The Golden Globes Celebrity Hosts Over the Years
The Golden Globes might still be a few months away, but we officially have a host for the 2025 show!
Every year, not only does the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) recognize excellence in film and television by choosing who wins which award, but they also choose the perfect host for the Golden Globes. Choosing a host, though, is a bit wackier than many would think.
Despite being an awards show staple while on the road to the Oscars, there’s a lot about the Golden Globes that people don’t know. Like, despite being around since 1944, there weren’t official hosts until 1995?! Seriously, for over 50 years, there wasn’t a host for the prestigious awards. It’s hard to imagine, to be quite frank, now that hosts are a staple in nearly every award show like this.
In recent years, the Globes have done their best to offer up vibrant, interesting hosts and, honestly, it’s been a mixed bag. This year, first-time host Jo Koy took the stage for the 81st Golden Globe Awards and proved that hosting is a delicate craft. You have to be funny and not offensive, cunning yet not too graphic, etc. After a full night of mixed-received jokes, Koy got blasted with backlash on social media.
For the next year, however, comedian Nikki Glaser, who was just announced as the next host, is providing us all with some hope. After all, who wouldn’t want a funny lady like that in charge?
So, in honor of the recent announcement, take a look at all the celebrities who have hosted the Golden Globe Awards over the years. From stand-up comedians to unexpected acting duos, the HFPA picks some very surprising hosts – check out them all out below!
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2025: Nikki Glaser
Nikki Glaser was just announced as the host for the 2025 Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2025.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be hosting the Golden Globes,” Glaser said in a press release. “It’s one of my favorite nights of television and now I get a front-row seat (actually, I think I have to host from the stage). The Golden Globes is not only a huge night for TV and film but also for comedy. It’s one of the few times that show business not only allows but encourages itself to be lovingly mocked (at least I hope so). (God I hope so). It’s an exciting, yet challenging gig because it’s live, unpredictable, and in front of Hollywood’s biggest stars (who also might be getting wasted while seated next to their recent exes).”
“Some of my favorite jokes of all time have come from past Golden Globes opening monologues when Tina [Fey], Amy [Poehler], or Ricky [Gervais] have said exactly what we all didn’t know we desperately needed to hear,” she continued. “I just hope to continue in that time-honored tradition (that might also get me canceled).”
“This is truly a dream job,” she said at the end. “Plus, I no longer have to feel guilty for every TV show and movie I’ve binged over the past year. It was all worth it. (Below Deck: Sailing Yacht Season Four will be nominated, right?).”
2024: Jo Koy
Comedian Jo Koy hosted the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, which took place on January 7.
“I’ve stepped onto a lot of stages around the world in my career, but this one is going to be extra special,” Koy said in a statement at the time. “I’m so excited to be hosting the Golden Globes this year. This is that moment where I get to make my Filipino family proud. Mahal Kita (Google it)!”
Unfortunately, however, Koy got some backlash after the event for making inappropriate jokes about his writing team and a sexist joke about “Barbenheimer.” “Oppenheimer is based on the 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project — and Barbie is about a plastic doll with big boobies,” he said. Safe to say the jokes didn’t fully land.
2023: Jerrod Carmichael
For the 2023 Golden Globes, stand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael hosted and addressed the elephant in the room head-on.
“I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here because I’m Black,” the comedian said, per Vulture. “The Golden Globe Awards did not air last year, because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association — which, I won’t say they were a racist organization, but they didn’t have a single Black member until George Floyd died.”
He then joked that taking the job also meant he became almost untouchable. “They haven’t had a Black host in 79 years,” he said. “They’re going to fire the first one? I’m unfireable.”
2021: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
While the world was shut down, and everything was dreary and virtual, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler came back to host the 2021 Golden Globes.
Fey and Poehler surprisingly hosted in two different cities, New York City and Los Angeles. “Now, Tina and I are hosting from two different cities tonight but the technology is so great you’ll never be able to tell a difference,” Poehler said in the monologue. In fact, with perfect comedic timing like theirs, we didn’t even mind!
2020: Ricky Gervais
One of the most controversial hosting gigs at the Golden Globes to date was when Ricky Gervais came back for the 2020 ceremony. He decided he was done hosting, and wanted to tell Hollywood off. “Let’s have a laugh — at your expense,” he said.
Arguably the most controversial joke was when he made a joke about Jeffrey Epstein. While talking about his show AfterLife, he said his character, “in the end, he didn’t kill himself. Just like Jeffrey Epstein. Sorry, I know he’s your friend.”
2019: Andy Samberg & Sandra Oh
Probably one of the best, and most unexpected hosting duos of all time was in 2019 when Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh hosted together for the Golden Globes.
While Samberg packed on the punchlines, Oh shared a sweet moment with the audience during the audience.
“If I could take a moment here in all honesty,” Oh said after Samberg referred to many of the nominees like Crazy Rich Asians, BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, and Pose, per Entertainment Weekly. “I said ‘yes’ to the fear of being on this stage tonight because I wanted to be here to look out to this audience and witness this moment of change. And I’m not fooling myself, next year could be different — it probably will be — but right now this moment is real.”
“Trust me, it is real because I see you and I see you, all these faces of change — and now so will everyone else,” she continued.
2018: Seth Meyers
It seems hiring late night show hosts works for them, so in 2018, Seth Meyers was set as the Golden Globes host. However, many were disappointed at how little screentime he had due to the overwhelming number of tributes, but the 2018 ceremony was one to remember!
2017: Jimmy Fallon
However, in 2017, they shook things up by bringing on Jimmy Fallon to host. Things almost went awry when the teleprompter failed during his opening monologue, but he handled it like a pro and made everyone cackle.
2016: Ricky Gervais
Ricky’s back, back again! That’s right, they brought Ricky Gervais back to host in 2016.
2015: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Yet again, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the Golden Globes in 2015. One of the best jokes of their monologue was when they called out how Amal Clooney is only referred to as “George Clooney’s wife.”
“She’s a human rights lawyer who worked on the Enron case, an advisor to Kofi Annan on Syria and was appointed to a three-person commission investigating rules-of-war violations in the Gaza Strip. So, tonight her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award,” they said in sync, with roaring applause following after.
2014: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Our favorite comedians returned! Tina Fey and Amy Poehler killed it as hosts of the 2014 Golden Globes.
2013: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Gervais retired from his hosting abilities in 2013, just in time for comedic duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to start their three-year run in 2013. Of course, they killed it.
“Ricky Gervais could not be here tonight because he is no longer technically in show business,” Fey said at the beginning of their monologue. Poehler added her bit, highlighting Gervais’ controversial nature. “We wanna assure you we have no intention of being edgy or offensive tonight because as Ricky learned the hard way—when you run afoul the Hollywood Foreign Press, they make you host this show two more times.”
2012: Ricky Gervais
Once again, Ricky Gervais was the host, and yet again made headlines for his controversial monologue, specifically the joke about Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster‘s sexuality.
2011: Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais returned for the second time to host the 2011 Golden Globes, serving a scathing and super controversial four-minute monologue that included jabs at Sex and the City 2, Cher, Johnny Depp, and more.
2010: Ricky Gervais
A big jump, we know, but 2010 was the next year there was a host. 2010 was a big year for both Ricky Gervais and the Golden Globes. Not only was 2010 the first time the Golden Globes were televised, but it was also Gervais’ first time as a host. His time as the host is still seen as one of the most ruthless hosting stints ever.
“Just looking at all the faces here reminds me of some of the great work that’s been done this year … by cosmetic surgeons,” he said during his monologues. “You all look great.”
1995: John Larroquette & Janine Turner
1995 was the first year there were official hosts to the Golden Globes, and they decided to bring in actors John Larroquette and Janine Turner.
