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Chelsea Handler Roasts Ex 50 Cent and Diddy at Critics’ Choice Awards, Sparks Mixed Reactions
Comedian Chelsea Handler, hosting the Critics’ Choice Awards for a fourth time on Sunday, January 4, wasted no time in stirring up controversy during her opening monologue. The seasoned comic took aim at her former flame, rapper 50 Cent, and his longtime rival, Sean “Diddy” Combs, with a pointed joke that drew both chuckles and criticism.
Handler, 50, known for her no-holds-barred approach to celebrity roasts, particularly when it comes to ex-partners, delivered the dig while introducing the cast of “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” “The cast of K-Pop Demon Hunters is here,” Handler announced, “not to be confused with Netflix’s other music movie, 50 Cent: Diddy Hunter.”
The quip referenced Netflix’s recent documentary, “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” which premiered on December 2. The film delves into Diddy’s life and the numerous troubling accusations leveled against him, arriving shortly after his conviction and sentencing to over four years in prison on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. While 50 Cent and Diddy once shared a cordial professional relationship, their dynamic has since devolved into a prolonged public feud.
Handler’s edgy humor elicited modest laughter from the in-person audience. However, viewers at home watching the 2026 Critics Choice Awards had a more divided reaction to her opening routine. Social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), quickly filled with comments from those who found her monologue less than amusing.
“Fire whoever chose Chelsea Handler to host the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony she is criminally unfunny and terrible at this #CriticsChoiceAwards2025,” one viewer vented. Another chimed in, “Watching…Hater Chelsea Handler CRASH and BURN with her extremely UNFUNNY MONOLOGUE for the CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS is PRICELESS.”
Beyond the hosting controversy, the ceremony, presented by the American Critics’ Choice Association, celebrated the best in film and television from 2026. Ryan Coogler’s horror film “Sinners” led the nominations with an impressive 17 nods, including Best Picture.
Netflix’s “Adolescence” secured six nominations, while Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” garnered 14. “Hamnet” and “Frankenstein” each received 11 nominations, with Thomas-Anderson ultimately taking home the award for Best Director.
In acting categories, Ariana Grande earned her second consecutive Best Supporting Actress nomination. Notably, her “Wicked” co-star Cynthia Erivo was absent from the Best Actress lineup. Sydney Sweeney, star of “Christy,” also did not receive recognition for her lead role as boxer Christy Martin in the biographical drama, following a year marked by controversy.