Comedian Nikki Glaser has been confirmed to host the upcoming Golden Globes ceremony, marking a swift return after her widely praised performance at last year's event. Her hiring comes after a period where the prestigious awards show has struggled to find a host who can strike the right comedic tone.
The Search for the Right Host
Since the celebrated era of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the Golden Globes has faced a series of hosting misfires. The ceremony has seen uncomfortable moments with Jerrod Carmichael, a lack of bite with Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh, and the heavily criticised performance of Jo Koy. Even the much-anticipated return of Fey and Poehler for the 2021 event, hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic, failed to recapture their former spark.
Glaser's Breakthrough Performance
Last year, Nikki Glaser changed the narrative. While her success was no surprise to fans of her stand-up—her 2024 special Someday You'll Die is considered one of the funniest recent sets—the extent of her triumph was a genuine shock. She won instant acclaim for a cleverly balanced routine that mixed sweetness with just the right amount of sourness, delivering a considerable number of laughs and resetting expectations for what a Globes host could be.
The Challenge of Modern Hosting
In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Glaser opened up about why hosting an awards show is now such a tough gig. She pointed to the fragmented nature of modern media consumption as a central hurdle.
"What's hard is that people don't watch things anymore," Glaser explained. She gave examples, questioning if audiences even knew that Marty Supreme was about ping-pong or who Jay Kelly is, contrasting them with universally recognised figures like George Clooney.
This shift, she argues, forces hosts to rely on more generic reference points. "You end up making a lot of jokes about the advertisements and the endorsements these people do. People might not know Kevin Hart's special, but they know he's popping up talking about DraftKings."
Despite the challenges, Glaser is approaching the role with confidence and her signature sharp wit. She has already stated in recent press that she plans to "ridicule anyone except Julia Roberts," signalling an act that will be both celebratory and daringly edgy. Her quick re-hiring suggests the Golden Globes believes she has finally cracked the code for successful awards show comedy in a new era.
