Wanda Sykes would like to see “less” from Bill Maher.
The comedian offered a word of advice for the Real Time host on Sunday when she took the Golden Globes stage to present the award for Best Performance in Stand‑Up Comedy on Television. In the category, Maher was up against Brett Goldstein, Kevin Hart, Kumail Nanjiani, Ricky Gervais, and Sarah Silverman. Sykes had brutal jokes about each.
“There’s some people p---ed off that a queer black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys,” Sykes said, just after praising Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser, “but first I want to give them some love,” she continued.
“Bill Maher—you give us so much,” she said, on the heels of HBO’s two-season renewal of Maher’s both-sides show, just in time for the Trump administration to review Netflix’s acquisition of the brand. “But I would love a little less,” Sykes said, as the camera caught Maher’s less-than-pleased facial expression. “Just try less.”
Sykes kept the ball rolling with a jab at Hart, who she said was a “true American” for wanting to win the category “the most,” despite being its “richest” nominee, and Goldstein, for his “charm” and “great supervillain voice,” both of which would have made him “a great Menendez brother.”
But perhaps the most brutal roasting was the one Sykes reserved for Gervais, the awards show’s most frequently tapped host, who made a series of jokes about trans people on stage that earned him accusations of transphobia.
“Ricky, I love you… for not being here,” Sykes said. “No, I love you, Ricky, because if you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf—and you’re going to thank God, and the trans community,” she added to applause from the audience.
Gervais hosted the Globes in 2010 to 2012, 2016, and 2020. In 2020, he pushed back on the transphobic label despite his Globe stage jokes—one of which was aimed at Caitlyn Jenner. He told The Daily Beast, “Most offense comes from people who mistake the subject of a joke with the actual target. And they’re not necessarily the same.”
“I’ve had it throughout my career. So there, you know, ‘He’s making fun of a trans person, therefore he’s transphobic,’ which is very odd,” he added. “That would suggest that you can never make fun of a trans person for any reason. Even if it had nothing to do with their trans-ness.”
Sykes ultimately announced that he had won the award for best TV standup, at which point she made good on her promise. “Ricky Gervais!” she said, announcing the winner, “He would like to thank God, and the trans community.”
