Nikki Glaser Can't Crack Jokes About This A-List Star
The Golden Globes host discovered through comedy club testing that one beloved Hollywood icon is completely off-limits for her monologue material.
Nikki Glaser is gearing up for her second consecutive turn hosting the Golden Globes this weekend, but she's learned there's one Hollywood superstar who's absolutely untouchable when it comes to comedy material. The stand-up comedian made history last year as the first woman to solo host the prestigious awards ceremony, and her performance was so well-received that organizers brought her back for another round.
Testing Material Reveals Audience Limits
Speaking on CBS Mornings, Glaser opened up about her preparation process, which includes road-testing her monologue jokes at Los Angeles comedy clubs. This trial-and-error approach taught her a crucial lesson about audience boundaries. "I'm trying out my monologue around LA at the clubs here and just even any joke about Julia Roberts, they are not there for," she explained.
The comedian discovered that Roberts occupies a special place in American hearts that comedy simply cannot penetrate. "You cannot make fun of America's sweetheart," Glaser said about the Pretty Woman star. "Whatever I end up saying about her, that is the most fine-tuned joke that I've worked on so hard, because it is very delicate."
Audience Reactions Shock Comedian
Glaser described the crowd responses to her Roberts material as genuinely surprising. She told reporters that audiences have been "booing" her attempts at Roberts humor, calling their reaction "insane." The pushback has been so intense that she compared it to joking about tragic figures.
"She is the most sacred of cows in America," Glaser told Yahoo about her struggles with Roberts-focused material. "I assumed that we want to protect her at all costs, but it's as if I was joking about JonBenét [Ramsey]. [Audiences] were like, 'This is not funny. We're not going to laugh about it.'"
Roberts Nominated for Major Award
The timing makes Glaser's dilemma particularly relevant, as Roberts is nominated for 'Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama' for her role in After The Hunt. She faces competition from Hamnet's Jessie Buckley and Renate Reinsve from Sentimental Value.
Meanwhile, One Battle After Another dominates this year's nominations with nine total nods, including 'Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy' and a 'Best Leading Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy' nomination for Leonardo DiCaprio. The ceremony takes place in Los Angeles on January 11th, 2026.