Hollywood’s Golden Globes stage is suddenly treating Donald Trump like a forbidden word, just as his second-term policies are reshaping the country far beyond the red carpet.
Story Snapshot
- Nikki Glaser is returning as Golden Globes host but has vowed not to mention Trump or touch overt politics in her 2026 monologue.
- The Globes have long used presidents and partisan jokes for viral moments, making this deliberate “no-Trump” stance a major break from recent tradition.
- Glaser says she is softening “mean” material, shelving topics like Ozempic and plastic surgery and even avoiding jokes about specific stars.
- This shift reflects an awards industry focused on image management and celebrity comfort while everyday Americans endure real political consequences.
Hollywood’s New Rule: Trump Off-Limits, Feelings First
Nikki Glaser, a comic who made her name delivering ruthless roast jokes, is now announcing that Trump and hot-button politics are off the table when she hosts the 2026 Golden Globes. In interviews leading up to the show, she has said she will not mention the former president and will steer clear of overt political material in her monologue. That decision comes even though Trump has been a central figure in awards-show comedy for nearly a decade.
Glaser is not just dropping Trump punchlines; she is also pulling back on the edgier parts of her own act. After getting big attention in 2025 with jokes about Ozempic and Hollywood’s fixation on weight-loss drugs, she now says that subject is played out and off-limits. She has likewise backed away from plastic-surgery and appearance material, arguing that those jokes risk turning into body shaming in a culture where cosmetic work is nearly universal in her audience.
From Roast Comic to Carefully Managed Host
The pivot is striking because Glaser’s rise came from the opposite direction. She built her reputation in brutal Comedy Central roasts and then exploded after her performance at Netflix’s “Roast of Tom Brady,” where no topic was too sensitive. That razor-sharp persona helped land her the Globes job in 2025, making her the first solo female host. Yet as a returning emcee, she now speaks about the Globes as a kind of covert mission that requires diplomacy as much as humor.
Behind the scenes, Glaser and her writers are vetting jokes with almost political precision. She has said that some celebrities are essentially off-limits because audiences refuse to see them mocked. Jokes about Julia Roberts, for example, reportedly bombed in club testing, persuading her that “America’s sweetheart” cannot be a punchline on live television. Other potential targets, like Timothée Chalamet’s mustache or Jeremy Strong’s serious persona, are weighed and often dropped if they feel too harsh for a glitzy industry celebration.
Steve Martin’s Pulled Punch and the End of Trump-as-Default Target
One of the clearest signs of the new caution came from an unexpected source: Steve Martin. The legendary comedian sent Glaser a political joke for her 2026 monologue, only to quickly advise her not to use it because it went “too far.” Glaser has said she agreed and cut it, treating that feedback as confirmation that the Globes should avoid incendiary political material altogether this year. In a room packed with media and studio power players, nobody wants to be the next viral outrage clip.
For years, award-show producers leaned into Trump jokes precisely because they guaranteed headlines and internet traffic the next morning. Hosts like Ricky Gervais, Seth Meyers, and others regularly worked the former president into their monologues, often triggering angry social media responses that only boosted the shows’ visibility. Glaser’s “no-Trump” pledge signals that some in the industry now see that approach as more trouble than it is worth, preferring safer, self-referential Hollywood humor over sharp political commentary.
What This Says About Hollywood’s Priorities in Trump’s Second Term
Glaser’s decision to sidestep Trump and heavy politics comes at the same time his second administration is driving major, polarizing policy changes on immigration, the border, and federal power. While working families worry about enforcement sweeps, economic uncertainty, and Washington’s spending fights, one of the biggest stages in entertainment is trying to create a politics-free bubble for wealthy celebrities. That contrast will not be lost on viewers who see Hollywood lecturing them in one season and suddenly declaring politics off-limits the next.
For conservative audiences, there is a mixed message here. On one hand, fewer one-sided attacks on Trump during award shows may feel like a welcome break from years of smug monologues. On the other, the same industry that relentlessly politicized everything when it hurt conservatives now wants to retreat to “no-politics” safety as Trump’s policies reshape the country again. Glaser’s new stance captures that shift perfectly: real political battles rage in Washington, but in Hollywood, the priority is keeping elites comfortable and controversy away from the cameras.
Sources:
Nikki Glaser rules out controversial Golden Globes jokes including Ozempic and plastic surgery
Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser names the one Hollywood star you cannot make fun of
Steve Martin pitched political Golden Globes gag for Nikki Glaser that went ‘too far’
Steve Martin Sent Nikki Glaser a Political Joke That Went ‘Too Far’
