Chelsea Handler made headlines at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards after delivering a joke about Nicki Minaj.
While opening the ceremony, Handler referenced the success of Sinners, the Southern Gothic vampire film starring Michael B. Jordan.
“Sinners was a massive blockbuster!” she told the crowd, before turning her attention to Minaj. “Although, I haven’t been invited into a Black person’s house since, except Nicki Minaj’s,” Handler added, pausing before finishing, “but who wants to go over there?”
The comment arrived as Minaj has been facing renewed scrutiny following recent public appearances, including a December speech at a Turning Point USA event that drew backlash for its political tone.
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,” Minaj said at the time. “I don’t know if he even knows this, but he’s given so many people hope that there’s a chance to beat the bad guys and to win, and to do it with your head held high and your integrity intact.”
Minaj has not responded publicly to Handler’s joke. Multiple Change.org petitions calling for Minaj to be deported to her native Trinidad and Tobago have collectively surpassed 120,000 signatures.