Nikki Glaser makes history as first female solo Golden Globes host
Nikki Glaser during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at the Beverly Hilton on January 5, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California. | Image: Golden Globes website
Nikki Glaser made history as the first ever solo female host of the 2025 Golden Globe Awards in the show’s 82 years of existence. 28 ceremonies were held with a host; Glaser was the first female comedian to take on the role in nearly a decade.
Following Jo Koy’s historic turn last year as the first Filipino-American host of the Globes, Glaser’s appointment signals the continued push of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s for inclusivity and comedic flair on its grand stage.
Glaser, who’s a nominee this year for her second HBO stand-up comedy special, “Someday You’ll Die,” opened the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, with a crowd-pleasing monologue.
In her opening monologue, Glaser, who went viral for her performance at the Netflix roast of Tom Brady in May, kept the laughs coming as she gently roasted A-listers in the room, referring to the Globes as “Ozempic’s biggest night.”
“I’m not here to roast you tonight. I want you to know that, and how could I? You’re all so famous, so talented, so powerful—you could really do anything… I mean, except tell the country who to vote for,” she said.
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Glaser also pulled off a Diddy joke, saying that “Challengers,” starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, was more “sexually charged” than the embattled rapper’s credit card.
“I’m upset too,” she expressed, “the afterparty’s not going to be as good this year. But we have to move on! A ‘Stanley Tucci Freak-Off’ doesn’t have the same ring to it—no baby oil this year, just lots of olive oil.”
Glaser’s hosting of the 2025 Golden Globes brought a sharp, edgy energy to the ceremony, showcasing her signature brand of bold humor as the Rolling Stone described the female comedian’s stint as a “redeemer” of last year’s monologue.
Jo Koy’s hosting of the 2024 Golden Globes, while widely praised for its heartfelt moments and cultural representation, was met with backlash as some critics said his humor fell flat and lacked the sharp edge expected of an awards show host.
Aside from Glaser and JoKoy, others to host in recent years include Saturday Night Live alumni Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who co-hosted the Globes four times—from 2013 to 2015, and again in 2021, NBC late-night stars Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh, and comic Jerrod Carmichael.
