While the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy may not be tantamount to an Oscar, the list of former winners is a quite a roster of comedy icons. Ben Stiller, Betty White, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Ricky Gervais are among the winners just this decade.
However, when called to the stage to accept the honor in Los Angeles, Aziz Ansari, possibly putting on airs, let the audience know that the whole “honor” was really just a big inconvenience for him.
Ansari was quick to point out the irony of having to travel from London to Los Angeles to accept an award with a definitively British pedigree. As Ansari bluntly put the matter, “I was in London and I had to fly to L.A. from London to accept a fucking British award.”
During the awkward yet hilariously animated speech, the comedian came across as jovial but also jet-lagged, drunk, or possibly both. He did have a lot of time to kill on that transcontinental flight to the ceremony.
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While the demonstration is far from gracious, it’s somehow a little charming as well. Ansari took an earnest moment to break from his act and assure the audience in closing, “All that stuff is just jokes. This is really a nice thing.”
Again, it might not be the most gushing acceptance speech, even with the sincere addendum at the end, but the “Master of None” auteur’s performance certainly served as a departure from traditionally bland Hollywood award show decorum.
Here’s to hoping he gets back to London quickly and safely to carry on with his life.
