Wanda Sykes thanks trans community as she accepts Golden Globe on Ricky Gervais’ behalf
Wanda Sykes presented at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes and accepted an award on behalf of Ricky Gervais, who was not in attendance. (Rich Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Wanda Sykes presented at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes and accepted an award on behalf of Ricky Gervais, who was not in attendance. (Rich Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Gay comedian Wanda Sykes thanked God and the trans community while accepting a Golden Globe for Ricky Gervais.
On Sunday (11 January), Sykes, who previously proclaimed her “100 per cent support” for the trans community, presented the award’s category of Best Standup Comedy on Television.
During the review of the nominees, Sykes, who came out as a lesbian one month after marrying her wife Alex in 2008, noted Gervais’ absence and said: “If you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf. You’re going to thank God and the trans community.”
Gevais, who recently stated that he has “a right” to make jokes about the trans community, disabled people, and to fat-shame, won the award for his Netflix comedy special Mortality.
Sticking to her word, Sykes accepted the award and said to laughter from the audience: “He would like to thank God and the trans community.”
Speaking to John Wilson during an appearance on BBC This Cultural Life, Gervais, who is known for his writing and performances in The Office, Extras, Life’s Too Short, and After Life, responded to a question about his long history of anti-trans jokes and doubling down on his “anti-woke” crusade.
“That’s probably true, but that’s because I think I’m right,” Gervais responded.
Wilson pushed him on the point: “You’re right in what way?”
“I have a right to talk about those things,” Gervais said. “And there are jokes I certainly stand by. I can’t look back and say, ‘Oh, sorry about that, I said that when I was only 50.’
“As you do get more progressive, maybe, and milder and change, what usually happens is, the things you used to do look worse,” he continued.
“What I do is I try and get more offensive, so when I look back, I go ‘aw wasn’t I kind when I was 45’.” Gervais then broke into laughter, clarifying: “That was a joke.”
His 2022 Netflix special Super Nature featured a 15-minute-long segment about trans people and “cancel culture”, with the comedian making jokes about the LGBTQ+ community throughout.
Gervais has been criticised for “lazy” jokes about trans people in the past, particularly by fellow comedian Frankie Boyle, who said he should “have the same respect for trans people that he seems to have for animals”.
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