Comic Robby Hoffman took the stage Thursday evening for the 2025 TV-focused IndieWire Honors, which honored one of the best of tv’s present season by giving awards to “Matlock” star Kathy Bates, “Perpetually” creator Mara Brock Akil, and “Severance” administrators Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné, amongst others. In line with the comedian and “Hacks” breakout’s penchant for relentless, typically uncomfortable comedy, Hoffman walked the road between celebrating and skewering the ceremony in a hilarious monologue.
“I feel we’re operating out of how to self-congratulate,” Hoffman stated as she opened the night at NeueHouse in Los Angeles, including that she was a fan of IndieWire as a result of “they wrote a fairly good article about me.” Hoffman dressed informally for the upscale occasion, joking, “I might have worn a go well with however I didn’t need to seem like a lesbian. Now no one can inform, which is superb.”
Hoffman added that the viewers was in protected arms as she in contrast herself to a different queer comic, Ellen DeGeneres. “Everybody is aware of I’m reverse Ellen,” Hoffman stated. “Ellen purports to be sort and good, however she’s truly a terror to work with. I, however, am somewhat aggressive. I’m somewhat tough across the edges. However I’m truly a fucking delight.”
Hoffman went on to poke enjoyable on the very thought of awards reveals, all whereas complaining — in a operating joke that continued all through the night — about not being paid for her internet hosting duties. “We’re actually right here to speak about you, the traditionally unappreciated, underserviced world of Hollywood,” she stated. “It’s attention-grabbing to be requested to do that without cost … in an trade screaming in regards to the worth of girls, paying one for her work appears to have gotten misplaced in translation.”
Hoffman poked enjoyable at lots of the honorees, referring to Stiller’s standing as a “nepo child” and calling out different filmmakers for his or her privileged upbringings, including that she absolutely realized “I’m by no means coming again to this. I’ll by no means be invited again. That is the primary and the final.” She added that for all her jabs, she couldn’t actually say she was any totally different from the targets of her comedy. “ The reality is I’m not in any place to complain in any respect, as a result of I can’t truly say that I’ve labored more durable than everyone on this room. However I’ll say my brother Shmueli has,” she stated. “He’s a building employee in Northern Canada and he positively works more durable than everyone right here.”
In between jokes all through the evening, Hoffman did pay honest tribute to a number of of the honorees, reminiscent of “Adolescence” star Owen Cooper, whose work she stated was deserving of each award it might obtain. “ Let’s simply bear in mind, we’re right here to have enjoyable and in the end to rejoice 13 unbelievable individuals dedicated to authentic storytelling,” Hoffman stated as she wrapped up her opening monologue. “Be at liberty to be offended by something I say, however the joke’s on you. As I already instructed you, I’m not being paid.”
Watch Hoffman’s full speech above, and take a look at all of our IndieWire Honors protection proper right here.
The IndieWire Honors occasion came about at NeueHouse in Hollywood on Thursday, June 5. Different honorees for the night included Ben Stiller, Colin Farrell, Owen Cooper, Julianne Nicholson, Kathy Bates, and extra.
