Jo Koy made history by being the first Filipino to host the Golden Globes and it… could’ve been better. “Bombed” was a term used in coverages and on social media for a 10-minute monologue that felt five times longer than it was.
There were jokes about Oppenheimer’s runtime, Barbie being a “plastic doll with big boobies”, Meryl Streep, and Taylor Swift being overexposed by the NFL, leading to outrage from Swifties. Facepalms of those in attendance did not up the mood. And when barely anything landed, Jo went on the defensive, blaming writers and the crowd for the jokes that flopped, and crediting those that worked to himself.
“I got the gig ten days ago. You want a perfect monologue? Shut up. You’re kidding me, right? Slow down. I wrote some of these and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”
Golden Globes host Jo Koy just went off-script after one of his jokes bombed: “I got the gig 10 days ago! You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up. You’re kidding me, right? Slow down. I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”#GoldenGlobes2024 pic.twitter.com/K6DIDtdCes
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 8, 2024
To be fair, there were decent bits sprinkled in between. The Robert De Niro one got the most laughs. Meryl Streep (again) was cute, although too piled on by the end. But there was a noticeable lack of…dare we say… confidence in his standup, with Jo constantly apologizing for his duds.
The Golden Globes were a lukewarm reaction to what Jo Koy is used to, whose roaring Netflix specials and sold-out shows made him the name he is today. But he did get the gig on short notice, reportedly two weeks before the show after the likes of Chris Rock and Ali Wong passed per CNN. And in an interview with Variety, the comedian described the experience as a “crash course in hosting”, saying he only got his writers five days later.
Despite the short prep time, Jo took the gig because of what it symbolizes for representation in Hollywood.
“There’s a kid that’s Asian out there, or that’s half white/half Asian, any ethnicity. Being able to see this, it will indirectly inspire them. This is one of those ‘finally’ moments,” he said.
And that’s the kind of weight on my shoulders that I have. Because I need to represent them well,” he says. “So, I want to make sure my job is done right. I want to make sure I’m funny. And this wasn’t just a fluke. I worked hard for this moment.”
The Golden Globes was a bigger, more prestigious stage than Jo Koy’s ever been on, and it seemed the moment got to him. But that’s okay; the first time is rarely perfect. Peep the reactions below.
Never invite Jo Koy to one of these again please. So, so awful. pic.twitter.com/Oqhpeiosp5
— Sethsfilmreviews (@sethsfilmreview) January 8, 2024
HARRISON FORD AFTER ONE OF JO KOY'S JOKES PLEASE 💀💀💀 #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/Z9d72rK94S
— maddie (@maddiecar_) January 8, 2024
Jo Koy at the Golden Globes pic.twitter.com/Y65cnisOiX
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) January 8, 2024
Taylor Swift takes a sip of her drink after Jo Koy's joke about her at the #GoldenGlobes.
"The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift." pic.twitter.com/d2TDVcUGv5
— Variety (@Variety) January 8, 2024
Jo Koy making Meryl Streep do Wakanda Forever………. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/zLQiY4G0OQ
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 8, 2024
everyone live tweeting this jo koy monologue #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/EjzYZWwIER
— kathleen (@kathleen_hanley) January 8, 2024
"And BARBIE was based on a plastic doll with big boobs!"
The #Barbie crew weren't too thrilled by Jo Koy's jokes about their film. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/Rp3ZvSIhhd
— Decider (@decider) January 8, 2024
