Stars set for Gervais Golden Globes tease

Ricky Gervais said today he plans to play it loose and off-the-cuff as host of next month’s Golden Globes, with Frank Sinatra and his pals as role models.

“I want to host it a little bit more like someone from the Rat Pack would host,” Gervais said.

There would not be any prepared tricks, such as a pre-recorded comedy bit or a dance number, but the 'The Office' star said he would script his remarks, to a point.

“If you’re not prepared at all, it can be very flimsy and a bit self-indulgent,” he said, adding he would keep his material short and sharp because “I’m best in small doses”.

Gervais told a teleconference he would avoid anything cruel or distasteful but the stars on hand could expect “gentle ribbing”.

“All of them, anyone younger and thinner and richer and more attractive than me. That’s the ones I’m going for,” said Gervais, who scored laughs as an Emmy Awards presenter by tweaking the looks of TV stars including Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson of the US version of 'The Office'.

George Clooney is probably safe at the Globes. Gervais, noting that Clooney is handsome, a fine actor and considered kind to everyone, said poking fun at him would be like “having a go at Mother Teresa”.

The Golden Globes are screened on Sunday January 17. Gervais will be the ceremony’s first host since 1995.

“This is the only one I could ever have said yes to. Nobody wants to see me mucking around at the Oscars” as host, said Gervais.

Golden Globe organisers said “I could turn up, say what I wanted and get drunk”, Gervais said, joking that it was his kind of gig.

Gervais recently made and starred in 'The Invention of Lying'. He is working on a 2010 animated show based on his audio books.