Nikki Glaser did not quite reach the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler levels of laughs in her stint as the host of the Golden Globes, but her monologue was a marked improvement over last year’s host, Jo Koy. She opened with calling the Globes ‘Ozempic’s biggest night’ and the tone was set. And while Glaser did not bring out her trademark ruthless roaster, the comedian did not hold back either, roasting everyone and everything from Diddy to Trump. A look at some of her best jokes from the 2025 Golden Globes:
On Hollywood’s inability to stop Donald Trump
Addressing the big and powerful stars present in the room, the comedian said, “You could really do anything … except tell the country who to vote for. But it’s OK, you’ll get ’em next time … if there is one. I’m scared.” She then turned towards Wicked star Ariana Grande with a request: “Ariana, hold my finger.”
On Dune, Challengers and Diddy
While addressing Zendaya during her monologue, Nikki Glaser praised her in Dune Part Two but not without roasting the film. “Zendaya, you were incredible in Dune. I woke up for all of your scenes.” But she saved the best bit of her joke for the other Zendaya film of 2024 – Challengers. “And Challengers! That movie was more sexually charged than Diddy’s credit card,” she said to some hushed laughter.
Is the afterparty dull without Diddy?
Rapper and music mogul P Diddy is in prison in connection with sex trafficking and assault charges connected with incidents that allegedly occurred at his wild, freak-out parties. Poking fun at that, Glaser said, “Oh no, I am upset too. The afterparty is not going to be as good this year. But we have to move on. I know the Stanley Tucci freak-off does not have the same ring to it. No baby oil this year, just lots of olive oil.”
The age gap wasn’t spared too
Noting that 2024 was the year of comeback for veteran female stars like Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson, the comedian quipped, “If you’re a woman over 50 in a lead role, they call it a comeback. If you’re a guy over 50 in a lead role, congratulations! You’re about to play Sydney Sweeney’s boyfriend.”
The roast of Joker 2
Talking about musicals, Nikki Glase turned her attention towards Joker: Folie à Deux, the biggest box office bomb of 2024. “Some theatres had issues with musicals. Some people complained Wicked was ruined by people singing. With Joker 2, some people said it was ruined by the images on the screen and the sounds that accompanied them,” Glaser said, before delivering the brutal clincher: “I’m sorry Joker 2, where’s their table? Oh, they’re not here.”
Ben Affleck takes one too
Ben Affleck has been in the news more for his personal life than his work of late, and Glaser did not let that slide. Talking about some of the nominated films, she joked, “Wicked, Queer, Nightbitch – these are not just words Ben Affleck yells [in bed], these are some of the incredible movies nominated tonight.”
The 82nd Golden Globe Awards were held in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles on Sunday night. Among the big winners of the night were Emilia Perez, Shogun, and The Bear. The show was streamed live on Lionsgate Play in India.
