Nikki Glaser jokes about 'so many A-listers' in Epstein files during Golden Globes monologue

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards held on Sunday, January 11, comedian Nikki Glaser delivered a bold opening monologue that quickly set the tone for the evening.

Hosting the Golden Globes for the second consecutive year, Glaser leaned into sharp, biting humor aimed at Hollywood power players, major media companies, and the long-debated Epstein files. Her jokes landed squarely on some of the most controversial topics circulating in the entertainment industry, drawing both laughter and audible gasps from the room.

Nikki Glaser targets Epstein files in Golden Globes monologue

Glaser opened her set by poking fun at the ongoing speculation surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery, joking about the studio’s valuation. “We’ll start the bidding for Warner Bros. at $5. Do I hear $5?” she quipped.

Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos were both present in the audience as the joke landed. Glaser followed it with a jab at Los Angeles itself, describing the city as “the heart of Los Angeles, where no TV or film has been made for the past six years.”

She then shifted toward recent media controversies involving CBS News. Ahead of Skydance’s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount, “60 Minutes,” which airs on Paramount-owned CBS, had agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump for $16 million. The settlement, along with the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief, had sparked criticism aimed at CBS News’ editorial direction.

Glaser worked those headlines into her routine before turning to one of the night’s most pointed moments. Referencing the Epstein files, she joked that the room was filled with “so many A-listers, and by A-listers, I do mean people who are on a list that has been heavily redacted.”

She followed that line by awarding the Golden Globe for Best Editing to the Justice Department, drawing laughter by alluding to the extensive redactions in the released documents. In another swipe, Glaser mocked CBS News by giving the network an award for Most Editing, calling it “America’s newest place to see b.s. news.”

Nikki Glaser roasts Michael B Jordan in monologue

Glaser also turned her attention to Michael B Jordan, praising his dual role in 'Sinners' before making a risqué joke about her reaction to his performance. She quickly apologized when she noticed Jordan’s mother sitting in the audience, blending shock humor with self-awareness.