Nikki Glaseris known for her fearlessly blunt stand-up comedy. But thereturning Golden Globes hostwill have to hit a very different note when paying tribute to Rob Reiner at theJan. 11 show.
Thetragic murder of the beloved filmmakerand his wife,Michele, on Dec. 14 sent shock waves around the world and remains foremost on Hollywood hearts and minds as awards season begins.Nick Reiner,the couple's son, has been charged in their deaths andappeared in courtfor a second time on Jan. 7.
Addressing the loss is even more "delicate" since Globes doesn't have an in memoriam, Glaser tells USA TODAY.
"So there's not a whole section set aside to honor everyone we've lost," says Glaser. "But I have something planned that I'm going to do in my own way to just acknowledge (Reiner) and celebrate him in my own way."
Glaser says she admired the "perfect" way fellow comedianChelsea Handler honored Reinerand his producer and humanitarian wife during Critics Choice Awards last weekend.
"I knew (Reiner), but not that well," says Glaser. "I'm not going to linger on it too much because I think that's what we've been doing for the past few weeks. But obviously, I thought if something happened to me and Rob Reiner was hosting a show, given our relationship, how would I want him to handle it? I think I landed on something that I feel he would do for me, too."
Then Glaser will go on with the show (live on CBS and Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET/5 PT), sending up Hollywood and overseeing the festivities. Glaser was the show's first solo female host in 2025 and earned high marks, putting renewed energy into theonce-beleaguered awards show.
"I just did the best job that I could do," says Glazer. "I really took the job seriously. The fact that people trusted me with the show, I just didn't want to let them down."
Comedian Nikki Glaser is hosting the Golden Globes for the second year in a row. Ahead of her return, revisit her best looks, starting with a silky gown she wore on the red carpet of the first Golden Globe Awards she hosted on Jan. 5, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nikki Glaser on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre on Feb. 6, 2025, in New Orleans." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nikki Glaser is back to host Golden Globes. Revisit her best looks.
Comedian Nikki Glaser is hosting the Golden Globes for the second year in a row. Ahead of her return, revisit her best looks, starting with a silky gown she wore on the red carpet of the first Golden Globe Awards she hosted on Jan. 5, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California.
What did Chelsea Handler say about Rob Reiner at Critics Choice Awards?
Handler grew serious at the end of herCritics Choice Award monologueas she remembered the beloved director and his wife.
"Everyone in this room knows that the nicest guy in Hollywood was Rob Reiner," Handler told the crowd. "The minute you met him, he felt like an old friend. ... He would ask you a ton of questions, whether you were discussing politics, film or the latest beauty trends."
Rob Reiner speaks onstage at Collider's Directors On Directing Panel during 2025 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 24, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends SiriusXM Presents Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend Live With The Cast Of "Spinal Tap 2" at SiriusXM Studios on Sept. 4, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends the premiere of "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on Sept. 9, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left: C. J. Vanston, Harry Shearer, Valerie Franco, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Fran Drescher and Rob Reiner attend the premiere of "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on Sept. 9, 2025, in Los Angeles, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends the premiere of "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on Sept. 9, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner attend the Human Rights Campaign's 2025 LA Dinner at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on March 22, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends the Human Rights Campaign's 2025 dinner in Los Angeles on March 22, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner attend the Human Rights Campaign's 2025 LA Dinner at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on March 22, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner speaks onstage at the screening of "The American President" during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends the screening of "Misery" during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and Kathy Bates attend the screening of "Misery" during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Aaron Sorkin, Rob Reiner and TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz attend the screening of "The American President" during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jake Reiner, Romy Reiner, Rob Reiner, and Michele Reiner attend the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024, in Los Angeles, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers speak onstage during the 75th Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 2024. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner attend the 46th Kennedy Center Honors gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on Dec. 3, 2023. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Director Rob Reiner attends the photocall of "This Is Spinal Tap" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Majestic Beach on May 18, 2022, in Cannes, France. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Director Rob Reiner attends the photocall of "This Is Spinal Tap" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Majestic Beach on May 18, 2022, in Cannes, France. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Director Rob Reiner attends the photocall of "This Is Spinal Tap" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Majestic Beach on May 18, 2022, in Cannes, France. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute To Television's Comedy Legends at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on Nov. 21, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and Larry David attend the Los Angeles premiere of Neon's "The Biggest Little Farm" at the Landmark Theater on May 7, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner and Larry David attend the Los Angeles premiere of Neon's "The Biggest Little Farm" at the Landmark Theater on May 7, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rob Reiner attends the "This Is Spinal Tap" 35th anniversary during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival at the Beacon Theatre. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left: Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Rob Reiner attend the "This Is Spinal Tap" 35th anniversary during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival at the Beacon Theatre on April 27, 2019, in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Special Guests Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner attend the Hand and Footprint Ceremony: Billy Crystal at the 2019 10th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival on April 12, 2019, in Hollywood, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Special guests Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner attend the Hand and Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on April 12, 2019, in Hollywood, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Special guests Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner attend the Hand and Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on April 12, 2019, in Hollywood, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rob Reiner found dead at 78. See photos from his Hollywood career.
Rob Reiner speaks onstage at Collider's Directors On Directing Panel during 2025 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 24, 2025.
The four-time host said that when she texted Reiner after a recent meal together, "The Princess Bride" and "When Harry Met Sally ..." director responded positively to the comic's light dinner conversation.
"He wrote, 'Thanks for explaining so much about plastic surgery, it was very edifying,' " Handler said, and added that the Reiners were "tireless" in their efforts for important causes.
"It all stemmed from one basic idea: decency," she said. "I think we can all agree that we definitely need more of that value."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser to honor Rob Reiner in 'own way'
