Ricky Gervais called out for slamming political speeches at 2026 Grammys
Ricky Gervais. (Paul Drinkwater/Getty)
Ricky Gervais has taken aim at artists who used their acceptance speeches at the 2026 Grammy Awards to speak out on political issues.
Taking to social media hours after the 68th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony finished on Sunday (1 February), the comedian and After Life actor posted a graphic of himself hosting the 2020 Golden Globe awards, alongside an excerpt from his opening monologue.
“If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a political platform to make a political speech,” the quote reads. “You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.”
Resharing the post, Ricky Gervais wrote: “They’re still not listening,” alongside a cry-laughing emoji.
The 2026 Grammy Awards had a particularly potent political undertone, with numerous award winners using their speeches to call out the increased presence of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers under Donald Trump’s presidency.
Billie Eilish, who won Song of the Year for her 2024 track “Wildflower”, gave one of the most politically-charged speeches, saying “F*** ICE,” to a thunderous response from the audience.
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” she added. “And, yeah, it’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I feel really hopeful in this room, and I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter.”
Kehlani, who won two R&B category awards for their song “Folded”, offered a similar sentiment.
“Everybody is so powerful in this room,” they said. “Together we’re stronger in numbers to speak against all of the injustice going on in the world right now. Instead of letting it be just a couple few here and there, I hope everybody is inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what’s going on. And I’m gonna leave this and say, f*** ICE.”
Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny, who made history after his record DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS became the first Spanish-language record to win Album of the Year, also used his time on stage to call out ICE.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he said.
“We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens – we’re humans,” he continued.
“The hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing that’s more powerful than hate is love, so, please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love.”
British singer Olivia Dean, who won the Best New Artist, used her speech to speak up on behalf of immigrants.
“I’m up here as the grand-daughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” she said. “We’re nothing without each other.”
Other celebrities in attendance at the Grammys, including Joni Mitchell, Justin Bieber and Carole King, took to the red carpet wearing pins with ‘ICE Out’ emblazoned on them.
ICE has come under mounting scrutiny in recent weeks following the shootings of US citizens Alex Pretti and Renée Good, and the detainment of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos.
It’s not the first time controversial comedian Gervais has re-shared his speech from 2020, doing so in a since-deleted post in September last year following the Emmy Awards. During the ceremony, Hacks actress Hannah Einbender spoke out against ICE, and also used her speech to call for a free Palestine.
In the comment section under Gervais’s Instagram post, social media users were quick to call him out for hypocrisy, citing his vocal support of animal rights organisations.
“So you can use your platform against cruelty to animal, but you draw the line on cruelty to people?” one person wrote.
“Ummm weird take Ricky. you use your platform to speak up for animals – WHICH I LOVE. Celebrities should be able to use theirs to call out the tyrannical government we currently have,” a second commented.
A third added: “Ummm dude, read the room. This isnt politics, its human rights and morality. Of course its time to speak up.”
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