The actor received the Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday night and made some controversial remarks during his acceptance speech.
Robert De Niro may have been trying to compete against Ricky Gervais for stand-up comedy onstage, but backstage the Lifetime Achievement winner was all business and a man of few words.
RELATED TOPICS
•Golden Globes
As to why he tried to be funny – and the jury is still out if he was actually funny, he said, “I thought this would be more fun for this kind of evening.”
The actor showed up without his statuette because the top fell off, answering questions with his hands in his pockets. “They need to solder it back on.”
(Among De Niro's jokes: "I'm sorry more members of the foreign press aren't with us tonight, but many were deported right before the show along with most of the waiters. And Javier Bardem.")
As to the key to his longevity, he offered simply this: “I’m just here. Only the strong survive.”