Full Breakdown
Nikki Glaser Roasts A-List Honorees at the 2026 Time 100 Gala
4/25/2026, 9:10:47 PM
2026 Time 100 Gala: Host, Venue, and Purpose
On April 23 2026, the 20th annual Time 100 Gala was staged at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The ceremony honors the magazine’s yearly list of the world’s most influential people. Comedian Nikki Glaser served as host, framing the evening as a roast of the honorees.
Context: Recent Controversies Involving Honorees
Two honorees were linked to high-profile disputes. Pop star Katy Perry participated in a Blue Origin all-female spaceflight in April 2025, a venture highlighted during the gala. In parallel, actress Ruby Rose publicly accused Perry of sexual assault; a Perry representative later denied the claim as false.
Principal Participants and Their Public Profiles
Glaser’s set targeted several honorees: Katy Perry, noted for her pop career and recent spaceflight; CBS Mornings host Gayle King, who also flew on the 2025 mission; fashion designer Victoria Beckham, married to former footballer David Beckham; model-entrepreneur Hailey Bieber; YouTube creator MrBeast; and actress Kate Hudson. Additional performers included Luke Combs and Coco Jones.
Official Responses to Controversial Claims
A spokesperson for Katy Perry issued a written denial, describing the Ruby Rose allegations as false and reckless. Ali Wong, an actress present at the gala, praised Glaser’s performance, calling her “one of the most hardworking people I know.” Time’s chief executive officer Jessica Sibley and editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs were listed among the evening’s honorees but did not issue public comments in the coverage.
Conflicting Accounts of Allegations
Ruby Rose’s social-media post claimed Perry assaulted her at a Melbourne nightclub; the subsequent statement from Perry’s representative categorically refuted the claim, creating a direct conflict between the two accounts.
Reception and Cultural Significance
Media coverage highlighted Glaser’s willingness to intertwine humor with current celebrity controversies, noting the juxtaposition of light-hearted jokes with references to spaceflight and legal disputes. She also quipped that guests should drink enough to forget they share the list with war criminals. The roast underscored the gala’s role as both a celebration of influence and a platform for public commentary on high-profile figures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Welcome to the Time100, the one list you actually want to be on this year,” — Nikki Glaser, Host
- “What really blows my mind is that we have actual astronauts here tonight. It’s insane. These brave people who risked it all to go up into space and search for the unknown. And by astronaut, of course, I’m talking about Gayle King. Gayle, I love you so much. You had the courage to do something that so many people wouldn’t have the guts to do: Spend 12 minutes alone with Katy Perry. We thank you for that.” — Nikki Glaser, Host
- “She was a global pop star, now a serious fashion designer. She’s married to David Beckham. She’s rich, successful, stunning. What’s it going to take to get you to smile? I mean, really. Smile! You’re one of the only British people who should.” — Nikki Glaser, Host
- “The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous reckless lies.” — Representative of Katy Perry
