Wanda Sykes didn’t hold back at the 2026 Golden Globes. She used her time on stage to take direct shots at comedians Ricky Gervais and Bill Maher. While presenting the award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television, Sykes made her opinions clear about both men.
According to Huffpost, Sykes started by saying some people were upset that a queer Black woman was doing the job usually done by two average white guys. “There’s some people pissed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys,” she said. “…But first I want to give them some love.”
When talking about Bill Maher, whose HBO special Is Anyone Else Seeing This? was nominated in the category, Sykes had a sharp message. She said Maher gives everyone so much, but she would love a little less from him. She told him to just try less. The camera showed Maher’s reaction, and he clearly didn’t look happy about the joke.
Sykes went even harder on Gervais with her acceptance speech
Sykes saved her toughest comments for Ricky Gervais, who wasn’t at the ceremony even though his Netflix special Morality was nominated. She said, “Ricky Gervais, I love you for not being here. No, I love you. But if you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf, and you are going to thank God, and the trans community.”
This comment was a clear reference to the controversy around Gervais. In his 2022 Netflix special SuperNature, he made several anti-transgender jokes that caused major backlash. One joke talked about women with “beards and cocks,” which many people found offensive and harmful. The Golden Globes ceremony had other memorable moments too, including when Jennifer Lawrence sent Emma Stone a brutal text after an awards show snub.
When Sykes announced Gervais as the winner, she followed through on her promise. She told the crowd that Gervais would like to thank God and the trans community. Since he wasn’t there, she accepted the award on his behalf with those exact words.
The roast came at an interesting time for Maher. Last year, he raised eyebrows when he had dinner with Donald Trump at the White House. This was surprising because Maher had criticized the president before. On his Club Random podcast last month, Maher defended his choice and called himself the “Trump whisperer.”
Maher said America would be better off with more people like him talking to the president. He explained, “You know, it’s not like I was ever deceived before or after I had dinner with him, and I want to have dinner with him again.”
https://x.com/BlueATLGeorgia/status/1910883421632467184He thinks Trump needs more people to talk to and that the president likes having conversations. While celebrities often make headlines for their public appearances, some make news for unexpected reasons, like a French winemaker’s surprise fame after appearing in Taylor Swift’s documentary.
Published: Jan 12, 2026 03:15 pm