Comedian Jerrod Carmichael slammed the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) during his opening monologue Tuesday night at the Golden Globe Awards.
He sounded off on HFPA, the nonprofit organization that hosts the awards ceremony, amid accusations HFPA lacked diversity by not having a single black person among its board members.
“Welcome to the 80th annual Golden Globe awards. I am your host Jerrod Carmichael,” Carmichael said during his opening monologue. “And I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here because I’m black.”
“I’ll catch everyone in the room up,” Carmichael continued. “The Golden Globe Awards did not air last year [2022] because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association — which, I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single black member until George Floyd died, so do with that information what you will…”
“One minute you’re making mint tea at home, the next you’re invited to be the black face of an embattled white organization,” Carmichael said to the audience’s laughter.
The comedian and star of the NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show,” said he initially agreed to host the show for the money and to honor the film and television industry. He told the crowd HFPA requested he meet with president Helen Hoehne for a one-on-one conversation, but he declined the offer and refused to attend.
“‘No thanks. I know a trap when I hear a trap,'” he said to his publicist in response to Hoehne’s request. (RELATED: Eddie Murphy Dragged Will Smith’s Oscars Slap Right Into The Golden Globes)
Jerrod Carmichael Confronts Golden Globe Racism Scandal Head-On in Monologue: ‘I’m Here Because I’m Black’ https://t.co/wNporf2fiN
— People (@people) January 11, 2023
“I’m here because of all of you. I look into this room and see a lot of talented people. People that I admire. People I would like to be like. People that I’m jealous of. People that are incredible artists,” Carmichael added, speaking about why he chose to step into the role of host despite the show’s turbulent history.
“Regardless of whatever the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s past may be, this is an evening where we get to celebrate, and I think this industry deserves evenings like these,” the comedian concluded.
HFPA is run by Los Angeles-based journalists from a variety of outlets. The organization received significant backlash in 2021 after a Los Angeles Times investigation reported there was no black representation on its membership board.
NBC opted not to air the show in 2022. HFPA reportedly established a “Reimagine Coalition” in 2021 in partnership with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).