Chelsea Handler faced backlash for a joke she told about Nicki Minaj at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, which were held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
After the singer, 43, playfully referenced the movie Sinners, the 50-year-old comedian responded with a teasing comment of his own.
Chelsea Handler joked that her show ‘Sinners’ was a huge success, but added that she hasn’t been invited to a Black person’s home since, with the exception of Nicki Minaj, though she doesn’t particularly want to visit her anyway.
As a longtime fan, I was really surprised to see Handler criticizing Nicki Minaj, especially so soon after Nicki appeared at the Turning Point USA AmericaFest event. It felt a bit off-timing, and honestly, a little unfair to see her getting heat for that appearance right after it happened.
During the political convention, the pop star shared the stage with Erika Kirk, the wife of Charlie Kirk.
Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Minaj and Handler for further comment on the story.
People who follow the Grammy-nominated singer criticized Handler on X, saying the joke had uncomfortable racial undertones.
One fan criticized Chelsea Handler, calling her an unsuccessful and attention-seeking celebrity who is being racist and using Nicki Minaj to gain popularity. They also stated that her attempts at humor are unsuccessful.
Someone else called Handler’s behavior ‘completely inappropriate,’ and noted that Minaj has previously addressed how she handles inflammatory statements made about her.
You know, I was just thinking about something Nicki said recently. She basically said she doesn’t pay attention to negativity, and honestly, that’s such great advice! It really resonated with me – a reminder not to let anyone bring you down and to always stay positive. It’s something I try to live by, and I think everyone could benefit from it.
One person commented that Handler seemed to be using her comedy to unfairly target celebrities who were already facing criticism.
The user predicted Minaj would not be granted the same understanding if she responded in kind.
I’ve seen this pattern play out so many times with female artists. Someone like Nicki, who can handle a lot, will eventually address the constant criticism, and immediately the focus shifts from the criticism to her reaction. It’s frustrating – she’ll be painted as angry, overly sensitive, or just unable to laugh things off, instead of people acknowledging the relentless negativity she was dealing with in the first place. It’s a classic double standard, honestly.
Right now, we’re seeing a Black woman unfairly criticized in public, based on false claims and assumptions about her political views. People are filling in the blanks with lies and accusations.
People in the industry and online quickly formed an opinion about why they were upset with her, even before she had a chance to explain, and now everyone feels justified in criticizing her.
One person commented that Handler’s behavior at the Hollywood event – making Minaj the target of her joke – wasn’t surprising, noting it fit a pattern of past actions.
She spoke out in support of Al Franken when he faced accusations of sexual misconduct. Later, she herself was required to attend training on sexual harassment and racial sensitivity after inappropriately touching a Black woman.
She’s now publicly criticizing Nicki Minaj and relying on harmful racial stereotypes. This demonstrates a pattern of disrespect towards Black women and a tendency to both cause and overlook harm.
Another said Handler was out of line with the racial undertones of the joke.
Someone shared a joke by Chelsea Handler and expressed strong disapproval, saying it was insensitive. They added that regardless of anyone’s political views, it’s unacceptable for a white person to target Black individuals, referencing examples like Nicki Minaj and Michelle Obama.
One user commented on Handler’s joke and the online response, saying it showed a ‘herd mentality’ and brought up Nicki Minaj because people were already heavily criticizing her. They also felt the joke itself was clearly racist and not funny.
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2026-01-05 09:18