Comedian Nikki Glaser, returning as host of the 2026 Golden Globes, has decided against including jokes about Venezuela in her monologue, citing the audience's lack of awareness. She has been testing material in Los Angeles clubs and found current events falling flat. Glaser is also treading carefully with humor targeting Julia Roberts, who is nominated for Best Actress.
Nikki Glaser is preparing for her second stint hosting the Golden Globes, set for January 11, 2026, airing live on CBS from 8-11 p.m. ET and streaming on Paramount+. After positive feedback from last year's performance, the stand-up comic has been refining her opening monologue through trial runs at local Los Angeles venues.
In interviews, Glaser explained the challenges of incorporating timely topics. "You can’t even anticipate things a week away as being relevant enough," she told the Associated Press. "You’d be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying ‘Venezuela.’ People aren’t getting the news like we all are." This feedback led her to drop references to the South American country's situation, as they failed to connect with test audiences.
Glaser has also encountered resistance when poking fun at celebrities. During a CBS interview with Gayle King, she described the backlash to Julia Roberts jokes: "I’m trying out my monologue around L.A. at the clubs here and just even any joke about Julia Roberts, they are not there for." Roberts, nominated for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in After the Hunt, is a sensitive target. "You cannot make fun of America’s sweetheart," Glaser noted. "I mean, they were booing, and I was like, ‘Is she here?’ It’s insane."
Her approach relies heavily on crowd reactions. "I’ve been running the jokes constantly," she said to the AP. "I live and die by those crowds. They really tell me what to keep and what not to." One discarded bit involved a pun on the film Pluribus: "Have you seen it? Pluribly not." Though clever, it didn't fit.
Balancing entertainment for both the room and viewers at home is key. "You have to be very delicate about making jokes that aren’t going to ruin anyone’s night, but you also want to give the people at home something to laugh at," Glaser told King. She aims for edgy yet strategic humor that pokes at A-listers without derailing the evening, calling it "one of the most difficult jobs I’ve ever had."
