Golden Globes 2016 Host Ricky Gervais Calls Sean Penn A 'Snitch' In Opening Monologue

The 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards debuted with host Ricky Gervais once again bringing his take-no-prisoners approach to comedy. The 54-year-old British comedian came out swinging with a joke about the recent political exploits of Hollywood A-lister Sean Penn.

The host, who has gotten himself in trouble for some comments he made during his opening monologues at the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Golden Globe Awards, immediately took the stage to joke that he wanted to get his job done and get out of Dodge before he upset too many people.

“I’m going to do this monologue and then go into hiding. Not even Sean Penn can find me,” the host deadpanned. “Snitch.”

The comedian was referring to the news that Penn had sat down for an interview with notorious drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The gangster made headlines in July 2015 thanks to his escape from a maximum-security prison.

Penn met with the criminal and wrote about the interview in an in-depth article for Rolling Stone. It seems Gervais heard the news and almost immediately added it to his opening, making it the very first joke in what promised to be a long evening of off-color material from the star.

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