It started off like any other award acceptance speech.
There were thank-yous to producers, the television network, agents and co-stars. Then it careered into a story about what humanitarians call "dirty beer".
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Tom Hiddleston apologises Golden Globes speech
Actor admits his story about his humanitarian work in South Sudan was "inelegantly expressed".
Two days after winning his Golden Globe, actor Tom Hiddleston has now taken the unusual step of apologising for his acceptance speech, calling it "inelegant" and blaming a bout of nerves.
Despite Hiddleston's hopes to promote humanitarian efforts in east Africa, keyboard warriors called his speech a boring and longwinded "humblebrag", with videos of bored-looking celebrities listening to the sermon going viral.
![Tom Hiddleston with the award for best actor in a limited series or TV movie for <i>The Night Manager</i> at the 2017 ...](/web/20170112082940im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/o/7/i/z/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtpb20.png/1484108864929.jpg)
Naomi Harris expression listening to Tom Hiddleston 'white savior of Sudan' speech is priceless #GoldenGlobes #hiddenfences pic.twitter.com/CA7X5AgxhX
— VzA (@ValerieComplex) January 9, 2017
The British Night Manager star, most recently known for a short-lived affair with Taylor Swift, has been an ambassador for UNICEF UK since 2015, and highlighted the plight of children in South Sudan after visiting in November.
"The Night Manager is about arms dealing and there are far too many arms going into South Sudan," he said.
Hiddleston continued, telling the story of how, while enjoying a "dirty beer" one night in South Sudan, a group of Medecins Sans Frontieres doctors approached him to tell him they had binge-watched The Night Manager during a period of heavy shelling.
Just back from South Sudan with @Unicef_Uk to see how innocent children are still bearing the brunt of the conflict 3 years since it began. pic.twitter.com/y0v3sx8acF
— Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) December 1, 2016
"The idea that I could provide -Â or that we could provide some relief and entertainment for the people that work for UNICEF and Medecins Sans Frontieres and the World Food Programme, who are fixing the world in the places where it is broken, made me immensely proud. "
But the earnest two-minute speech was lampooned online almost immediately.
"Hey Tom Hiddleston, what the hell is a 'dirty beer'?", website Spin asked.
On Tuesday, Hiddleston told his millions of followers he agreed that his speech was "inelegantly expressed".
"In truth, I was very nervous, and my words just came out wrong," he wrote.
"Sincerely, my only intention was to salute the incredible bravery and courage of the men and women who work so tirelessly for UNICEF UK, Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres, and World Food Programme, and the children of South Sudan, who continue to find hope and joy in the most difficult conditions.
"I apologise that my nerves got the better of me."
But many people were stunned Hiddleston felt the need to apologise, telling him was no need to be sorry for drawing attention to humanitarian issues.
"You are at least using your platform to bring attention to worthy causes and to a dire situation," commented one Facebook user.
"Everyone who actually listened to what you said in your speech understood your intentions and respect you immensely for it," wrote another.
While the backlash towards Hiddleston's speech is unfortunate, the resulting video of Christian Slater looking very confused is truly entertaining.
That was a long story Tom Hiddleston told to pay himself a compliment. #GoldenGlobes
— Gary Janetti (@GaryJanetti) January 9, 2017
The lack of interest in Tom Hiddleston's story about his show is my everything https://t.co/vsTHCK0WQK
— Dave Lozo (@davelozo) January 9, 2017
Christian Slater's face listening to Tom Hiddleston's "people in South Sudan love me" speech should be on US currency. pic.twitter.com/8HbZScXbH2
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) January 9, 2017
The perfect facial summation of what Tom Hiddleston just did. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/JZcfIthpN8
— Travon Free (@Travon) January 9, 2017
Tom Hiddleston's speech is lasting longer than his relationship with Taylor Swift #GoldenGlobes
— Teri Hart (@TeriHart) January 9, 2017
#GoldenGlobes director cutting to the #StrangerThings kids during Tom Hiddleston's speech about Sudan was A CHOICE pic.twitter.com/LWPOmXkbbM
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 9, 2017
we are all the fidgeting stranger things children during tom hiddleston's exhaustingly self-congratulatory speech #goldenglobes
— Democracy Diva (@democracydiva) January 9, 2017