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With the presidential inauguration just a few weeks away, the host and attendees of the 2017 Golden Globes awards want audiences to know that award shows aren't afraid to get political. In such a stark political context, it'd be impossible for host Jimmy Fallon and the award presenters and winners not to comment on them. And these Golden Globes political jokes and comments prove just how much these entertainers are willing to toe the line.
In his opening monologue, funnyman Fallon got political more than just once. First, he joked that the Golden Globes is one of the last places "where America still honors the popular vote," and again when he compared the soon-to-be-inaugurated President-Elect Donald Trump to King Joffrey Baratheon, the infamous Game of Thrones character. These jokes were quickly picked up by affronted Twitter users, many of whom cited Trump's appearance on The Tonight Show while on the campaign trail as an example of the "normalizing" of Trump.
Fallon, of course, was far from alone in his decision to use the stage of this important award show to tackle major political issues with humor. Below are some of the funniest and most intense political jokes and comments made during the show by a number of famous political entertainers.
1
The Trump-Lannister Connection Deepens
Referencing the popular episode of Game of Thrones when the reviled King Joffrey is assassinated, Fallon speculated about what the world would be like if Joffrey had lived. The dark undertones of this joke are readily apparent, but so too is the fan-fueled connection between the real-life Trumps and the fictional Lannister clan.
2
Hugh Laurie's Decidedly British Take On Republicans
When a Brit roasts an American party on their own soil, you know things have gotten out of control. But Laurie did exactly that when joking about the "last-ever Golden Globes," humorously suggesting that the combination of words in the "Hollywood Foreign Press Association" is enough to make some Republicans want to disband the awards.
3
Meryl Streep's Sober Takedown Of Trump's Bullying Tactics
In what will likely be remembered as one of the most stunning pieces of political speech in the pre-President Trump era, Hollywood royal Meryl Streep called The Donald out without even saying his name in her acceptance speech for her Cecil B. DeMille Award. In the long monologue, Streep touched on everything from Trump's alleged vilification of "Hollywood, foreigners, and the press" to the time he came under fire for seeming to mock a disabled journalist while on the campaign trail (Trump denied that he was mocking the journalist).
This wasn't Streep's first time taking on the president-elect. Last summer, she dressed as Trump for a parody stage production in New York City, and completed the look with a toupee-like hairdo, self-tanner, and a fat suit. It's clear that her feelings about Trump haven't improved since then.
4
Viola Davis Points Out A Patriotic Silver Lining
When asked backstage about her belief in the American dream following her Best Supporting Actress win for her work in Fences, Davis offered a unique perspective: that she will "remove Trump from the equation" to help others achieve the American dream, because, according to her, there are far greater things at stake:
It's bigger than him. I believe that it is our responsibility to uphold what it is to be an American, and what America is about.
Davis' inspirational and optimistic comments came after her moving acceptance speech for her Fences win that spoke to the powerful need for diverse representations in films.
5
Lola Kirke Proudly Wore Her Opinions
Best known for her work in Gone Girl and the Golden Globe-winning Amazon series Mozart in the Jungle, Hollywood newcomer Lola Kirke decided to make a wearable statement when she wore a "F**k Paul Ryan" pin on her gown. The politically-minded actress, who also starred in the indie film Free the Nipple in late 2014, explained to reporters that she wore the pin in response to Ryan and his Republican cohorts' plans to defund Planned Parenthood. The pin was reportedly made in specific colors to match her gown by her stylist and the stylist's son.
As the first major awards show in a long season that coincides with the inauguration, entertainment fans and politicos alike can be sure to expect tons of excellent political commentary in the coming weeks and months from our nation's top entertainers.
