais, we love you for not being here. No, really, I love you, but if you win, I’ll pick it up for you, and you’ll thank God and the trans community.”

Sykes was honored with the Golden Globe for Best Performance in a Stand-up Comedy on Television, although Gervais ultimately won in that category. Other nominees included notable names like Bill Maher, Brett Goldstein, Kumail Nanjiani, Sarah Silverman, and Kevin Hart.

While announcing Gervais as the winner, Sykes maintained a light-hearted tone, saying, “Can I borrow your speech, Teyana? I want to thank God and the trans community too.” She stated that Gervais couldn’t be there but that they were accepting the award on his behalf. Gervais later acknowledged his win on X, saying, “I won, see you soon.”

Known for his sharp humor, Gervais, who identifies as an atheist, stirred some controversy with remarks about the transgender community in his 2022 Netflix special, “Supernature.” In a May interview with the Los Angeles Times, he discussed the delicate balance of free speech in comedy, insisting that nothing said could escape offending someone somewhere.

Sykes didn’t hold back when giving a shout-out to Bill Maher during her presentation, saying, “I give an award to stand-up comedy on television, but first, I want to give him some love. Bill Maher, you give us so much, but just maybe try a little harder.”

As Sykes kicked off her segment, she quipped about the dynamics of representation, noting, “Some people are upset that a queer black woman is here doing the job of two mediocre white men.”