Jerrod Carmichael made a pointed reference to his salary in his Golden Globe Awards monologue, highlighting the financial disparities in the entertainment industry

On January 10th, the Golden Globes made their return to live television after not having been a part of the broadcast awards show lineup for two years. The show, which is normally well-attended by celebrities and is seen as the start of the awards season in Hollywood, was boycotted by networks, stars and studios due to what many viewed as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) lack of diversity and their inadequate response to those who asked for meaningful internal changes.

Host Jerrod Carmichael addressed the issue head-on, stating “I’m here because I’m Black”, noting that the HFPA had “no Black members until George Floyd died”.

Carmichael shared that he was making herbal tea when producer Stephen Hill called him to host the 2023 broadcast, noting “life really comes at you fast.” For counsel, Carmichael spoke with someone he called “the home girl Avery,” a representation of “every Black person in America” who told him “it’s about the money.” At the news that HFPA was offering $500,000 for the job, Avery’s response was “put on a good suit and take that white people money.” This moment could potentially mark the start of salary transparency for Globe hosts.

He humorously remarked that the job he had taken came with great job security, even jokingly commenting that he was “unfire-able” despite Helen Hoehne’s insistence on having a one-on-one meeting with him. Carmichael then went on to explain that the main attraction for him was the opportunity to work with respected artists, and his words were met with a collective sigh of relief from the crowd.