25 best and memorable award show hosts of all time

25 best award show hosts

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 13: In this handout photo provided by NBCUniversal, L to R Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom on January 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images) /

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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: In this handout photo provided by NBCUniversal, Host Ricky Gervais speaks onstage during the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images) /

13. Ricky Gervais

Show: 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2010), 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2011), 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2012), 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2016)

Memorable Moments: Truthfully, what moments weren’t memorable when Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes? That’s not to say that every moment was exceptional, but that every moment was exceptionally noteworthy. Gervais was the first to host the Golden Globes since 1995, and oh did he get the party started. Known for being the award show where stars kick off their shoes have a little to much champagne, Gervais leaned into the loose environment, drink in hand, and told jokes that roused anger among the celebrities who were the butt of his biting zingers.

Public Reception: Obviously, the public as well as the celebrities in attendance at the Golden Globes weren’t all super fans of Ricky Gervais’ three-year run as host or his post-Tina and Amy comeback. He’s not what you would refer to as a gentle host. In 2010, he was just getting started, but in 2011 and 2012, he unleashed his most controversial material. However, his hosting gig at the 2016 show received yawns where he used to inspire shock and awe.

Why They’re One of the Best: Even if you’re not on board with the jokes Ricky Gervais told at the Golden Globes, you have to admit that was an entertaining antidote to the usual song and dance (sometimes literally) of award shows. He pushed the envelope and tested the limits of what was acceptable at a ceremony that’s not often take too seriously. Gervais may not have been the best award show host of all time, but he crossed the line for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to reinvent the Globes and left a legacy of cutting comedy that probably couldn’t be replicated.

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