Watch Host Janelle James’ Opening Monologue at the 2023 Writers Guild Awards

Writer-comedian and Abbott Elementary actress Janelle James delivers the opening monologue for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards Los Angeles show.
The 2023 Writers Guild Awards west coast show was held on Sunday, March 5, 2023 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and hosted by James.
The Writers Guild Awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, streaming, news (broadcast and digital), radio/audio, and promotional categories. For more information about the 2023 Writers Guild Awards and a list of the winners, visit awards.wga.org.

[@nonid5627]

The way she adjusted to the rather…boring audience, was masterful.

[@MaxineShaw_84]

This! "Anyway, what about this is one!" 😂

[@loveinthematrix]

The crowd is always lame AF at these awards lmao writers on some extra introverted ish

[@anitamuhammad3968]

Yes! Love her. 🖤

[@melbatoast667]

This crowd was giving her nothing. Boo this crowd!

[@NyssaSayWhat]

Love the way she laughed at her own jokes. For a crowd of writers these ppl were dry. Explains the writing on a lot of these shows.

[@foxyfables_bookish]

Exactly. I’ve never watch more old shows.

[@theTrend7]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@eos1309]

She rolled with the weird vibe of the room well 😂😂😂

[@Chicago48]

They were writers.

[@loveinthematrix]

@@Chicago48 😅

[@catey2270]

This was terrific. Great jokes, delivery, and improv, even for a very flat crowd. Hope Janelle James hosts and performs in more shows!!

[@got2bjosh]

Nice to know we've found our next Oscars host. Janelle stays cracking me up!

[@jazzefromphille1788]

YES!!!! SHES BRILLIANT!!!

[@stevie6765]

hey butterfly is one of my fav albums from her!!1

[@mikiecash21]

You can tell this queen is real deal. Very comfortable in her own skin and not a typical Hollywood phony. She is who she is and you like her or you don't. She deserves all the success that comes her way. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@dakotac180]

They don't deserve her, she's hilarious. Jeremy Allen White joke killed me because he is a short king for real

[@lorijackson7008]

Right! Loved him on Shameless ❤️Just now watching The Bear, because of ptsd from 2 decades in foodservice!😩No lies told on this show!

[@vel5063]

Janelle was having fun, and we love to see it.

[@houseoftyrell1544]

She's so hilarious, she should host Golden Globes and the Oscar next year.

[@tae7x]

That last joke was honestly hilarious. She worked with the crowd and overall vibe so well

[@loveinthematrix]

10:39 her comedy skills are legit she’s everything

[@Largo3point0]

Ms. James does not disappoint. Funny!

[@brinsonopinion]

oh my God...this woman's timing is a thing of beauty

[@LadyOrland0_]

Janelle killed it!!! And I loved how she was laughing at her own jokes 🤣🤣

[@corbinlopez650]

She absoutley KILLED this

[@NC-qc7wd]

Janelle James, makes me cry and laugh so hard that she deserves to be called the incomparable

[@Mark.mp3]

Why is the audience so uptight lol she was hilarious

[@melbatoast667]

Maybe they were all mad because of the strike? Or maybe most network television is so deeply unfunny because their writers are humorless? Who knows?

[@erinmoore7802]

Janelle James killed this!👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽

[@bridgetisjonesing5007]

This woman is so funny. Just amazing delivery.

[@MicoManhard]

She truly is brilliant. I love her! Comedic genius work

[@ARIUS_C_vibes]

She’s literally so freaking funny that crowd was so boring 😭😭

[@zipporahcoleman3225]

The crowd looks like people who don’t even watch their own shows lol. But Janelle had me rolling😅

[@concetta_green4230]

Excellent!!! Gorgeous, smart and funny and her giggle is too cute.

[@janicescott-pair97]

Janelle James is hilarious! She looks fabulous. 😊

[@Period-mw8fw]

Love her hair❤

[@jerryjacob7062]

She is phenomenal. I can listen to her all day.

[@jeannehaligah8204]

That wig is laiddddd

[@jaiiadore]

You go Ms. James! Can’t wait for you to host and get nominated for an/ the EGOT!🦋 “Y’all don’t that one? Anyway what about this one HAHA”🤣

[@thetotaltiffany]

I absolutely love her dry humor.

[@Cantblendthis]

Haha this woman is amazing, bet she is a hoot to hang out with. The way she just goes with the flow is so epic.

[@ashleyrogers1930]

I will start back watching the Oscars if they have Janelle host

[@janb92]

A real comedian. She can read the crowd

[@iago07]

I didn’t think the audience was that bad… they were consistently laughing. It’s about what I’d expect for a room full of generally socially awkward writers haha… it’s not like this was a damn Netflix special crowd…

[@The_official_jaijai]

That is very true. I wasn’t thinking about that part at all.

[@BrooklynnR90]

We love you Janelle James‼️ She is such a 💎 Dry ass crowd pftt 💨

[@andreyamatthew2035]

She is hilarious, I love her style, and gorgeous 🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@siddharthnaagar7028]

This woman is a hoot and a gr8 comic, she needs to host any of the big awards soon

[@loveinthematrix]

She’s such a G performer. No one will ever stop her vibe!

[@DanielleA2023]

She's incredible, so of-the-moment. Have her host a Golden Globes❤

[@createdtodesign]

I love her and Abbot Elementary

[@Amaryllis-4U]

OMG - she IS Ava! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣❤❤❤

[@jazzyfizzle0]

THAT CONAN OBRIEN DROP WAS THE HARDEST BAR

[@TinkletitsMcGee]

It was so savage 🤣

[@allenmaa7064]

That was epic! She went decades deep!

[@JustJordy02]

She’s hilarious! 😂 I love her! Lol

[@waneetabangz6468]

She’s hilarious 😂

[@Mercy2Mee]

This woman is amazing! Hilarious and the only reason I watch abbot elementary

[@JamesEvansJr-w7z]

I like her composure. Tuff audience 😊😊😊

[@TheLillySpeaks]

I aspire to work any eoom with such ease as this. Wow. Amazing!

[@Corrieander]

I was cackling over here. From tom cruise on. The James Cordon one killed me.

[@MJ18888]

She is so good!

[@derrionbrown3923]

Love this 😂😂😂

[@Yonteeee]

I just love her.

[@RosaPadilla22]

The only thing running longer than Tom Cruise is Greys Anatomy 🤣🤣🤣

[@michaelplace]

She is HILARIOUS!

[@RC-ol8qg]

This was great. Love her!

[@charliescirclez]

I love her jokes so much and the way she shifts from joke to joke even if they don’t land. 😂

[@JnrL89]

I love her

[@MaxineShaw_84]

9:50 If you've never seen the video of Webbie doing his promo recording for The Breakfast Club, you won't understand why I had to pull myself together at this timestamp. 🤣🤣🤣

[@jazzyfizzle0]

FLESHLIGHT !!!

[@brilliantdiva5068]

3-14-23 WE LOVE JANELLE JAMES. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL FUNNY AND FABULOUSLY INTELLIGENT. WHERE IS HER EMMY AND GRAMMY. SHE STEALS EVERY SCENE ON ABBOTTS ELEMENTARY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@misswebb]

Love her to pieces!

[@elvisrosales813]

wow.. she is amazing.

[@38waystoThink]

Im in tears that's all that matters 😆 🤣

[@KinshipFilmworks]

YAY Janelle

[@TropicalMariahLover]

I want to see her do this all day every day. A gem.

[@pagemp6762]

Love her❤❤❤👏👏👏🔥🔥🔥

[@samueljones3897]

YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@diepiriye]

Like every other black woman entering a dominant white male space! She handled it with grace, care, humor, and still managed to keep it real!

[@megger11]

She’s so goddamn funny 😂😂😂😂

[@MrBrownnn696]

She’s such a beautiful woman inside n out very funny…

[@mahatemeboncampi]

This woman is hysterical kills me every time

[@gabrielmoro3d]

This was amazing omg

[@oahuviewlot2929]

Janelle James, comedic genius.

[@ccd5942]

Flash light shooting 200 times

[@gilmoremccoy6930]

I really like her!!!

[@keirrawebster]

Omg she did greatttt😂😂

[@sregors]

After the 2024 Globes, came back here to watch how a comedian can really smash it out of the park

[@ohanaohana8844]

The joke about free trails is 💯

[@creativemindplay]

Her somewhat monotoney delivery somehow really works.

[@LWS-jo8ge]

My cousin is the best so proud of you Janelle

[@chrismdh]

This is fucking hilarious, she did amazing

[@MaxErBaduScott]

Janelle James is Hilarious!

[@Awes555]

The random laugh in the crowd at 6:45 😂😂😂😂

[@Chiggianya]

She’s so fucking real.

[@jazzyfizzle0]

THESE WRITERS ATTITUDES , NO WONDER TVS NOT FUNNY THESE DAYS !!! JANELLE JAMES IS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST OUT THERE

[@chillbest14]

Awesome I love her

[@marjorieday2618]

Smooth and well done. I love you!!😂😂😂

[@904amp009]

Love herrrrrr

[@summerc.6503]

i just love her she makes Abbott elementary!!!!

[@richshawndaartis6128]

She is comfortable with awkwardness.

[@angryjedi8152]

The phrase "Fleshlight! I messed up the joke" should be repeated often and always out of context.

[@jennifersanchez9854]

She’s fucking brilliant!!! 😂😂😂💀💀💀

[@cupcake1065]

I need to see more of her in other projects, too funny.

[@crimsonfox007]

Amazing!

[@sugarbabyesquire107]

She’s perfect

[@memibrowne1945]

I love her!!!😅😅😅😅

[@AlexShannon]

The fact you can hear Guy Branum laughing in the background

[@andy7454]

Wow, that shit was FUNNY. 😂🤭😭

[@amandahawker]

Wow, this crowd does not deserve Janelle James because this was hilarious.

[@lollabryant4633]

"Y'all wild for that one!" "I wanted to say domestic abuse in the building cause it hits harder." LOL Her comedic timing is wonderful. I also admire her professionalism as she was met with an extremely dry crowd. The level of discomfort as she spoke from her perspective (black woman, actor, writer) was disappointing though. I absolutely love how she can laugh at herself. That's something that a lot of people could stand to learn how to do. She killed this opening!

[@Crashedonmarrs]

love her

[@cupcake1065]

Crowd was defo dead, but I was smiling/laughing the whole way through.

[@704gyrl2]

I. Love. Her.