At the 83rd annual Golden Globes Awards on Sunday, comedian Nikki Glaser delivered a bold monologue that took direct aim at the very network broadcasting the ceremony, CBS. The 41-year-old stand-up star's joke about the network's news division has sparked widespread discussion, and now the show's producers have explained how the risky quip made it to air.
The Joke That Took Aim at CBS News
During her opening monologue, Glaser presented a mock award, stating: 'And the award for most editing goes to CBS News! Yes, CBS News: America's newest place to "See B.S. news."' This pointed barb referenced recent controversy surrounding CBS, which had faced significant criticism for pulling a scheduled immigration story. The report was reportedly shelved just hours before its planned airtime, with sources suggesting it cast the current US administration in an unfavourable light.
The audacity of the joke was amplified by the fact that Glaser was criticising CBS on its own airwaves, during a live broadcast it was producing. It was a moment of meta-critique that immediately captured attention on social media and within industry circles.
Producers Reveal the Greenlight Process
In an exclusive interview with Variety, Golden Globes executive producers Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss detailed the behind-the-scenes approval process for the joke. Kirshner recounted being seated next to a senior CBS executive during the final rehearsal when Glaser first delivered the line.
'Glenn had heard that joke in clubs throughout the week, and we hadn't heard it all week until rehearsal day,' Kirshner shared. 'She did it, I was sitting with the CBS exec, and I looked over at her, and she texted a few people, and said, "Yeah, it's OK. It's fine."'
Weiss elaborated on the comedic philosophy behind allowing such material, emphasising the monologue's balanced tone. 'Everything in the monologue, why she nails this so well is, we're poking fun at everything in the industry, including ourselves. It's just been fun,' he said.
Kirshner also noted that Glaser had strategically disarmed the audience earlier. 'I think when you start off by doing a self-deprecating joke about your own plastic surgery, you set the tone of, "I'm not here to really harm people."' This approach, he suggested, created a permission structure for the sharper industry satire that followed.
Glaser Hailed as 'Perfect Host' for Future Ceremonies
The producers' admiration for Glaser extended far beyond this single joke. Both Kirshner and Weiss expressed a strong desire to see her return as host for the 2027 ceremony, heaping praise on her professionalism and talent.
Weiss described the comic as 'a perfect host' for the event and stated he believed she had 'truly found her place here.' He highlighted her exceptional work ethic, saying, 'She is one of the hardest working people I've met in this industry. She really cares about what she's doing.'
He detailed her meticulous preparation, noting that 'She goes out, she practices sets, things changed right up till when we went on the air from our first rehearsal to the last.' This adaptability and commitment, Weiss argued, made her ideally suited for the high-pressure live hosting role.
Prior to the broadcast, Glaser had signalled her no-holds-barred approach in an interview with People magazine. 'Everyone is fair game. I really feel that way,' she declared, acknowledging only minimal limits. Her philosophy was simple: 'If the person that I'm doing the joke to laughs, I think that's a reason enough for me to do it.'
The successful integration of a pointed, timely critique into the opening monologue of a major awards show, with the tacit approval of its target, underscores a shifting dynamic in televised entertainment. It highlights a willingness to embrace self-referential humour and industry critique, provided it is delivered with the skill and strategic tone Glaser demonstrated.
