Ricky Gervais Wins Stand-Up Golden Globe Absent; Sykes Roasts

At the 2026 Golden Globes ceremony held Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, British comedian Ricky Gervais won the award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television for his Netflix special "Mortality," but he was absent from the event, allowing presenter Wanda Sykes to deliver a pointed roast on his behalf.

Sykes, a fellow comedian known for her sharp wit, used the moment to poke fun at Gervais's absence and his public persona as an outspoken atheist who has faced criticism for jokes about the transgender community. Before opening the envelope, she addressed the nominees directly, starting with Gervais. "Ricky Gervais, I love you for not being here," Sykes said to laughter from the audience. "No, I love you, Ricky, but if you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf. And you're going to thank God and the trans community."

She then turned to the other nominees in the category, which included Bill Maher for HBO's "Is Anyone Else Seeing This?," Brett Goldstein for HBO's "The Second Best Night of Your Life," Kevin Hart for Netflix's "Acting My Age," Kumail Nanjiani for Hulu's "Night Thoughts," and Sarah Silverman for Netflix's...