Jerrod Carmichael kicked off the 2023 Golden Globes by addressing the controversy surrounding the awards show—and candidly sharing his thoughts leading up to the Jan. 10 gig.
Last year, NBC announced the Golden Globes would not be airing on TV amid criticism of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's lack of diversity among its members. (Since then, the HFPA has increased diversity within their association.)
Flash forward to this year and, as Jerrod explained during his opening monologue, the hosting gig was not one he was sure about.
"I got an email from my publicist saying that Helen [Hoehne], the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, wanted to have a one-on-one sit-down with me," he shared, "and I said, 'No thanks.' I know a trap when I hear a trap."
Jerrod continued by noting that his publicist told him, ‘Well, they're not really asking, Jerrod, they're insisting that you take the meeting.'
He continued, "And I'm, like, 'Or what? They're going to fire me they haven't had a Black host in 79 years, they're going to fire the first one? I'm un-fireable."
The 35-year-old explained that the meeting was to inform him of the changes made by the HFPA in regards to diversity.
"I heard they got six new Black members," he said. "Whatever. Congrats to them. That's not why I'm here. I'm here truly because all of you. I look out into this room and I see a lot of talented people that I admire."
According to the HFPA, the voting body is now made up of 200 members that are 52 percent female and 51.5 percent racially and ethnically diverse.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
(E!, NBC and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)