Ricky Gervais wasted no time jumping back into familiar territory on Sunday night, reviving his long-standing frustration with celebrities who mix award wins with political lectures.
As the 2026 Grammy Awards unfolded in Los Angeles, the comedian took clear aim at musicians who used the spotlight to criticize U.S. immigration enforcement.
From his couch rather than the front row, Gervais, now 64, resurfaced a line that first caused waves during his savage 2020 Golden Globes monologue — a moment many in Hollywood still haven’t forgiven.
A 2020 Quote Meets a 2026 Moment
Posting on X, Gervais shared his old warning almost word for word: if you win an award, don’t turn it into a political sermon.
This time, he added a sharp aside of his own: “They’re still not listening.”
The timing was deliberate. Throughout the night at the Crypto.com Arena, Grammy winners and attendees made immigration a central theme, with dozens wearing “ICE OUT” pins and calling out U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement directly from the stage.
Joni Mitchell Makes a Quiet but Powerful Statement
One of the evening’s most striking gestures came from music legend Joni Mitchell.
The 82-year-old didn’t wear a pin on the red carpet, but she made sure it was visible when it mattered most.
As she stepped onstage to accept the Grammy for Best Historical Album for Joni Mitchell Archives – Volume 4: The Asylum Years, the “ICE OUT” pin was fastened to her shimmering outfit, earning murmurs of approval from the crowd.
A Chorus of Voices Joins In
Mitchell wasn’t alone. The message echoed across the ceremony, both on the carpet and during live broadcasts.
Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber were spotted showing support, while artists like Jason Isbell, Justin Vernon, Rhiannon Giddens and Margo Price reinforced the tone with their own statements.
Each appearance added to the sense that this year’s Grammys were less about quiet glamour and more about collective defiance.
Kehlani Uses a Career-Defining Win to Speak Out
Kehlani delivered one of the most emotionally charged moments of the night.
Wearing a plunging black sequined dress adorned with an “ICE OUT” pin, the 30-year-old singer took the stage after winning her first-ever Grammys.
As she accepted awards for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for Folded, Kehlani visibly fought back tears.
Her speech didn’t stay within the usual thank-yous — she launched into a direct and forceful condemnation of ICE, turning a personal milestone into a political statement.
Bad Bunny’s Historic Win Shifts the Room
If any moment defined the night’s emotional weight, it belonged to Bad Bunny.
The Puerto Rican superstar made history by winning Best Album for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, becoming the first Spanish-language artist to claim the category.
Before speaking, he sat motionless with his head in his hands, clearly overwhelmed.
When he finally addressed the audience, largely in Spanish, he dedicated the award to “all the people who had to leave their homeland to follow their dreams.”
The crowd rose to its feet, and the applause lingered.
Billie Eilish Pushes Past the Broadcast Limits
Billie Eilish ensured her acceptance speech wouldn’t fade quietly into the night.
After winning Song of the Year for Wildflower, she took the stage with her brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell and went straight for the jugular.
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said, urging continued protest and resistance.
Moments later, the network cut her audio as she shouted an explicit denunciation of ICE while leaving the stage, a move that only amplified the impact of her words.
A Charged Backdrop Beyond the Stage
The political tension wasn’t happening in a vacuum.
Anger over several recent, high-profile deaths involving ICE agents — including Renee Nicole Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti — loomed over the ceremony and helped fuel the intensity of the night’s messages.
For Gervais, the spectacle was proof that Hollywood hadn’t learned his lesson.
For many of the artists inside the arena, silence was no longer an option.
What Comes After the Applause?
With celebrities doubling down and critics like Gervais sharpening their knives, the divide between entertainers and their audiences looks set to deepen.
Whether anyone truly “listens” may be up for debate — but at the 2026 Grammys, the message was loud, emotional, and impossible to ignore.
What happens next may matter even more than what was said onstage.
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