Ricky Gervais claims he's been asked to host Globes again

If there was a Golden Globe award for best milking of a semi-controversy, Ricky Gervais would easily walk away with the trophy.

The Office creator once again brought up his super-awkward hosting gig in January while speaking at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival on Friday, claiming that NBC has asked him to host the awards ceremony for a third time, despite the mountain of ill will he created during his last go-round.

I love NBC, I love the fact that they stuck by me through it, Gervais said during his appearance at the festival.

Asked if was considering returning to the Globes for a third time, Gervais admitted that he was, but said he's leaning against it.

I am but I shouldn't do it. It's a second encore. Don't do a second encore, Gervais said. I don't think I should do it. What am I going back as?

Gervais might not have much choice in the matter, if the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which presents the awards, has any say in the matter. When Gervais claimed earlier this year that he had been asked back to the ceremony, the HFPA was adamant that it hadn't extended any olive branches.

There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back, Golden Globes president Phil Berk said. Nice try, Ricky.

During last year's Golden Globes, Gervais raised eyebrows by taking barbed jabs at Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr. and Charlie Sheen, among others.

It's going to be a night of partying and heavy drinking, Gervais told the crowd at the beginning of the ceremony. Or as Charlie Sheen calls it - breakfast.

Gervais again defended his Golden Globes performance at the festival, suggesting that his targets deserved his mockery.

It wasn't a roomful of wounded soldiers, Gervais said. It was the most privileged people on the planet who spend all day pretending to be someone else. I teased them, I ribbed them.

NBC had no comment for TheWrap on this story.