Hollywood, it seems, is a collective glutton for punishment -- so long as it means lots of attention coming its way.
According to the NY Post, Ricky Gervais, who gave a Hollywood-shaking, fearless performance as host of last year's Golden Globes, has been asked to return by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for a third year as master of ceremonies. Gervais added to the story later in the morning by tweeting the article and adding, "Ooooooh! The plot thickens... Thoughts?"
Gervais took aim at stars such as Robert Downey Jr. (for his history of substance abuse), John Travolta and Tom Cruise (for their Scientology); Charlie Sheen for his antics at the time; and has insisted that, despite what many might think, the celebrities in attendance quite enjoyed his quips and potshots -- not that he cared either way.
"This year, I went about right. If anyone was offended, then I don't care," he said afterward.
"All the same conspiracy theories as last year too... 'So and so was offended' ... 'hasn't been invited back yet'... exactly the same as last time. 'Paul McCartney was furious'... no he wasn't. And nor was Tim Allen and Tom Hanks," he wrote on his blog. "I was drinking with them after. Why do people have to embellish? They're allowed to say they hated it. They're allowed to say they didn't find it funny, that it was tasteless, over the top, or whatever. But why do they speculate and make stuff up?"
Following the ceremony, HFPA President Philip Berk said, "He definitely crossed the line. And some of the things were totally unacceptable. But that's Ricky... I had absolutely no idea what Ricky was going to say so anything I heard was heard was the same time you heard it. When you hire Ricky Gervais, you expect the unexpected."
What that meant for the next year was hard to say. Gervais, for his part, remarked that he probably wouldn't return to the show, but if he did, he would "go mental."
In a recent clip from Gervais' new series, "Life's Too Short," Johnny Depp played along with the "angry celeb" joke, making some fun, scripted shots at Gervais in a delightfully awkward scene.
Get ready. For more, click over to the NY Post.