James Corden has responded to criticism that he copied a joke originally made by Ricky Gervais, saying he delivered the gag “obviously not knowing” it came from the comedian.
During Monday’s episode of his US talk show The Late Late Show, Corden addressed Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover by telling a joke that went viral on social media – but not for the reasons he might have hoped.
It was noted that the gag was remarkably similar to one told by Gervaisin his 2018 stand-up show Humanity, with one Twitter user splicing footage of both for comparison.
Gervais, 61, remarked on Corden’s joke in a since deleted Twitter post, telling a follower he took it down as he “started to fell sorry for him”.
During his show, Corden said: “When you see Elon Musk talk about Twitter he does this thing where he goes, ‘Well, it’s the town square’.
“But it isn’t. Because if someone puts up a poster in a town square that says ‘guitar lessons available’, you don’t get people in the town going, ‘I don’t want to play the guitar! I want to play the piano, you piece of s**t!’
“Well, that sign wasn’t for you, it was for someone else. You don’t have to get mad about all of it!”
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Responding to the accusations, Corden, 44, tweeted from The Late Late Show account to say he had “inadvertently told a brilliant Ricky Gervais joke on the show last night, obviously not knowing it came from him”.
Gervais retweeted the post after defending Corden earlier in the day in a conversation with another Twitter user who asked if the star had asked for permission to use the joke.
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“No. I reckon one of the writers ‘came up with it’ for him,” Gervais replied. “I doubt he would knowingly just copy such a famous stand-up routine word for word like that.”
The star was briefly barred from the restaurant after owner Keith McNally claimed he had been “extremely nasty” to his staff on two separate occasions.
Corden later addressed the incident during an episode of The Late Late Show and said it was “never my intention” to upset staff – but acknowledged he had been “ungracious”.
In April, the star announced he would be stepping down as host of The Late Late Show in 2023 after presenting it from Los Angeles since 2014.
He is best known in the UK for co-writing and starring in the sitcom Gavin And Stacey.
Emilia Perez and The Brutalist were the big film winners at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, with Shogun and Baby Reindeer leading the field for TV.
Emilia Perez, an operatic musical which tells the story of a Mexican drug lord who changes gender, was named best comedy or musical, best non-English language film and also won best song, while star Zoe Saldana picked up the award for best supporting actress.
Accepting the film’s top award, trans actress Karla Sofia Gascon, 52, told the audience: “The light always wins over darkness. You can maybe put us in jail. You can beat us up. But you never can take away our soul or existence or identity… I am who I am. Not who you want.”
Postwar epic The Brutalist won the awards for best drama, best actor for star Adrien Brody – who plays a Hungarian architect attempting to build a life in the US after the Second World War in the film – and best director for Brady Corbet.
There were also acting wins for Demi Moore (The Substance), Sebastian Stan (A Different Man), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here) and Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain).
Moore, 62, gave an emotional speech as she collected her statuette, saying it was the first award of her 45-year acting career and that she was “in shock” to beat the likes of Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and Challengers actress Zendaya.
“Thirty years ago, I had a producer tell me that I was a popcorn actress,” she said, adding that it made her feel that while she could make box office hits, she would never be “acknowledged”. When she came across the script for The Substance, however, she said it felt like the universe telling her, “you’re not done”.
The Wizard Of Oz prequel blockbuster Wicked, the most talked about film of the year, missed out on acting awards for its stars Erivo and Ariana Grande, but took home the cinematic and box office achievement prize.
In his speech, director Jon M Chu said: “In a time where pessimism and cynicism rule the planet, that we can still make art that is a radical act of optimism that is empowerment and that is joy… this means so much to all of us.”
Baby Reindeer and the other TV wins
In the TV categories, Japenese historical drama Shogun dominated, picking up three acting awards for its stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and Tadanobu Asano, and also the prize for best drama.
Baby Reindeer also had a successful night, with a supporting gong for actress Jessica Gunning, and the award for best limited series.
The series, about a comedian and barman who is stalked by an older woman, was a huge hit and criticially acclaimed, but has more recently made headlines for facing a lawsuit from a woman who says the show identified her as the “real” Martha, the character played by Gunning.
Accepting the award, creator and star Richard Gadd told the audience that people often ask him why such a dark show has been so successful.
“I think in a lot of ways, people were kind of crying out for something that… spoke to the kind of painful inconsistencies of being human,” the 35-year-old said. I think for a while now, there’s been this kind of belief in television that stories that are too dark and complicated won’t sell and no one will watch them.
“So I hope that Baby Reindeer has done away with that theory. Because I think right now, when the world’s in the state that it’s in, and people are really struggling, we need stories that speak to the complicated and difficult nature of our times.”
Gadd missed out on the acting award in the show’s category – which was won by Irish star Colin Farrell, 48, for his portrayal of Batman villain Penguin in the series of the same name.
Farrell, who wore heavy prosthetics as he campaigned to be the new kingpin of Gotham in the show, joked on stage that he had “no one to thank” and that he “did it all by myself”.
The ceremony in Los Angeles was hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, who made jokes about everything from Ozempic, the drug being used for weight loss by Hollywood stars, to Sean “Diddy” Combs – who has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and racketeering and is currently in jail awaiting trial after being arrested last year.
“Welcome to the 82nd Golden Globes, Ozempic’s biggest night,” Glaser said as she opened the ceremony.
She also referenced the huge A-list support for Kamala Harris in the election – and how it didn’t translate to a win.
“You could really do anything… except tell the country who to vote for,” she said.
Ahead of the evented, authorities said they had implemented “increased security measures” following the vehicle attack in New Orleans and Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion on New Year’s Day.
A heavy police presence surrounded the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, with a wider and more enforced perimeter than usual around the hotel.
The Golden Globe Awards are now under way, with host Nikki Glaser opening the show.
Emilia Perez, which stars Selena Gomez and tells the story of a Mexican drug lord who changes gender, leads the nominations with 10, while postwar epic The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, has seven, and papal thriller Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, has six.
And of course, Wicked, the most talked about film of the year, is also up for several awards, including acting gongs for its stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Here are all the nominees, with the winners as they are announced.
Film
Motion picture (drama) The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Nickel Boys September 5
Motion picture (comedy or musical) Anora Challengers Emilia Perez A Real Pain The Substance Wicked
Actor (drama) Adrien Brody – The Brutalist Timothee Chalamet – A Complete Unknown Daniel Craig – Queer Colman Domingo – Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes – Conclave Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice
Actor (comedy or musical) – Sebastian Stan, for A Different Man Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain Hugh Grant – Heretic Gabriel LaBelle – Saturday Night Jesse Plemons – Kinds of Kindness Glen Powell – Hit Man
Actress (drama) Pamela Anderson – The Last Showgirl Angelina Jolie – Maria Nicole Kidman – Babygirl Tilda Swinton – The Room Next Door Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here Kate Winslet – Lee
Actress (comedy or musical) – Demi Moore – The Substance Amy Adams – Nightbitch Cynthia Erivo – Wicked Karla Sofía Gascon – Emilia Perez Mikey Madison – Anora Zendaya – Challengers
Supporting actor – Kieran Culkin, for A Real Pain Yura Borisov – Anora Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce – The Brutalist Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice Denzel Washington – Gladiator II
Supporting actress – Zoe Saldana, for Emilia Perez Selena Gomez – Emilia Perez Ariana Grande – Wicked Felicity Jones – The Brutalist Margaret Qualley – The Substance Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
Director – Brady Corbet, for The Brutalist Jacques Audiard – Emilia Perez Sean Baker – Anora Edward Berger – Conclave Coralie Fargeat – The Substance Payal Kapadia – All We Imagine As Light
Screenplay – Peter Straughan, for Conclave Jacques Audiard – Emilia Perez Sean Baker – Anora Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold – The Brutalist Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Score Volker Bertelmann – Conclave Daniel Blumberg – The Brutalist Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot Clement Ducol, Camille – Emilia Perez Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – Challengers Hans Zimmer – Dune: Part Two
Song Beautiful That Way from The Last Showgirl Compress/Repress from Challengers El Mal from Emilia Perez Forbidden Road from Better Man Kiss The Sky from The Wild Robot Mi Camino from Emilia Perez
Animated feature – Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir Of A Snail Moana 2 Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot
Non-English language film – Emilia Perez All We Imagine As Light The Girl With The Needle I’m Still Here The Seed Of The Sacred Fig Vermiglio
Cinematic box office achievement Alien: Romulus Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Deadpool & Wolverine Gladiator II Inside Out 2 Twisters Wicked The Wild Robot
Television
TV series (drama) The Day Of The Jackal The Diplomat Mr And Mrs Smith Shogun Slow Horses Squid Game
TV series (comedy or musical) Abbott Elementary The Bear The Gentlemen Hacks Nobody Wants This Only Murders In The Building
TV series (limited or TV movie) Baby Reindeer Disclaimer Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story The Penguin Ripley True Detective: Night Country
TV actor (drama) – Hiroyuki Sanada, for Shogun Donald Glover – Mr And Mrs Smith Jake Gyllenhaal – Presumed Innocent Gary Oldman – Slow Horses Eddie Redmayne – The Day Of The Jackal Billy Bob Thornton – Landman
TV actor (comedy) – Jeremy Allen White, for The Bear Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This Ted Danson – A Man On The Inside Steve Martin – Only Murders In The Building Jason Segel – Shrinking Martin Short – Only Murders In The Building
TV actor (limited series or TV movie) – Colin Farrell, for The Penguin Richard Gadd – Baby Reindeer Kevin Kline – Disclaimer Cooper Koch – Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Ewan McGregor – A Gentleman In Moscow Andrew Scott – Ripley
TV actress (drama) Kathy Bates – Matlock Emma D’Arcy – House Of The Dragon Maya Erskine – Mr And Mrs Smith Keira Knightley – Black Doves Keri Russell – The Diplomat Anna Sawai – Shogun
TV actress (comedy) – Jean Smart, for Hacks Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri – The Bear Selena Gomez – Only Murders In The Building Kathryn Hahn – Agatha All Along
TV actress (limited series or TV movie) – Jodie Foster, for True Detective: Night Country Cate Blanchett – Disclaimer Cristin Milioti – The Penguin Sofía Vergara – Griselda Naomi Watts – Feud: Capote Vs The Swans Kate Winslet – The Regime
Supporting actor – Tadanobu Asano, for Shogun Javier Bardem – Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story Harrison Ford – Shrinking Jack Lowden – Slow Horses Diego Luna – La Maquina Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear
Supporting actress – Jessica Gunning, for Baby Reindeer Liza Colon-Zayas – The Bear Hannah Einbinder – Hacks Dakota Fanning – Ripley Allison Janney – The Diplomat Kali Reis – True Detective: Night Country
Stand-up comedy performance – Ali Wong, for Single Lady Jamie Foxx – What Had Happened Was Nikki Glaser – Someday You’ll Die Seth Meyers – Dad Man Walking Adam Sandler – Love You Ramy Youssef – More Feelings
Former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne, has died at the age of 32.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.
“James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person.
“Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career.
“We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage said she was “utterly heartbroken” by the news.
Sharing photos of herself with The Vivienne, she said: “I don’t know how to say how I feel. My darling @thevivienne_ we go back to when I started coming over here to the UK.
“You were always there, always laughing, always giving, always on point. Your laughter, your wit, your talent, your drag. I loved all of it but I loved your friendship most of all.”
She added: “I love you my darling. You will be so missed my lovely. May your light shine fiercely, forever.”
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The Vivienne had risen to prominence in 2015 after becoming the UK Drag Ambassador for the American series of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
The show sees drag queens competing in front of a panel of judges to become the next drag superstar.
The Vivienne later competed in the first UK series of the show in 2019, going on to win it after lip-syncing in the final to the Wham! hit I’m Your Man.
A host of celebrities and co-stars have paid tribute on social media, with former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts writing: “Omg! I can’t believe this. This is heartbreaking news.”
Shea Coulee, who won the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, said: “I am in complete and utter shock. This is so devastating.”
Another Drag Race star, Bimini Bon Boulash, wrote: “I’m so sorry. I’m in total shock.”
Williams’s publicist Simon Jones also described their “immense talent” and “comic genius and quick wit”.
Mr Jones wrote on Instagram: “These are words I never ever wanted to write. Viv was a close friend, a client and someone I loved very much.
“From the moment I met them in 2019 I knew we could create magic together and I became their manager. Their talent was immense and the light they brought to every room was astonishing. No-one has ever made me laugh in my life as much as Viv did. Their comic genius and quick wit was like no other.”
He said he was “heartbroken and devastated” by the news, adding: “RIP my wonderful friend. You left us way too soon.”