Nikki Glaser has been widely praised by viewers after she delivered a heartfelt tribute to the late Rob Reiner as she concluded her hosting duties at the 2026 Golden Globes on Sunday evening.
The comedian appeared on stage for the final moments of the ceremony sporting a black baseball cap emblazoned with "Spinal Tap" in the iconic font from Reiner's 1984 mockumentary classic.
"Well, that's our show. This one went to 11," Ms Glaser told the audience, referencing the film's legendary scene where guitarist Nigel Tufnel, played by Christopher Guest, boasts about amplifiers with volume controls exceeding the standard maximum.
She added: "Thank you guys for an amazing night, and I hope we found the line between clever and stupid."
Nikki Glaser paid tribute to Rob Reiner at this year's Golden Globes
|GETTY
The ceremony took place less than a month after the beloved filmmaker and his wife, Michele, were discovered dead at their Brentwood, California residence on December 14, 2025.
The couple's youngest son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their killings. He has made two court appearances, most recently on Wednesday, though he has yet to enter a plea.
Reacting to the "subtle" tribute, several Golden Globes viewers applauded Ms Glaser as they felt it was a fitting gesture to the director.
On X, one fan typed: "She really nailed it with this. And honestly, she’s wonderful at this job imo. Just the perfect amount of warmth but still delivers the sauce and the sass."
Nikki Glaser wore a Spinal Tap baseball cap
|GETTY
A second echoed: "Nikki Glazer honouring Rob Reiner when the @goldenglobes couldn’t be bothered. At least the host understood the moment. #GoldenGlobes."
Elsewhere, a third said: "It’s nice that Nikki Glaser did a small tribute to Rob Reiner at the end of the show, but when did #GoldenGlobes stop doing an In Memoriam??? Because there were some pretty notable folks that died this past year."
"Subtle but I'm crying hard. Kudos to Nikki Glaser for saying it went to 11 and Rockin the Tap hat and matching color dress in honor of Rob and Michelle Reiner. #GoldenGlobes," a fourth emotional viewer penned.
"100% classy way to end the #GoldenGlobes. Nice subtle tribute to #RobReiner," added a fifth, before a sixth weighed in: "A great loving nod by @NikkiGlaser to Rob Reiner with the Spinal Tap hat at the end of the Golden Globes. Sad there was no memoriam."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Rob Reiner was an award-winning Hollywood director and actor | GETTY"#NikkiGlaser was actually pretty entirely funny as #GoldenGlobes host, and that #SpinalTap hat was just the perfect touch. Fun show all around," another commented, and an eighth concurred: "Ending the night with a nod to Rob Reiner. Bravo, Nikki Glaser. Bravo." (sic)
Mr Reiner's surviving children, Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, released a statement describing their "horrific and devastating" loss.
"Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," the siblings wrote. "They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends."
The Golden Globes marked the second major awards ceremony this season to honour Mr Reiner's memory. Chelsea Handler paid tribute during her opening monologue at the Critics' Choice Awards on January 4.
Nick Reiner (right) has been formally charged with two counts of first degree murder after his parents' killing | GETTY"Everyone in this room knows that the nicest guy in Hollywood was Rob Reiner," Ms Handler told the audience. "Anyone who ever spent time with Rob Reiner knows that the minute you met him, he felt like an old friend when you were in a conversation with him."
Ms Handler also praised the couple's charitable work, noting: "Rob and Michele were tireless in their efforts to so many important causes, all stemming from one basic idea: Decency, and that we should all look out for each other."
Ms Glaser had revealed her plans ahead of the broadcast, telling USA Today that she intended to acknowledge Mr Reiner "in my own way" since the Golden Globes lacks a traditional in memoriam segment.
"I knew him, but not that well," she explained. "I'm not going to linger on it too much because I think that's what we've been doing for the past few weeks."
The director received nine Golden Globe nominations throughout his distinguished career, spanning both his acting and filmmaking work. His directorial nods included recognition for Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men and The American President, whilst his portrayal of Michael Stivic in All in the Family earned him five supporting actor nominations.