Comedian Nikki Glaser has lifted the lid on the series of savage jokes that were deemed too harsh for the live broadcast of the 81st Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday night. The host, who fronted the show for the second consecutive year, shared the excised material during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday, 13 January 2026.
The Jokes That Didn't Make the Cut
Glaser, 41, began by reading from what she called her "Stern file," a list of gags considered too risky for the primetime audience. One of the most pointed jokes took aim at actress Sydney Sweeney and the commercial performance of her recent film.
"So tonight is a night of celebration but we can't ignore that it's a weird time in Hollywood – people just aren't going to the theatres to see things," Glaser's cut joke began. "If you don't believe me, there was a movie this year where Sydney Sweeney played a lesbian who just bounced around in tiny shorts for two hours and it made $14."
The quip referenced the biographical film Christy, which Sweeney starred in. The movie reportedly took just $1.3 million at the box office following its November release, marking one of the poorest theatrical openings in recent history.
Targets: From AI to Hollywood Icons
Glaser's scrapped material didn't stop there. She also revealed a controversial joke about AI actress Tilly Norwood, a digital creation from Dutch company Particle6. "Everyone is concerned about AI, Tilly Norwood is the first star to be completely generated by AI and, somehow, has still been sexually assaulted by three different studio execs," the joke read.
A trio of jibes aimed at actor Sean Penn were also cut. One described him as "nominated tonight – I'm assuming for best neck veins." Another said he looked like "the defiant last tree standing in a rainforest."
However, Leonardo DiCaprio bore the brunt of another censored segment. "Leo why are you always squinting? I mean I assume it's to read your girlfriend's ID just making sure the year starts with a two," Glaser quipped, referencing the 51-year-old actor's well-documented reputation for dating women under 25. The line prompted laughter from Stern and his co-host Robin Quivers.
Further Casualties of the Edit
The purge of material extended to jokes about other celebrities. A gag about actress Chase Infiniti played on her unique name, suggesting it was also "how Sean Penn gets an erection; He chases infinity pain."
Timothée Chalamet's sex life was another target, with a joke linking him to Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang. "Amy Poehler is here for her podcast, Good Hang, which is what Timothée Chalamet says after sex," Glaser revealed.
Even Julia Roberts wasn't spared. A cut joke about her nominated film After The Hunt stated: "I don’t know what it’s about but I’m assuming the hunt was to find someone who’s seen it."
Additional excised gags included one about Jonathan Bailey being the "first openly gay man" named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine, with Glaser noting the specification was necessary after reviewing past winners. Another described Jeff Goldblum attending not due to a nomination, but because "they were shooting an ad for Apartments.com down the street and he just kind of wandered in."
The revelations offer a rare glimpse into the rigorous editing process behind a major awards show, highlighting the fine line producers walk between edgy comedy and broadcast acceptability. While Glaser's live monologue was already packed with pointed barbs, it seems the most savage swipes were reserved for the post-show analysis.
