Wanda Sykes Zings Bill Maher, Ricky Gervais At The Golden Globes

Wanda Sykes used her appearance at the 2026 Golden Globes on Sunday to take pointed swipes at fellow comedians Ricky Gervais and Bill Maher.

“There’s some people pissed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys,” Sykes said while presenting the award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television. “…But first I want to give them some love.”

Regarding Maher, whose HBO special “Is Anyone Else Seeing This?” was one of the category’s nominees, Sykes said, “You give us so much. But I would love a little less. Just try less.”

The camera panned to Maher, who appeared less than pleased by Sykes’ joke.

Moments later, Sykes offered a more brutal roasting of Gervais, who was not at the ceremony despite being nominated for his Netflix special, “Morality.”

Watch Wanda Sykes zing Ricky Gervais and Bill Maher in her Golden Globes remarks below:

“Ricky Gervais, I love you for not being here,” she said. “No, I love you. But if you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf, and you are going to thank God ― and the trans community.”

Sykes was alluding to the backlash that ensued after Gervais featured a number of anti-transgender jokes ― including one about women with “beards and cocks” ― in his 2022 Netflix special, “SuperNature.”

After Sykes announced Gervais as the winner, she made good on her promise.

“He would like to thank God and the trans community,” she told the star-studded crowd. “Ricky Gervais could not be here, so we’ll accept this on his behalf.”

Maher raised eyebrows last year after having dinner with Donald Trump at the White House, despite previously criticizing the president. On his “Club Random” podcast last month, Maher defended his decision, calling himself the “Trump whisperer.” America, he said, “would do a lot better to have more people like me talking to” the president.

“You know, it’s not like I was ever deceived before or after I had dinner with him, and I want to have dinner with him again,” Maher said. “I think he needs more people … and he likes talking to people.”