Jerrod Carmichael Slammed For ‘Tasteless’ Will Smith-Rock Hudson Joke At Golden Globes

Will Smith was the punchline of one too many jokes at the 2023 Golden Globes on Tuesday. His infamous slap was jabbed at by Eddie Murphy, who some have said was more tasteful than the night’s host, Jerrod Carmichael, who also called out Smith during the ceremony.

Carmichael, whose off-color and often very niche jokes fell flat several times throughout the night, took a shot at Smith that many are criticizing for being homophobic.

“Just some quick housekeeping stuff, if you’re listening, if everyone’s listening,” Carmichael started during one segment. “While we were on commercial we actually presented Will Smith with the Rock Hudson Award for Best Portrayal of Masculinity on Television.”

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A burst of laughter from the audience quickly fizzled into an awkward buzz of chatty confusion and stunned applause as the joke settled in. The comedian’s reference to Smith slapping Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars probably would’ve been well received, like Murphy’s, had it not been for the additional reference to Rock Hudson which seemingly made many viewers uncomfortable.

Rock Hudson was an early Hollywood icon who kept his AIDS diagnosis a secret for years. Although he was married to a woman at one point, Hudson was never open about his sexuality. In 1985, he lost his life to AIDS, becoming one of the first Hollywood celebrities to die from the controversial disease. His public image was unequivocally masculine, which complicated his legacy as a closeted gay man in Hollywood.

“The underlying assumption is that Rock Hudson couldn’t REALLY be masculine because he was gay,” one person tweeted. “F—k that host.”

Many said they didn’t understand the Rock Hudson reference. Others called the joke “cheap,” “disrespectful” and “tasteless.”

Carmichael, who is openly gay, may have thought he would get a pass on the off-color humor.