Comedian Chelsea Handler, hosting the Critics Choice Awards for the third consecutive year, didn't hold back on Friday, targeting First Lady Melania Trump, Cheryl Hines (wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.), and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Handler jokingly referred to the film "Anora" as a biopic about Melania Trump. "Anora," according to IMDB, portrays a young sex worker who marries an oligarch's son, facing challenges when the news reaches Russia.
Handler also took a jab at Cheryl Hines, whose husband is President Trump's nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary. She compared those who didn't win awards to Hines at a Senate confirmation hearing, implying they would be questioning their life choices.
Furthermore, Handler sarcastically introduced herself as the "DEI host," referencing the ongoing national debate surrounding DEI programs. She commented on the pervasive feeling of daily disappointment and horror at current events.
President Trump has prioritized eliminating DEI programs, issuing an executive order on January 22, 2025, to end what he terms "radical DEI preferencing" in federal contracting and address private sector discrimination. He frames this action as upholding colorblind equality.
Recently, Baltimore and its mayor filed a lawsuit challenging the President's executive orders targeting DEI programs.
