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Trevor Noah’s final Grammys monologue pokes fun at Nicki Minaj’s MAGA ties

Trevor Noah talks into a microphone at the Grammys.
Trevor Noah’s final Grammys monologue poked fun at Nicki Minaj, Jelly Roll, Justin Bieber and Jeff Bezos.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
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In Trevor Noah’s final opening monologue at the Grammys, the joke that got the loudest laugh in the room was directed at Nicki Minaj’s MAGA alliance.

After six consecutive years of hosting the Grammys, the comedian is stepping down from the emcee role. Last year, Noah’s monologue was focused on the resilience of Los Angeles and paid tribute to the victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires. This year, he poked fun at attending celebrities and commented on the country’s political climate.

When he addressed the fact that Nicki Minaj was not in attendance, the audience applauded in response. He joked that “she is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues: ‘Actually, Nicki, I have the biggest ass, I have it. Everybody’s saying it, Nicki, I know they say it’s you, but it’s me. WAP, WAP, WAP. Look at it, baby,’” Noah said in his best Trump impression.

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Here’s the winners list for the 2026 Grammy Awards, updating live. The night’s major awards went to Olivia Dean for new artist, Billie Eilish and Finneas for song, Kendrick Lamar with SZA for record and Bad Bunny for album.

Last week, Minaj appeared at a U.S. Treasury event, where she stood on stage with President Trump and said, “I am probably the president’s No. 1 fan, and that’s not going to change.”

While detailing what the night ahead entails, Noah compared this year’s Grammys to the 1999 ceremony.

“The last time Lauryn Hill performed at the Grammys was in 1999,” said Noah. “Back in 1999 the president had a sex scandal, people thought computers were about to destroy the world and Diddy was arrested. Boy, how times have changed.”

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Did Nicki Minaj ever consider herself a DACA ‘Dreamer’? The rapper said after an appearance with President Trump that her citizenship paperwork is being finalized.

Noah also poked fun at Jelly Roll, asking if he was able to unlock fellow face-tatted singer Teddy Swims’ phone. He also said the arena stuffed with A-listers felt somewhat like billionaire Jeff Bezos’ wedding, “but with way more Black people.”

In addition to it being Noah’s final hosting gig, this year’s ceremony is also the last to air on CBS, its home network since 1973. After tonight, it kicks off a 10-year run with Disney. The Grammys will air on ABC, Hulu and Disney+ beginning in 2027.

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