Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser and stars allude to outside world, but stay focused on awards

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It feels like award season is starting all over again. The Golden Globes, one of the less important televised Hollywood award shows (this was the 86th ceremony!), gave out a bunch of awards Sunday night from a ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. You could watch it live on CBS or stream it on Paramount+.

The Golden Globes kick off the awards season and are often seen as an indicator of how the Oscars will go. While most people won’t remember the winners unless they’re mentioned in connection with the award, the Globes still matter to those who receive them, and I don’t want to diminish that. Everyone nominated deserves recognition – this isn’t like some awards shows from the past where the choices felt questionable.

Awards shows create a carefully crafted world of old Hollywood charm and appreciation. They showcase celebrities looking their best, and for a brief moment, that’s what they deliver. This year’s show felt particularly heartwarming and genuine, making the stars seem like genuinely nice people. The big question, as always, was whether the show would acknowledge the serious issues happening outside of the event. Last year, things felt uncertain; now, the situation feels much more dire.

Awards

Here’s a rundown of the awards show, including highlights from Nikki Glaser’s comedy and a look at the major winners like “One Battle After Another,” “Adolescence,” and the unexpected victory of “Hamnet.”

When asked about difficult times, many celebrities simply called for more love and unity. Jean Smart, known for her success with “Hacks,” explained, “I’ve already said what I needed to say. I believe everyone knows deep down what’s right, so we should all just do it.”

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Photos from the Golden Globes: 1) Judd Apatow presented the award for Best Director. (Kevork Djansezian / CBS) 2) Jean Smart accepted the award for Best Actress in a Television Series. (Kevork Djansezian / CBS)

During a humorous and self-deprecating introduction of the directing award, Judd Apatow jokingly mentioned he hadn’t attended the Golden Globes for ten years, claiming it started when his film ‘Trainwreck’ lost to Ridley Scott’s ‘The Martian.’ He then added, with a touch of exaggeration, “I think we’re living under a dictatorship now, especially after COVID.” Several attendees wore “Be Good” buttons to show support for Renée Nicole Good, who was shot in the face by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

Okay, so everyone always talks about the Golden Globes being this crazy, over-the-top party. And yeah, the hosts, Kevin Frazier and Marc Malkin, were really chatty, filling every walk to the stage with gossip. Honestly, they even threw in a few too many references that made it feel like they were trying too hard to make it seem wild. But surprisingly, the whole show was actually pretty tame and well-behaved overall. It wasn’t the chaotic night I was expecting!

Entertainment & Arts

Nikki Glaser will host the 2026 Golden Globe Awards this Sunday. Here’s a complete rundown of who won.

Nikki Glaser returned as the solo host of the Golden Globes, a first for a woman, and delivered a strong performance once again. Her opening monologue was particularly well-received, resembling a playful roast without being mean-spirited. She started with timely jokes about current events – playfully awarding the Justice Department and CBS News with editing awards – before turning her attention to the celebrities in the audience.

She playfully asked George Clooney for help with her coffee machine, a nod to his Nespresso commercials. She made witty observations about the celebrities present, comparing Sean Penn to a stylish handbag and jokingly noting Timothée Chalamet had to get in shape for a movie about ping pong. She even teased Kevin Hart about his height, but always balanced the jokes with genuine affection, telling them things like “You’re the best” and “I love you,” in the style of a classic roast. Later in the show, her appearances—including a pre-recorded sketch with Marc Maron and a musical performance—didn’t have the same impact. She even jokingly predicted the musical number would “go so viral,” clearly meaning the opposite.

The Golden Globes are always a long show, and this year was no different. It largely consisted of presenters handing out a lot of awards, skipping the usual musical numbers and memorial segment. The scripted jokes weren’t particularly funny, suggesting the presenters were much more entertaining off-stage. However, it was nice that winners weren’t rushed off stage with music. Paul Thomas Anderson seemed genuinely touched accepting his awards for “One Battle After Another,” almost cradling the trophies, and Rhea Seehorn’s joy after winning for “Pluribus” was heartwarming – a far cry from the character she plays.

Honestly, it was amazing to see Seth Rogen up on stage twice at the Golden Globes! It’s so funny, he actually played a character obsessed with the Globes in one of his shows, and now he was winning awards! I especially loved that he used his moment to shout out all the incredible people who work behind the scenes – the ones who usually don’t get any recognition. He really called out how unfair that system is. And Julia Roberts presenting? That was pure Hollywood magic! The standing ovation was huge, and her line about being ‘impossible for a week’ was perfectly on brand. We just adore our movie stars, don’t we?

A special shout-out to Glaser for a lovely tribute to Rob Reiner! She ended the show wearing a “Spinal Tap” cap and jokingly said, “This one went to 11,” referencing the movie and the show running long. She also hoped they’d struck the right balance between being witty and silly—a challenge all awards shows face, and often fail to meet.

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2026-01-12 10:01