Nikki Glaser warns ‘everyone’s fair game’ as Golden Globes looms

Nikki Glaser is once again stepping into one of Hollywood’s most high-pressure roles as she prepares to host the Golden Globe Awards for the second year in a row, and she clarified that no celebrity in the room is banned. The 41-year-old comedian, who received praise for her Golden Globes debut last year, returns to the stage tonight, Sunday, Jan. 11, and says she plans to approach the evening with the same fearless humor that made her first go-round a success.

Glaser acknowledges that some celebrities are often considered untouchable, but she doesn’t let that dictate her approach. “Everyone is fair game. I really feel that way,” Glaser said. PEOPLE. “I even thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to leave the most alone, they don’t deserve it. They’re not here to be honored,’ but I feel like (it’s fair).”

She continued: “There are some people who are protected figures and, like, other people might get upset on their behalf, but it’s really none of my business, and if the person I’m making the joke on is laughing, I think that’s reason enough for me to do it.”

Although she doesn’t hold back, Glaser also emphasized that her humor is not rooted in cruelty. “I’m not going to be so mean that anyone hates me for the rest of their career, or I have to avoid them for the rest of mine,” she explained. “I write from a place of love and I wouldn’t make a joke about someone I don’t really love.”

According to Glaser, any celebrity who is the subject of his jokes should take it as a compliment.

“So if I write a joke about you or if I make a joke about you, it’s because I admire you and I think you’re probably cool and you have a good sense of humor,” she said. “I don’t make jokes about people I just don’t think are cool and don’t even really want to talk to or give the time of day.”

While roasting, Glaser aimed directly Tom Bradythe personal life of, especially his high-profile divorce of the model Gisèle Bundchen. The former couple filed for divorce in October 2022 after 13 years of marriage, a topic Glaser was quick to turn into punchlines. “Tom Brady, five-time Super Bowl MVP, most career wins, most career touchdowns, you have seven rings — well, eight now that Gisele has given hers back,” Glaser said during the roast.

She then doubled down with another blowout that quickly went viral. “Do you know his diet plan? He’s so strict. But if you follow it exactly like him, you too can lose your family,” she joked.

While Glaser makes it clear that “everyone is fair game,” speculation is already swirling about which headline-grabbing characters could become punchlines at this year’s Golden Globes.

A name that has recently sparked controversy is Nicki Minaj. The rapper faced further backlash after her appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Dec. 21 in Phoenix. In the process, an online petition The call for Minaj’s expulsion gained traction, gathering tens of thousands of signatures. The petition criticizes her alignment with Turning Point USA and the Trump administration and urges that she be returned to Trinidad, her home country.