Nikki Glaser Says Political Jokes Bring ‘Real Fear’ of Death Threats and Detainment Post Golden Globes Fame

Comedian Nikki Glaser shared that she now hesitates before making political jokes, fearing death threats or even detention. Read on for more details.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Mar 24, 2025 | 08:18 AM GMT | 10.7K

Nikki Glaser (via Getty Images)

Comedian Nikki Glaser shared her concerns about performing political jokes, saying she now considers the possibility of receiving death threats or even being detained.

Speaking at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor event, Glaser said, “Like, you just are scared that you’re gonna get doxxed and death threats or who knows where this leads, like, detained. Honestly, that’s not even like a joke. It’s like a real fear.”

She added that while she still performs comedy, she now carefully considers making political jokes, especially about former President Donald Trump, as per Deadline. She acknowledged that it was unfortunate but admitted that she sometimes worries about it.

Nikki Glaser shares that she hopes that comedians would not face serious consequences for their jokes, adding, “I hope they all know I can be up on the gallows and say I was just joking. I’m a comedian. I hope that that’s a defense.”

The Mark Twain Prize ceremony, held at the Kennedy Center, was one of the first major events since Trump took control of the institution.

Trump recently fired board members appointed by President Joe Biden, removed the Kennedy Center president, and made himself chairman. His changes sparked speculation about how future honorees would be chosen, given that many comedians have openly criticized him.

This year’s recipient, Conan O’Brien, was chosen before the leadership changes. He stated that he had no control over what his fellow comedians would say at the event, mentioning that he had no say in their actions.

Several comedians took the stage and made jokes about Trump’s influence over the Kennedy Center. Stephen Colbert joked that the venue had changed significantly, sarcastically claiming that two new board members had been announced, Bashar al-Assad and Skeletor. John Mulaney added that the Kennedy Center might soon be renamed the Roy Cohn Pavilion for big, strong men.

There were also jokes about O’Brien’s appearance, career, and his long-standing rivalry with Jay Leno. Some comedians even joked that this might be the final Mark Twain Prize event due to the political climate.