Entertainment

The Golden Globes host talks Tom Brady, befriending Bill Belichick’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift & more.

By Lauren Daley

February 21, 2025 | 9:10 AM

9 minutes to read

Nikki Glaser has finally arrived at the cool kids’ table.

I reach Glaser, 40, at home in St. Louis, just before she leaves for a marathon three-night, six-show run at Boston’s Boch Center Wang Theatre on her “Alive and Unwell” tour, Feb. 21-23.

She’s done so much the last 10 months, I don’t know where to begin:

At Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady” in May, she delivered arguably the best work-safe burn: “Tom also lost $30 million in crypto … Even Gronk was like, ‘Me know that not real money.’”

She earned both Emmy and Grammy nods for her 2024 HBO special “Someday You’ll Die.” At the Grammys earlier this month, she and Heiki Klum tore off Benson Boone’s clothes before he ran on stage to start flipping.

She kicked off ’25 by becoming the first woman to host the Golden Globes solo. Nailed it. Glaser managed to pump lifeblood into an often tired, cookie-cutter role, creating a full-on comedy show.

She then roasted football and Snoop Dogg at the 2025 NFL Honors before hopping a private jet with Jon Hamm and Shaboozey to watch the Super Bowl with Bill Belichick and befriend his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. (More on that below.)

“It’s unreal,” she tells me of the Boston run. “I think the last time I did Boston, it was a smaller theater, and it was just two shows. So this is a pretty tangible example of how my life has changed in the past year. It’s awesome. I finally got a seat at the popular table. I’m completely blown away. I’ve somehow found myself at the cool party. I never want it to feel normal.”

I called to talk Gronk, Brady, Taylor Swift, Shaboozey, Belichick, Klum, Taylor Swift, Sarah Silverman, mental health and more.

Boston.com: I feel you’re everywhere recently. This is your year.

Nikki Glaser: I’ve been promised that it was going to be my year for seven years. I feel like it happened at the right time. Any sooner, I wouldn’t have been ready. I’m so excited to be at the popular table finally.

You nailed the assignment at the Golden Globes. Are you going to host next year?

I haven’t heard anything, but I keep reading headlines and getting Google alerts that I’m signed on a three-year deal. [laughs] I think it’s probably a sure thing because it’s a gig not a lot of people want — they’re kind of scared of it— and it’s a gig I absolutely loved. I’d be mystified if I didn’t do it again.

What was your favorite joke?

Probably the Glen Powell joke [“Glen Powell, what a year you’ve had … you were in everything … ‘Twisters,’ ‘Hitman,’ my head when I’m having sex with my boyfriend.”] I warned him on the red carpet, “Hey, I have a joke about you, but don’t worry. It’s not gonna ruin your life.” 

I like being able to warn, because when I watched it after, I could see the fear in everyone’s eyes. They thought I was going for blood. I think they understand now that I know the line. It’s like when you play with your dog and think “Wow, this dog could rip my face off if it wanted to, but it doesn’t.” They know I’m their dog now — I’m not gonna hurt. They might have a little indent from my teeth, but I won’t break the skin. 

That’s a good way to put it. What was your favorite joke that got cut?

It was just a really weird joke: “Harrison Ford is here — to show us a cool rock he found.”

[laughs] 

We laughed in the writers’ room. But I’d test it around town, and people were just confused: “What does it even mean?” I don’t know. It just seems like he’s a guy who would say, “Hey look at this pebble I found.”

[laughs] It feels so accurate.

We cut it because we didn’t want everyone to be confused. We were like, “Should we tell him, so he could pull a rock out of his jacket?” Maybe next year.

You just watched the Super Bowl with Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. 

I was in the same box; they were a couple rows behind me. I love anyone who’s in the line-of-fire and has a sense of humor about it.  I’d had my own judgments for sure, but we struck up a conversation and talked throughout the whole first half. I got to know her, and really like her. I love when I think I have someone pegged, and they’re completely different.

I’m excited to be a Jordon Hudson truther: She’s a really cool, smart girl who’s not being taken advantage of or taking advantage of anyone. Their relationship is hilarious, and I’ll probably always make jokes about it because I think she has a sense of humor about it. But I was able to get to know her. She’s now one of my friends. 

You must’ve met Belichick at the Brady roast. Did you talk at the Super Bowl?

I shook his hand briefly. I don’t think he has time for someone like me. [laughs] I’m sure he’s like, “I don’t need to talk to this woman.”  But I hope that through my friendship with Jordon, I get to know him more. I respect him, and also fear him in many ways.

[laughs] It was great to see another side of him at the Brady roast. We’re so used to the cut-off sweatshirt, folded arms, scowl. But he was smiling, laughing; his delivery was great.

I’m a legit fan. At the NFL Honors, he did a bit with Deion Sanders, and was really funny. He has great timing. I love seeing guys who you think are one way have a great sense of humor. 

At the Brady roast, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski were so nervous backstage. Rob said he felt more nervous than before the Super Bowl. But they nailed it. I was so proud of them.

What were your favorite Brady jokes?

My favorite moment was when Rob told a joke, and then afterwards goes, “I wrote that!” He was so cute. [laughs] 

[laughs] He was so proud.

I know that feeling as a comedian, when a joke you wrote gets a laugh — that is such an exciting moment.

And I was impressed by Tom’s performance, because it’s hard to do well at the end of a long night – every joke has been told, the audience is tired. For him to get that response, you could only imagine what it would’ve done early on. He Tom Brady-ed it.

What was a favorite joke you delivered?

Gronk saying “Me know that not real money.” That was a fun two-fer. I got to give Tom some crap for crypto and roast Gronk. Then Gronk nailed it by looking confused. 

Did he know it was coming, to play into it?

No.

Wow.

Yeah, so much of what happened at that roast was just perfect timing. And people don’t realize how much someone’s reaction will sell or ruin a joke. Gronk looking like the character I’d just described was so perfect. That was written in the 11th hour and it’s now the one people scream to me on the street.  

Brady referenced the roast in his Super Bowl ad.

I know! We need more of that: These multi-millionaire guys who are the epitome of cool masculinity, to have a sense of humor about themselves. He really put himself out there with the roast. I don’t think he really knew — I mean, it was really risky. So to bring it up again.  I thought it was maybe something he regretted, so I really admired him talking about it in the commercial. He could’ve cut that line easily. But that’s why he’s the GOAT. 

At the Grammys, you and Heidi Klum had a bit, ripping off Benson Boone’s clothes. How did that come together?

So I wanted them to ask me to present. They didn’t. But they said, “Would you like to be a part of Benson Boone’s performance?” It was a consolation prize, which ultimately was better than presenting because I didn’t have to write anything. 

I believe the ask came from him. Benson Boone, this 22-year-old Mormon kid thought it would be funny for two cougars to rip off his tux. And he was right. That was one of the best moments of my career.

I still think of Klum’s worm costume. Did she invite you to her Halloween party?

Yes! I straight-up asked if I could go. She said, “Oh my gosh, of course. I won’t even know you’re there, because everyone’s so dressed up.” So much of my career has come from just asking. People are afraid to ask.

True. You’re also a big Swiftie. You were upset that people booed her at the Super Bowl. You gave some context — the crowd was booing anyone associated with Chiefs on the Jumbotron. 

Right. But also, I think people can’t stand someone being on top for too long: “We’re sick of this girl killing it so hard.” I was embarrassed to be part of the crowd. I was trying to scream over them in support of her. I was doing, like, a high-pitched squeal to offset the boo. 

[laughs] Nice.

I wish they wouldn’t have left the camera on her as long — that was kind of cruel and unnecessary.

You’ve said your life might’ve been different with someone like Swift around when you were growing up. She’s talked about her eating disorder. You’ve talked about your eating disorder, OCD, depression and anxiety. That’s important for kids to hear. Our generation grew up with celebrities and models who didn’t talk about mental health, or show us photos with no makeup.

Once you’re famous and you’re spending hours in hair and makeup with a team of people, it is your responsibility to keep it real, and also reveal the truth behind what you struggle with. 

Part of my eating disorder came from wanting to be someone famous — I wasn’t thinking about photoshop. I was thinking: “They eat less than me.” So it’s imperative for me to be an open book for a little Nikki Glaser out there in high school. 

We have so much fake hair, fake eyelashes, spray tans, stylists. When people tell me I look beautiful—  it is not me. I’m standing like Cinderella getting dressed by a bunch of little woodland creatures. I have nothing to do with it. I don’t pick out the dress, I don’t pick out the hair. I pull back that curtain, because I wish someone had done it for me.

You’re so candid on stage— is there anywhere you wouldn’t go?

At this point, it’s coming from a place of wanting to help people. Whatever I talk about is usually something shameful about me. Like when  I talk about my jealousy of younger women and say I wish that they’d all go missing or get kidnapped.

[laughs] Right. 

Where’s this coming from? My insecurity about aging. So let’s talk about that. Some material might suggest I’m out for blood, but I’m just trying to tell the truth. It’s not the young girls’ fault.

Sarah Silverman is from this area. She was a big influence on you.

Huge. I wouldn’t be doing comedy if it wasn’t for Sarah Silverman. She was the first person I saw who was both adorable and telling the truth and seemed like someone both men and women could enjoy. My dad loved her, my mom loved her — I’m desperate to be liked. 

Sarah Silverman is cute, but has a sharp tongue. She’s smart, but also joking about pee-pee and poo-poo. I love that dichotomy. Suddenly I saw someone who had the same kind of talent-basket that I did.  She’s always been a beacon for me.

What was it like sharing a jet with Jon Hamm and Shaboozey after the NFL Honors?

Those are the kind of moments where you’re like: Who am I? Is everyone okay with this? I was always on the outskirts looking in. Finally, I’ve somehow found myself at the cool party. I’m never used to it. I’m always like, “I can’t believe I’m on a plane with Jon Hamm and Shaboozey.” I’m  biting my tongue to stop from singing “Tipsy.”  

Nikki Glaser appears at the Wang Theatre Friday-Sunday, Feb. 21-23, at 7 & 9:30 p.m. each night. Interview has been edited and condensed.

Lauren Daley is a freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected]. She tweets @laurendaley1, and Instagrams at @laurendaley1. Read more stories on Facebook here.

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