Who is Nikki Glaser, the comedian who just roasted Tom Brady? She’s also made fun of Bruce Willis, Robert De Niro, Martha Stewart and Alec Baldwin – and has a new HBO special out

May 29 , 2024

Comedian Nikki Glaser (pictured) killed it at the Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady on May 5, in California, having previously roasted Bruce Willis, Robert De Niro, Martha Stewart and Alec Baldwin. Photo: AP Photo

After her stand-out performance roasting former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, all eyes have been squarely on comedian Nikki Glaser. The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady aired on May 5. Around two weeks later, on the Pivot Podcast, Brady confessed that he enjoyed the jokes about his life, but was hurt by those targeting his family.

Glaser soon responded on Today with Hoda and Jenna, saying she understood Brady’s concerns, but believed he knew what he was getting into.

But that’s not all the 39-year-old comedian had to say about the roast. According to Deadline, Glaser – who received a standing ovation for her set on the Netflix special – said that Ben Affleck bombed on stage. On Barstool Sports’ podcast KFC Radio, Glaser said, “I haven’t watched it again because I don’t like to watch people bomb. I know what happened: he didn’t prepare.”

So just who is Nikki Glaser, and how did she become an icon in the comedy world? Here’s everything we know about her.

Nikki Glaser’s career started in Kansas City

Nikki Glaser in a post shared with her followers in January. Photo: @nikkiglaser/Instagram

The Missouri native launched her comedy career at a Kansas City club while attending the University of Kansas. In an interview with KCUR, she shared that she drove into Kansas City nightly to perform at the now-closed Stanford’s Comedy Club while attending university.

Nikki Glaser is the host of FBoy Island

Since July 2021, Glaser has been the host of HBO Max’s FBoy Island, a reality TV show in which three women on a tropical island try to find love among 24 men, half of whom are “nice guys” looking for a serious relationship, with the other half identify as “fboys” – or, well, womanisers.

Nikki Glaser was on Dancing with the Stars

Nikki Glaser in an April post promoting her upcoming live shows. Photo: @nikkiglaser/Instagram

The comedian first caught America’s eye on the 27th season of Dancing with the Stars in late 2018, but her dancing skills fell short. Paired with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko, Glaser was eliminated in the first week.

“Getting voted off that show was truly one of the worst moments of my entire life. I took it so seriously,” she said as a guest on Lights Out with David Spade in August 2019.

Nikki Glaser has been on many Comedy Central Roasts

The Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin aired in September 2019. Photo: Getty Images

Glaser has become a staple on Comedy Central Roasts, never shying away from making fun of top film industry icons like Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Bruce Willis, Martha Stewart and, most recently, Tom Brady.

Nikki Glaser doesn’t want to have biological children

Nikki Glaser in a post from November 2023. Photo: @nikkiglaser/Instagram

During a recent interview with Today, Glaser shared that she’s chosen not to have biological children.

“I didn’t freeze my eggs,” the comedian said, adding that she would consider adoption if she ever wants children.

She explained that her decision stems from the fear of loving something so deeply – a topic she also discusses in her new HBO special, Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die.

Nikki Glaser has been sober for over 12 years

After quitting alcohol and smoking, Glaser has maintained sobriety for over 12 years. “I was just at a point where I was drinking every night,” she said in an interview with Triad City Beat in March 2023. “I quit because I had just gotten a pilot and it was my first big shot, and you can’t make a show sleeping until 4pm every day.”

Nikki Glaser recently premiered a new HBO special

Glaser’s hour-long HBO comedy special, Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die, premiered on May 11.

Following 2022’s Good Clean Filth, which earned Glaser a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for best comedy special, this time she tackles a variety of topics, including her decision not to have kids, harsh truths about ageing, her sexual fantasies, and even plans for her own death, per Deadline.

Fame and celebrity

Glaser got a standing ovation for her set on last month’s Netflix roast of Tom Brady, but she said of Ben Affleck’s performance, ‘I don’t like to watch people bomb. I know what happened: he didn’t prepare’
In her new HBO special, Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die, the comedian discusses her decision not to have kids, harsh truths about ageing, her sexual fantasies, and even plans for her own death