I LOVE awards season

Ricky Gervais plans to get 'drunker and drunker' as Golden Globes host

By Andrew Winning, Reuters

If the Jan. 17 Golden Globes show is anything like the press call we just had with host Ricky Gervais, it should be a blast.

The funny actor and comedian - who will be the first emcee for the show since 1995 - said he will completely write his material himself - "my own stuff," he says.

"I'm not going to do any sort of shtick," said Gervais, 48. "I'm not going to do pre-records or a dance number or rehearse with anyone. I'm going to plan what I'm going to say. But I'm going to be more relaxed. I want to host it a little bit more like someone from the Rat Pack would host it - playing the room, a little bit more off the cuff, roasting a few of the A-listers ..."

He will "work on a few themes," but adds, "I'm going keep it short and sharp. I think I'm best in small doses. I don't want to outstay my welcome. I don't want to overwhelm the show. It's everyone else's show."

He says he wants to be "reactive. I don't want to just go read an auto cue and do a very staid joke and have that polite titter. It's a party! ... I'm certainly going to have targets as it were - not in abad way."

Later in the call he said the word target sounded "scary," and he didn't want to worry anyone. "I'm going to ceratinly not do anything cruel or distateful, but I think gentle ribbing. Anyone who's younger and thinner and richer and more attractive than me. ... Rainn's Wilson's safe again. Steve Carell's on the cusp," he cackled. Of course he can pick on them because he co-created the British version of The Office and gets royalty checks from the American show.

During the call, Gervais said more than once that he plans to have a cocktail or two while on the job. "Over the three hours, I imagine my tie's going to come off and I'll get drunker and drunker. I don't know what the last hour's going to be like, but the first hour will be watchable."

Will there be political jokes? And what about the Oscars?

"Politics? Um, the quick answer's no cuz I haven't planned it yet. I probably don't do well with current affairs and I don't' really watch the news. It's too depressing," he said, then added that it depends on what happens between now and the Globes. "Who knows? I might have liposcution that goes terribly wrong between now and then and have something to talk about. Ha!"

Gervais says "this is the only" award show he can see doing. "In all honesty. No one wants to see me mucking around at the Oscars. They're there to see if they've won the most important award of their life. "

And the Emmys? "I couldn't do the rehearsals. This is perfect. They said I could turn up and say what I wanted and get drunk. What's also nice is I 've only been in this business about 10 years - because I'm a very lazy person - and I've achieved enough. I only do things that could possibly end my career. Cheers!"