Ricky Gervais is hitting back at mainstream media criticism of his performance as host of the Golden Globes, pointing out that he took humorous aim at targets that liberals usually love to hate, like large corporations and the super wealthy.

Gervais tweeted Monday that people have been calling his Golden Globes jokes “right wing” despite the populist angle of his routine.

“How the fuck can teasing huge corporations, and the richest, most privileged people in the world be considered right wing?” Gervais asked.

How the fuck can teasing huge corporations, and the richest, most privileged people in the world be considered right wing? 😂 #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/rfXdGrZ41j — Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 6, 2020

Gervais appeared to be responding to comments like those from Vanity Fair writer and former Entertainment Weekly editor Mark Harris, who complained in a Twitter rant Monday that making fun of hypocritical celebrities is a “right-wing talking point.”

Here's my Ricky Gervais problem: The idea that celebrities are not only pampered babies but hypocrites who cause the problems they make speeches deploring and should therefore shut up and act/sing/be grateful is a right-wing talking point, and an especially stupid one. > — Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) January 6, 2020

Harris, who is part of the showbiz elite by virtue of being married to Oscar-nominated screenwriter and celebrated playwright Tony Kushner, also called Gervais’s jokes about privileged celebrities “tired.”

“It’s not an act of speaking truth to power or of bravery to attack celebs on that front — it’s a tired way of scolding people into silence because you don’t like what they’re saying,” Harris wrote.

You'll never go broke ending a night scowling at celebrities and saying, "Get drunk, do your drugs, fuck off," which I think were his last words on the show. There will always be people to say, "Yeah! You tell 'em!" But tell 'em what? "Fuck off" isn't a stance. It's a tantrum. > — Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) January 6, 2020

The Los Angeles Times also leapt to the defense of offended celebrities, protecting their honor by portraying Gervais as nihilistic and mean-spirited.

At the Beverly Hilton hotel on Sunday, “the mood was already sober thank to an impeachment, the threat of war with Iran, and devastating bush fires in Australia,” a Times critic wrote.

“The last thing anyone needed was for the smirking master of ceremonies to reprimand them for having hope, or taunt the room for trying to use their influence to change things for the better.”

During Sunday’s telecast, Gervais took aim at Apple, which recently became a major Hollywood player thanks to its new ventures Apple Studios and Apple TV+. Apple CEO Tim Cook was in attendance on Sunday.

“Apple roared into the TV game with The Morning Show, a superb show,” Gervais said. “A superb drama about the importance of dignity and doing the right thing, made by a company that runs sweatshops in China.”

Addressing the ballroom full of celebrities, Gervais continued: “You say you’re ‘woke,’ but the companies you work for Apple, Amazon, Disney… if ISIS started a streaming service you’d call your agent, wouldn’t you?”

Gervais also warned celebrities to avoid making political statements on stage because no one wants a lecture from pampered movie stars.

“You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg,” he told the crowd.

“So, if you win, come up, accept your little award tonight, come up, accept it, thank your agent and your God, and fuck off. No one cares about your views on politics or culture.”

Gervais told the Golden Globes audience on Sunday that this would be his last stint hosting the annual ceremony after four previous shows.

In a tweet after the ceremony, he said: “Thanks for all your amazing comments about my Golden Globes monologue. Best reaction ever and that means a lot to me. I had a blast but thank fuck it’s over.”

Thanks for all your amazing comments about my Golden Globes monologue. Best reaction ever and that means a lot to me. I had a blast but thank fuck it's over, so I can get back to my real job of editing #AfterLife2 and touring #SuperNature. Make Jokes, Not War 🙏 pic.twitter.com/u1bKrnDWMt — Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 6, 2020

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