Nikki Glaser Reveals Unused Golden Globes Jokes About Trump And ICE

Comedian Nikki Glaser recently returned to the Golden Globes stage for her second consecutive year as host. Following the ceremony, she appeared on ‘The Howard Stern Show’ to discuss the high-pressure gig and the material that did not make the final cut. The comedian offered listeners a fascinating look behind the scenes of the writing process for the 2026 broadcast. She detailed exactly which punchlines were removed and the specific reasons why they were deemed unsuitable for the live telecast.

A major topic of discussion was her decision regarding jokes about Donald Trump. Glaser told Stern that she mostly refused to say the former president’s name because she wanted to give the subject some space during the event. Despite this general rule, she did consider one specific quip that was actually written by comedy icon Steve Martin. The joke would have referred to the event’s location as the ‘Trump Beverly Hilton’ in a nod to his tendency to rename buildings after himself. Ultimately, the writing team decided to nix the line before the show aired to avoid the political tension.

Another political joke that was scrapped involved the government agency ICE. Glaser explained that the bit started with a fake announcement that the venue’s bar had run out of frozen water cubes. The punchline would have pivoted to her saying that the room did not really need ICE and that she personally hated it. She felt the play on words was perhaps too trivial for the tone she wanted to set. It was one of several lines that she felt did not hit hard enough to stay in the monologue.

Hollywood stars were also the subject of several roasts that audiences never got to hear. Glaser recited a joke about Brad Pitt and his performance in the racing movie ‘F1’ that commented on age differences in the industry. She noted that while men over sixty get to play racecar drivers, women over thirty-five are often relegated to playing tired mothers. The punchline for Pitt was that he drove well but left his blinker on the whole time. This joke highlighted her signature style of blending social commentary with direct roasting.

The comedian admitted she was particularly nervous about joking regarding Sean Penn. She had prepared a line suggesting the actor was nominated for ‘best neck veins’ rather than his acting performance. Another unused absurdist joke claimed that ‘Hacks’ actress Jean Smart was born with the name ‘Corderoy Dumbass’. Glaser also mentioned a bizarre bit about actress Chase Infiniti that claimed she offered cash back on travel bookings. While these jokes caused laughter in the writer’s room, Glaser prioritized material that felt right for the room on the big night.

Please share your thoughts on these cut jokes and whether you think they should have made the air in the comments.