Nikki Glaser's best (and worst) bits as Golden Globes host

Nikki Glaser sparkled as bright as any Golden Globe trophy.

The host of the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, her second time at the helm of Hollywood's most boisterous awards show, Glaser delivered exactly what everyone in the glitzy Beverly Hilton ballroom wanted: Funny, flattering and frivolous.

The stand-up comedian gave a killer monologue, kept the energy up for most of the night, and aimed her sharpest jabs not at any of the pretty people wearing their black tie best in the ballroom, but at the studios, corporations and even the Justice Department. That's exactly the kind of hard-hitting humor Hollywood loves: The kind that doesn't hit the stars with anything but softballs.

Glaser's jokes were bold and clever, sometimes a bit cringey, but mostly genuinely hilarious and not too long. That's all most of us can ask for from the host of an award show that was already running late by the halfway mark.

Here were the best and worst moments of Glaser's hosting gig.

Best: Nikki Glaser's monologue really 'went there'

Glaser strutted onto the stage to open the Globes with a savage monologue that took no prisoners and spared no media conglomerate.

Glaser dissed CBS News, while being broadcast on CBS herself, suggesting that under its new management it's "see BS news." Glaser also called out the current battle for the multi-billion dollar purchase of Warner Bros., the Jeffrey Epstein files and the money-grabbing "Wicked" sequel.

She also poked fun at the celebrities, but gently. For example, she called out Leonardo DiCaprio's history of dating young women, then said, "Leo, I'm sorry I made that joke, it's cheap. I tried not to but, you know, we don't know anything else about you, man. There's nothing else, open up."

Her jokes were more complimentary than cutting, just the way the big egos in the room like.

The only time it seemed like the in-person audience wasn't on her side was when she said Sean Penn looked like a leather bag. Apparently, it's worse to suggest someone in the movie business looks old than to suggest they might be on the Epstein list.

Just OK: Nicole Kidman's AMC ad parody

Making fun of the podcast category? That was almost a requirement of Glaser's hosting duties.

The new category has not been without controversy for its inclusion in the ceremony at all, and for the podcasts chosen as nominees. But making fun of Kidman's much-parodied commercial for AMC Theaters from 2021 is a bit too stale. Even if she did so in a sparkly pinstripe suit.

Worst: 'K-Pong Demon Hunters'

One commercial break after singer/songwriter Ejae gave the most emotional speech of the night while accepting the award for best original song for smash hit "Golden" from "K-Pop Demon Hunters," Glaser butchered a parody of the song crossed with ping-pong film "Marty Supreme."

Even though the bit was designed to be bad and interrupted by former Screen Actors Guild president Fran Drescher, it wasn't worth cheapening the real emotional value of "Golden."

Best: Judd Apatow makes fun of Nikki Glaser

After poking mostly good-hearted fun at the celebs in the room all night, it was a refreshing turn when comedy producer Judd Apatow took to the stage to present the best director for a film award and spent a part of his bit making fun of our fair host.

Apatow said Glaser was a babysitter for his family when she was younger. But then one day, he happened to search her comedy videos online. "It was all about smoking reefer and having weird sex, and then she stopped being our babysitter," he joked. It's good to have a host who can get as good as she gives.