LOS ANGELES − Chelsea Handler, best known for skewering celebrities, gave a sincere tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner, kicking off the 2026 Critics Choice Awards.
Handler, 50, grew serious at the end of her monologue to discuss the beloved director and his wife, who were slain in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14. The couple’s son Nick Reiner has been charged with the double murder and is next expected in court on Jan. 7.
“Everyone in this room knows that the nicest guy in Hollywood was Rob Reiner,” Handler told the crowd. “The minute you met him, he felt like an old friend. … He would ask you a ton of questions, whether you were discussing politics, film or the latest beauty trends.”
The four-time host said that when she texted Reiner after a recent meal together, “The Princess Bride” and “When Harry Met Sally …” director responded positively to the comic’s light dinner conversation.
“He wrote, ‘Thanks for explaining so much about plastic surgery, it was very edifying,’ ” Handler said, and added that the Reiners were “tireless” in their efforts for important causes.
“It all stemmed from one basic idea: decency,” she said. “I think we can all agree that we definitely need more of that value.”