Gervais shocked Globes with Holocaust joke

Reuters

SHOCKING STUFF: Ricky Gervais' Holocaust joke didn't go down well at the Golden Globe awards.

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British comedian Ricky Gervais shocked the audience at the Golden Globes into silence with a bad taste joke about the Holocaust.

The actor's controversial quip left the star-studded guests stunned at the prestigious ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton hotel, in Beverly Hills, on Sunday night.

As he presented an award, the Ghost Town star pointed at double-winner Kate Winslet from the stage and said: "Well done Winslet. I told you, do a Holocaust movie and the awards come, didn't I?

"Trouble is with Holocaust films is there's never any gag reel on the DVDs."

His joke referred to five-time Oscar nominee Kate's appearance in an episode of his hit UK comedy show Extras.

Kate played as a caricature version of herself joking about making a movie depicting the Nazi's slaughter of the Jewish people during World War II in order to guarantee her an award.

Backstage Ricky was reported to make further bad taste jokes about the Holocaust - in which an estimated six million people lost their lives through an ethnic cleansing operation.

According to website Entertainment Weekly.com, Ricky said: "I was going to say that when I got the DVD of Schindler's List a reviewer on the box said, 'Have a box of tissues ready,' and I was going to say, 'That sounds a little bit sick'."

When asked what he'd been drinking, the comedian reportedly replied, 'Beer, but I think somebody put a little bit of crack in it!' "

Meanwhile, another British comedian, Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen, prompted groans and boos from the audience with his tasteless jokes.

While presenting the award for Best Comedy - which was won by Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona - he said: "This recession is affecting everyone, even celebrities. Victoria Beckham hasn't eaten for three weeks.

Charlie Sheen has been forced to have sex without paying for it, it's true.

"Even Madonna has had to get rid of one of her personal assistants. Our thoughts go out to you Guy Ritchie."

Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes on the night for her performances in The Reader, in which she plays a Nazi prison guard, and Revolutionary Road.

- Bang! Showbiz