Ricky Gervais recently learned the consequences of skipping the Golden Globes. During the 2026 ceremony on Sunday, the comedian was nominated for best performance in stand-up comedy on TV for his show "Ricky Gervais: Mortality" and ultimately won. However, he wasn't present to accept the award, so Wanda Sykes accepted it on his behalf.
But that also meant Sykes had the microphone all to herself, and she didn't waste the opportunity. "Ricky Gervais, I love you... for not being here," she said, drawing laughter from the A-lister-filled room. "No, I love you Ricky, but if you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf. And you're going to thank God and the trans community."
Once Sykes announced Gervais as the winner, she added, "Teyana [Taylor], can I borrow your speech? Because he would like to thank God and the trans community," drawing cheers from the crowd.
Gervais, a self-proclaimed atheist, has been regularly criticized for his jokes about the transgender community in his stand-up specials, as his comments have been labeled anti-trans. He's also frequently mocked religious beliefs. Despite the backlash, he's previously defended his jokes.
Other nominees in the best performance in stand-up comedy on TV category were Bill Maher (Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?), Brett Goldstein (Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life), Kevin Hart (Kevin Hart: Acting My Age), Kumail Nanjiani (Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts), and Sarah Silverman (Sarah Silverman: Postmortem).
Earlier in her speech, Sykes also teased some of the nominees who were in attendance. "Bill Maher, you give us so much, but I would love a little less. Just try less," she quipped. "The thing is, Kevin is the richest guy in this category, and yet I know he wants it the most. You're a true American, Kevin."
The 2026 Golden Globes, hosted by Nikki Glaser, were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday evening. You can find the full list of winners here and check out the night's red carpet looks.
