Ricky Gervais Golden Globes controversy

2011 Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais captured laughs – and many gasps – during this year's awards show. Gervais promised to come out with "guns blazing" and he certainly did that – bashing everyone from Charlie Sheen to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to Scientology.

Did he go too far?

Maybe. You have to give Gervais credit for eschewing the Hollywood brown-nosing routine – he was an equal opportunity offender and didn't back down from criticizing the stars who are usually lauded as "brilliant" and "genius."

Gervais' jokes were so controversial that the Twitterverse was abuzz with rumors when he didn't show up on stage for over an hour. Many assumed he was fired in the middle of the show.

Not so, said Gervais.

"I did every single introduction I was meant to. There just happened to be a long gap. This is because I was allowed to choose who I would introduce in advance. I obviously chose presenters who I had the best jokes for. (And who I knew had a good sense of humor,)" he explained.

"Everyone took it well and the atmosphere backstage and at the after show was great."

Does this mean Gervais' career is over? Hardly. His rank as a comedian likely went up a few more notches and it's unlikely his opportunities will dwindle after this.

Will he host the Golden Globes again? That's uncertain. Hollywood has a long memory and the HFPA likely didn't appreciate the potshots against them.

We'll wait and see – Hollywood likes to give its stars second, third, fourth and fifth chances.

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