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Nikki Glaser held back a cutting Sydney Sweeney joke during her recent Golden Globes hosting gig. The comedian – who returned for another stint as the ceremony’s master of ceremonies – revealed during a post-show appearance on The Howard Stern Show that she ultimately decided one particular barb was “too mean” to include.
The scrapped joke targeted Sweeney’s box office struggles, particularly her film “Christy,” which barely managed $2 million despite featuring what Glaser described as the actress “bouncing around in tiny shorts.”
“Tonight is a celebration but we can’t ignore that it’s a weird time in Hollywood. People just aren’t going to the theater to see things,” Glaser told Stern, recounting the cut joke. “If you don’t believe me, there was a movie this year where Sydney Sweeney played a lesbian who just bounced around in tiny shorts for two hours and it made $14.”
The joke’s deletion likely came as a relief to Sweeney, who had weathered a challenging box office run.
Prior to her recent success, Sweeney’s 2025 film slate had been particularly disappointing. “Christy,” “Eden,” and “Americana” collectively earned less than $5 million worldwide – explaining why she might have been an easy target for Glaser’s comedy.
Sweeney has since rebounded with “The Housemaid” – a commercial hit that’s approaching $200 million globally against its modest $25 million production budget. The film’s success has already prompted studios to greenlight a sequel, marking a dramatic turnaround in the actress’s commercial fortunes.
Following this much-needed win, Sweeney’s upcoming projects include a cameo in “The Devil Wears Prada 2” (potentially playing herself) and her return for the third and final season of HBO’s “Euphoria.” The actress’s career trajectory demonstrates how quickly fortunes can change in Hollywood – perhaps making Glaser’s decision to cut the joke seem particularly prescient.
