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Golden Globes Host Nikki Glaser Prepares Her Celebrity Roast While Battling the “Julia Roberts Problem”
With the Golden Globes ceremony rapidly approaching, comedian Nikki Glaser finds herself facing an unexpected challenge: crafting the perfect joke about Julia Roberts.
“She’s been the toughest nut to crack,” Glaser admitted Tuesday with determination in her voice. “But I’m going to crack it.”
Glaser earned the hosting role after impressing audiences last year with her skill at celebrity roasting, delivering a monologue that walked the fine line between biting humor and respect. Her performance was so well-received that organizers promptly invited her back for this Sunday’s ceremony.
The comedian describes her monologue as a constantly evolving creation that will continue to transform until the moment she takes the stage at the Beverly Hilton. One of her primary targets sits squarely in the front row – Roberts, who is nominated for best actress in a drama for “After the Hunt.”
“I just want to do the perfect joke, but it’s like people do not have a sense of humor about Julia Roberts,” Glaser explained. “She’ll be fine – other people are not fine on her behalf. The most innocent joke about her that I made a couple times trying it out, they booed, they were jeering.”
For other celebrities, however, Glaser feels confident in her material. The absurdly star-studded best actor categories provide her with plenty of ammunition.
Timothée Chalamet, nominated this year for “Marty Supreme” after last year’s Bob Dylan portrayal, is back in her crosshairs. “Timothée, he’s great. He knows how to handle it,” Glaser said. Last year, she playfully told the mustachioed actor, “You have the most gorgeous eyelashes – on your upper lip.”
George Clooney, nominated for “Jay Kelly,” represents fresh territory for Glaser’s wit. “George Clooney’s going to be exciting to just have any kind of interaction with. I think he’s such a good sport,” she noted. “He’s down for it.”
The comedian is also particularly excited about her planned jokes for Michael B. Jordan, nominated for “Sinners,” and Leonardo DiCaprio from the awards season frontrunner “One Battle After Another.” On DiCaprio, she teased: “Leo? Leo, yeah, Leo. We’re going to hit Leo. The icebergs are coming. Watch out.”
Glaser’s preparation has been meticulous. While she spoke to the Associated Press wearing a gown and fur coat on a mock New York street at a CBS studio lot, her real testing ground has been Southern California’s comedy clubs.
“I’ve been running the jokes constantly,” she revealed. “I live and die by those crowds. They really tell me what to keep and what not to. Things that I think will kill will just be nothing, and things that I think are just a throwaway are like the best joke.”
Not every attempt makes the final cut. Glaser shared one joke about the film “Pluribus” that was relegated to “the graveyard” after repeated attempts failed to land: “Have you seen it? Pluribly not.”
The unique challenge of writing jokes aimed directly at celebrities in the room has led Glaser to use comedy club audiences as stand-ins. “I’ll ask them, ‘Will you play Julia Roberts for me?’ You know, it’s strange, but I kind of just set it up. Like I’m hosting the Golden Globes. They’re usually very excited about that.”
Like all awards show hosts, Glaser remains concerned about potential world events that could suddenly make her prepared material seem trivial or inappropriate. Over the past weekend, she contemplated addressing the situation in Venezuela but ultimately reconsidered.
“You can’t even anticipate things a week away as being relevant enough,” she explained. “You’d be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying ‘Venezuela.’ People aren’t getting the news like we all are.”
Last year, Glaser faced a similar challenge with finding the right joke about the musical “Wicked” – one that balanced humor without crossing into meanness. After considerable effort, she and her writing partners found the perfect line: “My boyfriend loved it, my boyfriend’s boyfriend loved it,” Glaser recalled. “Perfect ‘Wicked’ joke. Wasn’t too mean, just celebrated the gayness.”
The Golden Globes will air Sunday on CBS, with Glaser bringing her carefully crafted humor to one of Hollywood’s most prestigious award ceremonies. Whether she’ll finally crack the Julia Roberts challenge remains to be seen.
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6 Comments
Building the perfect Golden Globes monologue sounds like a fun challenge! Glaser’s roast-style humor could be a refreshing take on the usual awards show banter. I’m curious to see how she handles the ‘Julia Roberts problem’ – some celebs can be tricky to poke fun at without ruffling feathers.
Kudos to Glaser for taking on the Golden Globes hosting gig – that’s a high-pressure role. I’m interested to see her roast-style comedy in action and how she handles sensitive celebs like Julia Roberts in the audience.
Interesting to hear Glaser is struggling with the Julia Roberts joke. Celebrities can be sensitive about being the butt of jokes, even at an event like the Globes. I hope Glaser finds the right balance of humor and respect in her monologue.
The Golden Globes ceremony is always a lively event, and Glaser’s comedic approach could shake things up. I’m curious to see how she balances the delicate task of poking fun at A-listers while still showing respect.
Handling the ‘Julia Roberts problem’ sounds like a real challenge for Glaser as she prepares her Golden Globes monologue. I hope she’s able to craft some good-natured jabs that the audience can appreciate without anyone getting overly offended.
It’s an interesting approach to have a comedian known for roasting take on the Globes hosting gig. Glaser’s edge could make for a more entertaining and unpredictable awards show. I’ll be curious to see how she navigates the tricky celebrity dynamic.