During the Golden Globes, Jerrod Carmichael criticized Tom Cruise for returning his three Golden Globe awards in 2021 as a protest to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Carmichael was introducing Cruise’s “Top Gun:” presenters Glen Powell and Jay Ellis. Maverick” co-stars as he appeared on stage holding three awards.

“Hey, guys backstage I found these,” Carmichael said. “[It’s the] three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned. I’m just a host briefly, or whatever, but I have a pitch I think. Maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige.”

By referring to Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, Carmichael invoked Scientology. Cruise is a well-known churchgoer. It is said that Shelly has not been seen in public for a number of years. Leah Remini, a former Scientology member, has frequently inquired about Shelly’s whereabouts on social media. Remini wrote on Twitter after the joke, “Thank you, Jerrod Carmichael! Where has Shelly gone?

In May 2021, Cruise made the announcement that he would be returning his three Golden Globes. In the midst of a number of HFPA controversies, including the revelation that the organization had no Black members at the time, NBC had just canceled the Golden Globes broadcast.

“Jerry Maguire” (actor in a comedy or musical), “Magnolia” (supporting actor), and “Born on the Fourth of July” (actor in a drama) were Cruise’s three Golden Globe nominations. The actor has received four additional Golden Globe nominations for his roles in “The Last Samurai” (actor in a drama), “Tropic Thunder” (supporting actor), “A Few Good Men” (actor in a drama), and “Risky Business” (actor in a comedy or musical).