Comedian Nikki Glazer made her first bid to host the Golden Globes last year, winning critical acclaim for striking the right balance between criticizing and celebrating Hollywood. And it worked. Producers Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner not only praised Glaser for providing the right mood for the show, but the awards ceremony averaged 10.23 million viewers, ranking it among the top 100 annual TV broadcasts for the first time since 2020.
Now, Glazer is back for an encore as the 83rd Globes with Dick Clark Pros airs again this Sunday at 8pm ET/5pm PT on CBS. The host spoke to Variety about what’s to come and why she’s hoping to be asked a third time.
Are your preparations going well? There’s less than a week left until the show. Are you trapped at this point?
I’m doing well. At this point, I’ve run this set about 77 times around town. There are still some places where I say, “I have to punch this person.” But how do you joke about Julia Roberts without people hating you? I realize that some people just don’t deserve to be made fun of.
Club audiences are very different from industry audiences.
We no longer live in a monoculture. People aren’t even watching big movies or TV shows this year. It’s really a struggle. We’re educating them about what these things are and finding ways to make fun of them. This is one of the most difficult gigs. Because you’re trying to please so many people, and it’s almost impossible to give everyone what they want. People watching at home love when you go for the kill and when you put these excellent lists in their place. But I don’t think people understand that if that joke doesn’t work, and the camera closes up on Leonardo DiCaprio rolling his eyes at home, no matter how good the joke was, it’s going to be, “That wasn’t funny. She went too far.” It’s a very fine line.
If you were successful in your first year, why risk it in your second year?
I also want to be the kind of host that makes people say, “That person hosted me!” The show’s most notable hosts, such as Ricky (Gervais), Tina (Fey), and Amy (Poehler), each appeared three or four times. I would love to join the conversation with them! You can do anything once, but it’s hard to do it twice. I’d probably like to do it a third time as well. And honestly, it’s a lot of fun. It’s really satisfying when you put in a lot of effort and it works out.
How do you feel this year compared to last year? Feeling a little more ready?
I used pretty much the same type of training method as last year and started about a month ago. I see everything. I write jokes, take them around town, and start performing as many sets as I can. This year is different. Depending on the year, you can earn a lot of gold. Last year, nominees had intriguing and funny names like “Night Bitch.” This year we have “Bugonia” and “Pluribus,” which are less interesting from a comedy standpoint. That is its very nature.
Last year’s Globe Awards were held just before the Los Angeles fires and the inauguration. The atmosphere is different between the countryside and LA, how do you adjust it?
You don’t want to touch on anything that brings the whole room down or reminds you of something truly tragic. But at the same time, you don’t want to ignore it completely either. Without getting too heavy-handed, there are certain points we agree on. Trying to find the perfect note. When it comes to politics, I feel like we’re all very tired at the moment. And it seems like all we have to do now is laugh about it and really look forward to this award show to get away from it.
How do you address subjects like Venezuela and the Epstein file?
Just touch it and smack it here and there. Last year I mentioned Diddy’s name, but this year more has been revealed about Diddy. So let’s not say Diddy, but allude to Diddy. Let’s allude to the list. I think the best way to avoid these types of jokes is to do them quickly enough to make you wonder, “Did she just tell that joke?” It is delicate, so some items may not fit. I always think, if I was watching that show, how would I do it?
Beyond politics, what about the inner workings of the baseball industry? How far can we go with the fate of Warner Bros., a joke that kills in the room but embarrasses the nation?
I think we have to do it. People at home are smart, so if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you might have to Google it. Not discussing these things that everyone is well educated about leaves a lot of comedy on the table. Yes, there will be jokes about mergers, and there will be jokes about AI. People not going to movie theaters, what we feel in this industry is no joke.
This is also the perfect opportunity to bite the hands that feed you, like David Ellison and Ted Sarandos.
Luckily, it turns out they have a good sense of humor about themselves. Ted Sarandos is always in the room, so I’m like, “I’ve got to do a Ted joke, because he can take it.” Jokes like this shouldn’t be the reason you get a bunch of pants. they are the top. I never worry about offending them. They are millionaires!
You mentioned that you would be holding monologue workshops around town. I’m always impressed that you never miss a joke.
Me too! I call on people to “turn off!” My friends are with me, observing outside the room. It occurred to me a week ago that if something were to leak, it would be a disaster. If it were published online, it would really ruin the good time. Because if it’s just a comedy, it won’t be as good the second time you hear it. I just trust my audience. People are so excited that I want to try this material too. They can be a part of this process and I really make them feel like they are my chosen focus group. So I guess I just trust them and hope they don’t mess with me.
One of the new things this year is the podcast category, and you just wrapped yours. Do you want to start again to qualify next year?
I think no. To be honest, it’s a lot of work. It’s relentless, never stops, never raps. I think podcasting will be waiting for me someday, but it’s nice not having to say every thought that comes to mind into a microphone every day. The more famous you become, the more headlines you’ll get just from what you say. However, I let it rip too much. Then you need to take a break.
You’ve been busy with a new special coming out on Hulu later this year. Does it have an ETA?
Sometime in 2026 — I know the date, but I can’t tell you, but it’s coming soon. I’m really proud. I think this is my best work. It looks great and I’m really looking forward to promoting it. And then I’ll go on tour again. I’m starting to write a movie. I’m planning to make a movie. The day after the Golden Globes, I begin rehearsals for a Netflix film project (The Fifth Wheel) with director Eva Longoria, Kim Kardashian, Fortune Feimster, and Brenda Song. So, to be honest, I don’t have much time for podcasts.
And of course, waiting for the next roast to take place.
It’s been almost two years now and the Netflix Is A Joke festival is usually held in May. I’ve heard rumors, but nothing concrete. I think it’s really difficult to get someone to sign it. It takes someone with tough skin and a really strong ego, or an ego so inflated that they think they’ll be fine. I love a good roast, but I’m a little nervous about making it myself. My own ego is starting to get hurt in situations like this now at 41 years old. When I was in my 30s, they might call me old, but I was like, “Yeah, but 30 isn’t old.” Now I’m starting to feel like maybe my age is an issue in this industry, but that’s not what I really want to focus on. Honestly, it hurts your feelings, so I can understand why celebrities don’t want to do it. You think, “I know exactly what they’re going to make fun of, I can handle it.” But they discover things you never thought of on your own, and it’s enlightening in truly terrifying ways.
It looks like they’re withdrawing from the roasting community.
Not necessarily! I love it so much that it would be hard to let go without it. It has to be the right time and the right person. The Tom Brady one was really fun. It was so cool to get someone so big that I couldn’t believe he was doing it. I really want to do that kind of thing where you’re like, “Wow, this person has never talked about who they are and yet they’re opening themselves up like this!” It really comes down to whether you have the time to commit. I work really hard on them. So that’s all there is to it. And if I feel old that day.
What are the nominees for this year’s Globe Awards?
I thought “One Battle After Another” was a masterpiece. I love “Marty Supreme.” I also really liked “Sentimental Value,” although I think it’s somewhere in between the two. I want Timothée (Chalamet) to win. Leo too. I think the biggest despise was Hugh Jackman’s “Son Son Bleu.” That movie didn’t bloom as it deserved.
On TV, it didn’t apply this year because it was just released, but during breaks everyone was talking about the “heated rivalry.”
I haven’t seen it yet. But I’m already excited thinking about it. I’m hopeful that those people might show up. It’s very exciting to have a show like this that is so popular and seems ripe for comedy as well.
Last year, the number “Pope-ular,” a combination of “Wicked” and “Conclave,” was a hit. Are you considering something similar this year?
There are some things we’re going to be re-performing, but I love singing and I love the idea of giving this song to these people. I love playing characters who are like, “I have an idea!” And suddenly I’m Billy Crystal. I have no choice but to try another song and dance. I don’t know exactly how I’m going to do it, but I’m warming up. Let me just say that.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Variety’s parent company, PMC, owns Dick Clark Prods. In a joint venture with Eldridge.
