Jerrod Carmichael Takes Shots At Tom Cruise & Scientology In Golden Globes Monologue, Leah Remini Thanks Him

Jerrod Carmichael did not hold back while hosting the Golden Globes on Tuesday. In one of his most shocking jokes, the comedian took shots at the Church of Scientology and one of its most famous members, Tom Cruise, who starred in Top Gun: Maverick.

“Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned,” he said, holding three trophies. “I’m just a host briefly, or whatever, but I have a pitch.”

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He was referencing the actor returning his awards in 2021 in protest of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s many scandals, including that the nonprofit was revealed to have no black members.

“Maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige,” Carmichael said, referring to the wife of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige.

Laughter from the audience turned into a stunned moment of silence, then shocked gasps and groans. Some lone laughs signaled that a few in the audience got the joke, and the host continued to welcome the next presenters.

Shelly Miscavige hasn’t been seen in public for many years, sparking rumors that she is being held hostage.

Leah Remini, a former Scientologist, once filed a missing persons report for Shelly and spoke about her concern in a 2015 interview. She said she first became concerned about Shelly when she failed to appear at Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ “wedding of the century,” and officials repeatedly brushed her off when she asked about it.

After Remini’s police report, the Los Angeles Police Department stated that they had located Shelly, saying the report was “unfounded.” The Church of Scientology came after Remini, calling her “unhinged” and “abusive.”

Remini responded to Carmichael’s joke, tweeting “Thank you Jerrod Carmichael! Where is Shelly??”