Jerrod Carmichael: 5 Things To Know About Comedian Hosting The 2023 Golden Globes

When the Golden Globes return to NBC in 2023, comedian Jerrod Carmichael will be at the helm. Get to know more about the award show’s host.

• Jerrod Carmichael will host the Golden Globes on Jan. 10, 2023, on NBC.
• Jerrod is a comedian who hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time in April 2022.
• The 2023 Golden Globes mark a return to television after NBC refused to air them in 2022 due to the HFPA’s lack of diversity.

One year after NBC opted not to air the Golden Globes due to a Los Angeles Times report detailing issues within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes will return to broadcast television – with Jerrod Carmichael as the host. “We’re so excited to have Jerrod Carmichael host the historic 80th Golden Globe Awards,” said Helen Hoehne, the HFPA president, in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “His comedic talents have entertained and thrilled audiences while providing thought-provoking moments that are so important in the times we live. Jerrod is the special kind of talent this show calls for to kick off the awards season.”

The 79th Annual Golden Globes were held in January 2022, with the awards being made known via social media. NBC’s decision not to air the program was a response to the Times report that claimed there were no Black journalists among the HFPA’s members amid other ethical issues.

Though the HFPA vowed to implement reforms, the 2023 event will likely be mired in one of the HFPA’s biggest controversies. Brendan Fraser, who has been getting Best Actor buzz for his performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, accused former HFPA president Philip Berk of sexually assaulting him in 2003. With Brendan vowing not to attend the Golden Globes, even if he’s nominated, his absence will be an awkwardness that the HFPA – and host Jerrod Carmichael – will have to reconcile.

Jerrod opened up about being called and asked to host the big award show, in a Jan. 2023 interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which can be seen above. “I was very very excited,” he said. “I remember getting the call. I was at home, I live in New York.”

“They’re like, ‘Do you want to host the Golden Globes?’ and I said, ‘Yes,’ I was very very excited to host,” he continued. “And then I remembered that I’d have to be working with my arch nemesis, NBC marketing. “Oh how I hate NBC marketing, you guys don’t know,” he added to many laughs. “They’re both lazy and pushy.”

He went on to explain they had no marketing materials ready for the Globes when they asked him to host, but eventually sent him a billboard with an old photo of him smiling and a tagline that said, “Changin’ it up.” He told them it was “unacceptable” and went on to ask them for a newer photo of himself and joked to put “A night of devastation” as the tagline instead. He hilariously said they agreed to put an “Evening of joy and devastation” and talked about the show promos that followed.

Jerrod has been appearing in light-hearted advertisements for the big gig and talked about his fears, especially after the controversy surrounding the HFPA, in one of them. “My biggest fear is what will Black people think of me because Black acceptance means everything to me,” he said in one of the promos, which can be seen above.

With that said, here’s what you need to know about the host of the 2023 Golden Globes.

Jerrod Is From North Carolina

Jerrod was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His family did not have a lot of money while he was growing up. Jerrod graduated from Robert B. Glenn High School in 2005. Once he turned 20, Jerrod moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian.

His Career Started With Open-Mic Nights

Like many comedians, Jerrod started off doing open-mic nights. He typically performed at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood. Eventually, Jerrod made a name for himself and got noticed by the higher-ups in Hollywood. That led to him landing his first official acting role in the 2014 film Neighbors alongside Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, and Dave Franco. Aside from some acting roles, Jerrod has released two stand-up HBO specials.

He Co-Created A Sitcom

Jerrod’s most notable work, so far, is his semi-biographical sitcom, The Carmichael Show. He co-created, co-wrote, produced, and starred in the project, which aired on NBC for three seasons from 2015 to 2017. The series followed a fictional version of Jerrod’s family in North Carolina. Amber Stevens West played his girlfriend, Lil Rey Howery played his brother, Tiffany Haddish played his wife, Loretta Devine played his mother, and David Alan Grier played his father.

In April 2022, he hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time.

He’s Transitioned Into Acting

Jerrod’s acting career started with Neighbors and hasn’t slowed down since then. He appeared in the 2016 sequel, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. He had minor roles in the Oscar-nominated movie The Disaster Artist and in Transformers: The Last Knight. He directed, produced, and starred in the 2021 comedy film On the Count of Three. Jerrod is set to star in the upcoming film Poor Things with Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, and Ramy Youssef.

Jerrod Has Been Open About His Sexuality

In his HBO comedy special Home Videos, Jerrod revealed that he’s had relationships with both men and women. “I’ve hooked up with dudes before,” he told his mother, Cynthia. Jerrod also spoke about his sexuality during a June 2019 interview with The Breakfast Club. “Here’s the thing: I’m always gonna present things as honest as I can. I just accept that if you’re not gonna accept that — you’re not gonna accept me, you’re not gonna accept my work,” he said. “I’m cool with that. I’m cool with letting that go. I don’t think that’s in any way a disruption to life, or to career, or to personal relationships that I care about. Express what you’re feeling. Be you.”