Comedian, actress, and podcaster Nikki Glaser is a force to be reckoned with. Though she was named in Time Magazine as one of 2025's Most Influential People, her humility never lets it go to her head. She's obviously hilarious, but in a way that pushes boundaries most didnāt even know existed. As a savage roast-master, she somehow simultaneously puts people at ease while she (sweetly) says the dark things we're all thinking.
But it's herself who she roasts the hardest. She's unique and thoughtful with her approach to joke-writing, but is also not afraid to dig deep with the constant effort to better her life. She never shies away from getting truly vulnerable, making most people in the room feel like they're her best friend. Luckily, I actually can call Nikki a friend and can wholeheartedly relay that she's the kind of person who walks into a room and electrifies it. She's not only wicked-smart, but she's the kind of girl's girl who shows up, no matter how busy she is. (I recall once complaining about the Los Angeles dating pool and within five minutes, she had set me up on a blind date.) She's as solid as they come and I was thrilled to chat with her for Upworthy about some things I always wanted to know.
Upworthy: If you remember the movie Sliding Doorsāif one thing had gone differently for youāwhat do you think youād be doing?
Glaser: "I like to think that if my voice teacher in high school hadnāt taken my mom aside after one of our lessons and told her I had a bad voice and would never make it in musical theater, that I would have kept singing. And maybe would have been able to pursue a career in music, (not musical theater, she was probably right about that one). But I think that I just assumed she meant all singing. Now, Iām way too many years into singing improperly. I take voice lessons now, but itās so hard to undo years of poor singing that I could have avoided if I had never given up."
Ā Ā - Gwyneth Paltrow, Nikki Glaser, Sliding Doors, podcatsĀ Ā www.youtube.comĀ Ā
Glaser continues with the message she wishes she had received earlier, and wishes to impart on younger generations:
"In general, I think that if I had just gotten the message at a young age that talent isnāt born, itās developed, I would have pursued more things that I thought I just didnāt 'have.' I was never someone who was naturally talented. Stand-up was literally the first thing in my entire life that I seemed to have a knack for, so I just kept doing it. Iām glad I did, but after I read the book The Talent Code in my 30s, I really understood that all I really needed to do to be talented at anything I wanted to be was put in the work.
Thatās why I always try to tell kids that they canāt give up if they arenāt good at something. You can literally be better than someone who is naturally talented if you just put more hours in than they do, even if they have a huge head start. I never thought of hard work as the best talent of all. I wish that message had been instilled in me more as a kid."
Upworthy: To that point, if you had a "second dream"āanything you wanted to be at allāwhat would it be?
Glaser: "Besides a singer/songwriter, my true passion would have been to develop a CBD lip gloss line with H&M. JK. I mean, Iām open to it, but in general, I just wish my lifeās work involved more animals. Animals are my passion, and traveling as much as I do, I donāt get to bring my dog as much as Iād like. I also would love to get a bird, but Iām never home and you canāt bring them on planes (I havenāt looked into it). Thatās the only part of aging and inevitably getting edged out of show business that Iām looking forward to: IāM GONNA GO FULL BIRD LADY."
Upworthy: Is there a joke you've written that you just can't seem to make work?
Glaser: "I have a joke about how fat people are discriminated against, which is a little tricky because I am not fat. And no one wants to hear a skinny person talk about how hard it is to be fat, but at the same time, I notice it and I want fat people to understand that itās bullshit and I see them. Iām not trying to be a hero or anything. I just know that my body and food issues stem from the way our society treats fat people and I just feel like not enough is being said about it."
Ā Ā - Nikki Glaser, comedian, Golden Globes, monologue, stand up comedyĀ Ā www.youtube.com, CBSĀ
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Upworthy: Who or what makes you consistently laugh?
Glaser: "As of late⦠Rachel Feinstein, David Spade, Martin Short as Jiminy Glick, Tim Robinson, and Chris Fleming. I also LOVED Jim Nortonās latest special on YouTube, UNCONCEIVABLE. And I was just texting earlier today with one of my funniest friends, comedian/writer Sean OāConnor, and we both declared that one of the funniest jokes weāve ever heard was Nick Swardsonās joke: āI took my cat to the veterinarian today because my cat had diarrhea. And the vet was like, āWhat have you been feeding him?ā and Iām like, 'diarrhea.ā"
Upworthy: Why is Cecily so amazing? (JK, JK. I mean, unless you really WANT to answer.)
Glaser: You are kind, non-judgmental, hilarious, effervescent, and just one of the best all-time hangs. Not to mention, sexy and cool!
Upworthy: You have been very open about (and I hate the word journey) your "journey" with mental health. Any tips for people struggling with depression? Like if someone could do "one or two things" to help their mental health, what would you advise?
Glaser: "I would first try a free meditation app. Thatās what I did when I was broke and was in desperation for any kind of relief from my negative thoughts. It really helped. I would also recommend 12-step programs. Thereās one for just about everything (if you donāt have an addiction, look into the requirements to qualify for Al-Anon because that's really a catch-all). The meetings and fellowship are free and you can go on Zoom and just listen if you are scared to share. And no, you donāt have to believe in God to go."
Upworthy: Have you ever met someone else who's famous and completely freaked out?
Glaser: "Yes, Iām quite an obsessive fan of celebrities who I love, and I can never seem to keep my cool when I meet them. I was a Dave Matthews stan in high school and I met him in 2018 and I humiliated myself by saying the word āsphereā a lot. I donāt even know why. It had nothing to do with the Las Vegas Sphere. It was well before that even existed. Thank God I got to meet him a few years later and act relatively normal.
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Ā Dave Matthews sings in his band. Ā Ā GiphyĀ Ā
My policy now with these kinds of icons is that I donāt really want to meet them. I just feel like a huge bother when I share how much they mean to me. Unless of course they are new to fame or have faded from the spotlight; then Iām happy to tell them. Like someone like Patrick Schwarzenegger. I ran into him at a party and it was right after the second episode of White Lotus season three, so I knew he wasnāt being hounded yet. I was happy to bother him and gush over how much of an incredible talent he is. As someone whoās not a huge A-lister, I get how much it means when someone tells you they like your work. But someone who is a global pop star doesnāt need me shaking and crying and telling her she saved my life. I donāt want to bother her with my anxiety. She needs to save her energy to write songs, not hug me so I stop convulsing."
Upworthy: No matter how popular you get, is there one thing about you that will never change?
Glaser: "I donāt think people really ever change. I try! I am always holding out hope that Iāll somehow conquer my imposter syndrome and overall low self-esteem. Iām about to start EMDR therapy. Weāll see how that goes! I know that some artists and comedians argue that it serves their work to be depressed or anxious, but I feel like I've already mined all of my insecurities for material in the first two decades of my career. Iād like to change into someone whoās more confident, but donāt we all? I donāt want to ever think that Iām better than anyone else, but Iād like to lose the core belief that Iām worse than others."