At the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, comedian Wanda Sykes delivered a sharp, humorous jab at fellow comic Ricky Gervais while accepting an award on his behalf. Gervais, who was not present at the ceremony held on Sunday, January 12, 2026, won the award for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special.
Sykes Accepts with a Pointed Quip
After reading the list of nominees, which included Bill Maher, Sarah Silverman, Kumail Nanjiani, Kevin Hart, and Brett Goldstein, Sykes explained the protocol for absent winners. She then launched into her now-viral remark. "And you're going to thank God and the trans community," Sykes said, pretending to speak for Gervais.
The joke was a clear reference to Gervais's history of controversial material about transgender individuals, most notably in his 2022 Netflix special "SuperNature." In that routine, Gervais, a noted atheist, made jokes that groups like GLAAD condemned as "graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes."
Context: Gervais's History of Provocative Comedy
Ricky Gervais is no stranger to pushing boundaries at awards shows, having hosted the Golden Globes five times with routines that mercilessly roasted Hollywood elites. His win in 2026 marks his second consecutive Golden Globe for stand-up, following his 2024 win for "Armageddon." In total, he has been nominated ten times.
Following the ceremony, Gervais responded to his win on social media platform X with characteristic bluntness, writing, "I f—ing won. Again." He did not publicly address Sykes's joke during her acceptance speech.
A Night of Targeted Roasts
Sykes's quip at Gervais was part of a series of playful jabs she aimed at all the nominees in the category before the winner was announced. Her comments included:
- Urging Bill Maher to "try less."
- Joking about her distant friendship with Sarah Silverman.
- Praising Kumail Nanjiani for proving male comedians "can be funny without being chubby."
- Thanking Ricky Gervais "for not being here."
The moment highlighted the ongoing tension and dialogue within the comedy world regarding the limits of humor, particularly concerning marginalized communities. While Gervais has defended his 2022 material as a critique of "trans activist ideology" rather than trans people themselves, Sykes's televised remark brought the conversation back into the mainstream spotlight during one of entertainment's biggest nights.
