The Golden Globes returned to television on January 10, 2023, for its 80th ceremony after a year off to work on itself. The ceremony was broadcast on NBC and hosted by Jerrod Carmichael. The television show Abbott Elementary was among the night's big winners, taking home three awards.
Actor Eddie Murphy was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment." During his acceptance speech, he made a joke about Will Smith’s infamous Oscar slap, which got a reaction from the audience.
Eddie expertly set up his joke so the audience did not see it coming. "I've been in show business for 46 years, and I've been in the movie business for 41 years, so this has been a long time in the making and greatly appreciated," he began his speech.
He made sure to thank his 10 children and fiancé Paige Butcher. "I've been doing this for a long time so I could literally stand up here and keep saying names until they play the piano, but I'm gonna wrap it up and just say something to all the new up-and-coming dreamers and artists that are in the room tonight. I wanna let you know that there is a definitive blueprint that you can follow to achieve success, prosperity, longevity, and peace of mind,” he went on to say.
This is when the comedy bait-and-switch happened. "It's very simple," he continued, "just do these three things: Pay your taxes, mind your business — and keep Will Smith's wife's name out your [expletive] mouth!"
The joke is referring to the incident that occurred at the 2021 Oscars between comedian Chris Rock and actor Will Smith. Chris was presenting the Academy Award for documentary feature when he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. "Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya," Chris joked about Jada’s shaved head.
Because of Chris’ joke, Will jumped up onstage and slapped him. It was a surreal, shocking moment for both those in attendance and those watching at home. Many did not know at first if it was a bit. It quickly became clear it was not staged.
"Oh wow! Will Smith just smacked the [expletive] out of me," Chris said.
"Keep my wife's name out your [expletive] mouth," Will yelled in response.
As a result of Will’s inexcusable actions, he resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences before he could be kicked out. He was also banned from attending the academy's ceremonies for 10 years. He has since posted a public apology to Chris, who has made it clear he is not ready yet to speak to Will.
During Eddie’s impressive career, he has been nominated for a Golden Globe six times. One of these was a 1983 nomination for star of the year for his work in the film 48 Hrs. Eddie won a Golden Globe in 2007 for his role as James Early in Dreamgirls.
Helen Hoehne, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, said, "We're honored to present this year's Cecil B. DeMille Award to the iconic and highly esteemed Mr. Eddie Murphy. We're thrilled to be celebrating the lasting impact on film and television that his career — in front of and behind the camera — has had through the decades."
