Comedian Jerrod Carmichael hosted the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Tuesday night, and he did not refrain from making digs.
He first spoke of his appointment as host:
"I'll tell you why I'm here."
"I'm here because I'm Black."
To refresh your memory, NBC pulled the Globes from being broadcast last year following boycotts and accusations of racism and lack of diversity on the part of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
But Carmichael didn't stop there.
After a commercial break, the host appeared from backstage holding three trophies.
Carmichael addressed the audience:
"Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned."
In 2021 Cruise actually did return his three awards in light of the controversy surrounding HFPA.
Carmichael continued:
"I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige."
\u201c#GoldenGlobes host Jerrod Carmichael makes a dig at Scientology: "Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned...I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige." https://t.co/m069JEKekW\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1673404237
Shelly Miscavige is the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige.
Cruise is an outspoken member of the church as well as David's close friend. Shelly was last seen in public in August of 2007—more than 15 years ago.
Former 2nd-generation Scientologist Leah Remini—who has publicly condemned the organization through her A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath and her memoir Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology—chimed in.
"WHERE IS SHELLY????" Remini tweeted.
\u201cWHERE IS SHELLY???? \n\n#GoldenGlobes #GoldenGlobes2023\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1673404430
She also thanked Carmichael for bringing up the controversy before repeating the question, "Where is Shelly??"
\u201cThank you Jerrod Carmichael! \n\nWhere is Shelly??\n\n#GoldenGlobes2023 \n#GoldenGlobes\u201d— Leah Remini (@Leah Remini) 1673406812
The twitterverse—although shocked at the joke—also applauded Carmichael and echoed Remini's question.
My jar dropped! And then I immediately thought of you!
— Cortney (@crpulera) January 11, 2023
Legend! Bravo Jerrod!
— Not Government Property (@MollyfromCA) January 11, 2023
So happy he said it on live TV
— Christine Galea (@chrisgalea) January 11, 2023
Woooowwww that was INCREDIBLE!!! Where is Shelly??
— MilCarajos (@MilCarajos) January 11, 2023
That was ballsy given the audience! Thank u!
— Angela (@woollycat808) January 11, 2023
Jerrod is awesome! He always tells it like it is and calling out David Miscavige was just genius.
— David Gonzalez (@1FantasyChamp) January 11, 2023
Many also commented on the audience in attendance.
What was freaky is that no one made a peep!
— Victoria Bert (She | Her) (@VictoriaBNYC) January 11, 2023
Oh, I wish I could see Elizabeth moss, and Tom Cruise‘s face oh man!
— 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒾𝓉𝓉𝑒 𝐹𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 ❄️ (@BrigitteFries) January 11, 2023
Listen to those gasps in the audience. This is why people don’t like Hollywood. #WheresShelly
— Kevin (@RealKevinMcKay) January 11, 2023
Remini has been outspoken about her quest to find the truth about Shelly.
In November, the King of Queens actor tweeted a lengthy thread—20 posts to be exact—on information regarding the case.
In the thread, Remini revealed she filed a missing person's case in 2013—eight years after she last had any communication with Shelly.
4. In 2013, after I left Scientology, I filed a missing person's report with the LAPD on Shelly.
By the time I filed the report, it had been nearly eight years since I had seen or heard from Shelly. pic.twitter.com/F4Ak5RkaOQ
— Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) November 10, 2022
She shared she was "shocked" when Shelly wasn't alongside her husband at Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' 2006 wedding, which was a major event for Scientologists.
5. At Tom Cruise's wedding to Katie Holmes in 2006, I was shocked when Shelly wasn't with her husband, David Miscavige.
Tom's wedding was dubbed "the wedding of the century" in Scientology. It was the most critical event for top Scientologists.
— Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) November 10, 2022
Remini went on to share her case was opened and closed within hours.
She then learned the detective in charge of the missing person's report as well as LAPD Captain Cory Palka had very close—financially lucrative—ties with Scientology.
Somehow, we don't think we've heard the end of this.
