TV Host Chelsea Handler, known for her sharp wit and unfiltered humor, made headlines with her opening monologue at the Critics Choice Awards on Friday night.
During her speech, she took a moment to “thank” actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni for what she jokingly referred to as a much-needed “distraction” amid recent troubling events.
Her comments referenced the ongoing legal battle between the two actors, a feud that has captured public attention for weeks. While her remarks drew laughter from the audience inside the Santa Monica venue, they also sparked backlash online, with some accusing her of trivializing the seriousness of the situation.
Handler began the ceremony by acknowledging the challenges many had faced recently, particularly the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. She took a somber tone as she praised first responders for their bravery and dedication in tackling the crisis.
“I want to acknowledge that we’ve been through a lot lately,” she said. “Not just here in Los Angeles, but our entire country waking up every day, not knowing what news we are going to hear that will disappoint or horrify us.”
She then pivoted to a more lighthearted approach, leading into her comments about Lively and Baldoni, which quickly became the most talked-about moment of the night.
The legal battle between the two actors began in December when Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, 41, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
In response, Baldoni filed a countersuit against both Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. The ongoing dispute has played out in both court filings and public opinion, with supporters on both sides weighing in.
Baldoni has also launched a separate libel lawsuit against The New York Times, further escalating the controversy. Both parties have strongly denied the allegations against them, making the case one of the most contentious celebrity legal battles in recent memory.
In her monologue, Handler sarcastically expressed her gratitude to the actors for providing a spectacle that, in her words, served as a much-needed break from the harsh realities of the world. “Thank you for providing us with that distraction,” she quipped. “I’m grateful… I think everybody in this room, no matter whose side you’re on, we can all agree to accept that there’s probably not going to be a sequel.”
She concluded the joke with a pointed reference to the 2024 film It Ends With Us, in which Lively and Baldoni co-starred. “It ends with us, guys,” she said, earning a mix of laughs and applause from the crowd.
Despite the warm reception inside the venue, Handler’s remarks did not sit well with everyone. Clips of her monologue quickly circulated online, where social media users voiced their disapproval. One X user accused her of “trivializing” the deeply personal and legal battle between the two actors, while another described the joke as being “in poor taste.”
The backlash highlighted the ongoing debate about whether celebrity feuds and legal disputes should be treated as entertainment, particularly when serious accusations are involved. While Handler has built her career on pushing boundaries with her comedy, reactions to her monologue demonstrated that not everyone found humor in the situation.
Neither Lively nor Baldoni attended the awards ceremony, leaving their legal dispute as an unspoken yet looming presence in the room. While the Critics Choice Awards are typically a celebration of film and television achievements, Handler’s remarks ensured that the controversy remained at the forefront of public discourse.
Whether her joke will have any lasting impact on the ongoing lawsuit remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the public’s fascination with celebrity scandals shows no signs of waning, and Handler was more than willing to tap into that cultural obsession for the sake of a headline-making moment.
