Ricky Gervais to Liven Up the Golden Globes

He's about as big a celebrity as one can be back in the U.K. but comedian/actor/writer/director Ricky Gervais has yet to make the same kind of impact in the states, even while the remake of his show, "The Office," remains a pop culture phenomenon. Fans of Gervais can rejoice today since news broke that he'll be hosting the 67th Annual Golden Globes on January 17.

The telecast is often a favorite for viewers thanks to the intimate Beverly Hill hotel setting and flowing champagne at the cozy tables, oftentimes leading to an especially verbose and giddy crowd. Just last year, Gervais proved his ability to wrangle the rowdy Globes attendees while presenting, going on to poke fun at the fact he wasn't up for an award by saying, "I can't believe I'm not nominated. What a waste of a campaign. Today is the last time I have sex with 200 middle-age journalists. It was horrible. Really. A lot of them didn't even speak English. Europeans with wispy beards. The men were worse."

Though his most recent project was the somewhat middling film "The Invention of Lying" (which he wrote and directed) Gervais has a strong track record of hits on both sides of the pond. Outside of the mega-success of The Office, he's helmed the HBO series "Extras," last year's stand-up special "Ricky Gervais: Out of England," and his Guinness World record-holding podcast"The Ricky Gervais Show" (for most downloads).

Choosing Gervais is a wise decision for the Globes organizers, who will hopefully bask in the ratings heat felt by this year's Emmy Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. Regardless, it's about time the man responsible for the utterly jaw-dropping dance moves below be rewarded with some Hollywood spotlight.

--Jessica Jardine