Even though 2016 was sour, the 2017 Golden Globes decided to honor the movies and television series of the year by playing it sweet. Moving on from the mean humor of Ricky Gervais, the jokes from the 2017 Golden Globes were led by this year's host, the breezy Jimmy Fallon. As was to be expected, Fallon kept the spirit of the show light with his happy-go-lucky attitude — even when the teleprompter didn't work! — but that didn't mean that there weren't some zingers and requisite bad jokes during the 2017 Golden Globes.
Fallon spoofing La La Land in the opening number with an absurd amount of celebs — including Justin Timberlake, Ryan Reynolds, Nicole Kidman, and Tina Fey (can she please come back with Amy Poehler to host again one day?) — and cast members of Game of Thrones, Westworld, and Stranger Things set the playful tone for the show. It combined everything Fallon is known for on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — music, sketches, and celebrities letting loose.
Yet, the show wasn't all lighthearted fun. Although Fallon typically doesn't go into dark comedic territory like his Globes predecessor, he did have to acknowledge the political elephant in the room — Donald Trump. Yes, even after his hair-tousling interview with the president-elect in September, Fallon made some great jokes about Trump. And of course, no live awards show is safe from awkwardness, so Fallon, the presenters, and award recipients at the 2017 Golden Globes had some bad joke moments too.
So whether you were laughing out loud or cringing from the couch, here are the best and worst jokes from the 2017 Golden Globes.
The Best: King Joffrey Lives
In his monologue, Fallon noted that Game of Thrones fans have been wondering what the series would be like if King Joffrey was still alive. "A lot of people are wondering what it would’ve been like if King Joffrey had lived," Fallon said. "Well, in 12 days we’re going to find out."
The Best: Matt Damon's Greatest Role
Forget Good Will Hunting. Fallon said Damon's greatest role was telling Ben Affleck that he liked Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The Best: Qualities You Need To Be Successful At An Orgy
Talent, having great people around you, a willingness to work hard, and luck are what you need to be successful in an orgy, according to Santa Clarita Diet costars and Globes presenters Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant.
The Best: The Last Golden Globes
When Hugh Laurie accepted his award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, he said this will be the last Golden Globes after Trump is president since it's run by an organization that has the words "Hollywood," "foreign," and "press" in the title.
The Worst: "Anal Tradition"
Sofia Vergara's joke about the Globes having an "anal tradition" was offensive since it indicated she couldn't speak English well enough to read the teleprompter. It was like the Emmys platform all over again.
The Worst: Beetlejuice
Fallon did some frantic word association to make a Beetlejuice joke when introducing presenter Michael Keaton, but it didn't land at all.
The Best: Ryan Confusion
When Ryan Gosling won the Golden Globe for La La Land over Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool, he joked that he was being confused for the other Ryan again. While it could have been cruel, his tone indicated it was a compliment to the other Ryan's performance.
The Best: The Sadness Of Animated Films
When Kristen Wiig and Steve Carrell presented Best Motion Picture - Animated, these hilarious comedians didn't disappoint. They relived sad stories about horrific things that happened to them in their personal lives the day they saw their first animated movies — which included Carrell's parents getting a divorce and Wiig's three dogs being put to sleep.
The Best: Beard Parade 2017
Jon Hamm noted what facial hair aficionados had taken notice of during the Globes: All the beards. (I very much approve, Chris Pine.) Yes, the 2017 Golden Globes was a beard parade and amen to that!
The Best: Mixed Martial Arts Is Not An Art
Meryl Streep's speech for the Cecil DeMille Award was serious in tone, focusing on Donald Trump. But she did make time for jokes, like when she said if you get rid of actors (particularly foreign actors) you'll only have football and mixed martial arts — which aren't arts — and it got a big laugh from the audience. I also loved her saying how Canadians — like Gosling — are the nicest.
The Worst: Amy Schumer & Goldie Hawn
Amy Schumer's joke about Goldie Hawn's age didn't land for me, but bonus points for the Kurt Russell moment, though.
The Worst: "Insane In The Brain"
Fallon presented presenters (the oddly similar looking) Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain by singing the lyrics, "Insane in the membrane" with their last names. It was awkward for all involved — especially when Chastain danced along.
The Best: 'The Martian' Is Still Not A Comedy
Matt Damon still doesn't understand how he received the award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy last year for his pretty unfunny film The Martian. The fact that the charming actor can still make light of it warmed my heart.
There you have it — the best and worst jokes of the 2017 Golden Globes. As expected, the awards ceremony was less edgy than in years past, but that's what you get when you have nice guy Fallon as a host.
