A tense and awkward moment unfolded at the Golden Globes on Sunday night when comedian Wanda Sykes openly mocked fellow comic Bill Maher from the stage, drawing laughter from the audience and a visible glare from Maher himself.
Sykes was presenting the award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television when she kicked off her remarks with a pointed jab that set the tone for what followed. Referencing criticism over her presence, Sykes said some people were “pissed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys,” before sarcastically adding that she wanted to “give them some love.”
Her barbs quickly turned personal when she reached Maher, who was nominated for his HBO stand-up special Is Anyone Else Seeing This?. Introducing him, Sykes delivered a line that landed hard.
“You give us so much,” she said, pausing for effect. “But I would love a little less. Just try less.”
The camera immediately cut to Maher, who appeared unimpressed as laughter rippled through the room. His expression made clear the joke didn’t land with him, even as the crowd embraced the moment.
The exchange was especially notable given Maher’s unusual positioning in today’s political and cultural landscape. Though long known as an outspoken liberal, Maher has spent the past year arguing that the left should rebuild lines of communication with MAGA voters. He has repeatedly said that political isolation and moral lecturing have failed, and that dialogue is necessary.
Maher even made headlines earlier this year for dining with President Donald Trump at the White House in March, despite having spent years sharply criticizing Trump. On his Club Random podcast, Maher has defended the move, branding himself a “Trump whisperer” and arguing that refusing to engage with political opponents only deepens division.
That posture has made Maher a controversial figure among progressives, some of whom view his calls for dialogue as betrayal. Sykes’ onstage remark appeared to tap directly into that resentment, using humor to signal disapproval while cloaked in an awards-show punchline.
Sykes saved her biggest theatrical flourish for the eventual winner of the category, Ricky Gervais. Gervais, whose Netflix special Morality took home the award, was not present at the ceremony. Sykes used his absence to land one final joke, noting that the outspoken atheist — whose past stand-up has drawn criticism for jokes about transgender issues — “would like to thank God and the trans community.”
The line drew laughter and applause, underscoring the ideological tone that permeated the presentation.
The moment highlighted the cultural fault lines running through Hollywood, where comedians once united by irreverence are now increasingly divided by politics and social ideology. Maher’s visible reaction suggested the divide is personal as well as political.
While Sykes’ remarks were played for laughs, the exchange served as a reminder that even comedy’s biggest stages have become battlegrounds for broader cultural arguments. And for Maher, who has been urging moderation and conversation, the message from parts of the entertainment elite appeared clear: do less, stay in your lane, and don’t get too comfortable bridging divides they would rather keep intact.
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