Chelsea Handler takes digs at Nicki Minaj, Jeff Bezos, Leonardo Dicaprio & more in Critics Choice Awards monologue

Chelsea Handler returned to the Barker Hangar stage on Sunday night to host the 31st Critics Choice Awards, delivering an opening monologue that combined tribute, industry commentary and pointed humour.

Handler, hosting the ceremony for the fourth time, addressed Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav while joking about Sinners, describing it as a film in which “vampires show up, suck the life out of everybody and burn it all to the ground” before adding, “Fun fact: The original name of the main vampire was David Zaslav.”

The camera cut to Sinners star Michael B. Jordan, who was seen shaking his head. Handler also referenced the film’s near-$368 million global box office and criticised coverage, especially Variety's, questioning whether box office numbers still matter.

Handler also referenced Nicki Minaj during a joke connected to Sinners, noting, “I haven’t been invited to a black person’s house since Sinners. Only person who has invited me is Nicki Minaj but who wants to go over there?”

She continued with industry-related jokes, singling out Seth Rogen by saying that years of playing “stoners, slackers and underachievers” prepared him for portraying “a studio head.” Leonardo DiCaprio was also mentioned, with Handler joking about his recent absence from the Palm Springs Film Festival due to travel issues while holidaying near St Barts. “It was just like the Titanic but worse because Jeff Bezos was there,” she said. 

Television was a major focus of the monologue. Handler praised original series before highlighting Canadian hit Heated Rivalry, saying, “Everyone loves it: Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it.”

She also referenced Landman, joking about Billy Bob Thornton and Taylor Sheridan, and singled out Adam Sandler, via Jay Kelly, as “the nicest guy in Hollywood.” 

The monologue concluded with a tribute to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Handler recalled Reiner’s warmth, humour and curiosity, sharing a personal text exchange and saying, “Rob and Michele were tireless in their efforts to so many important causes, all stemming from one basic idea: decency.” She urged the audience to treat the evening as a reminder of the values they represented.