Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy failed to amuse some fellow Pinoys online in the first moments of his history-making hosting gig at the 81st Golden Globes Awards on Monday (Philippine time).
The stand-up comedian was a last-minute pick to host the world’s largest award show celebrating the best of film and television.
Jo Koy referenced this in his opening monologue at the Beverly Hilton on January 8 as he kicked off the Golden Globes 2024, where various reports said that he “struggled a bit to generate laughs” and was “incredibly awkward” as a host.
The comedian mentioned the two frontrunners — Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” — but his jokes about them “earned groans and few laughs,” according to Rolling Stone.
“I loved Oppenheimer. I just got one complaint: [It] needed another hour, because I felt like it needed some more backstory. My New Year’s resolution for 2024 is to finish Oppenheimer in 2025. I love Oppenheimer — especially the first season,” Jo Koy said.
The camera showed the unamused face of its director, and the comedian added, “That’s so stupid…”
Jo Koy went on to introduce “Barbie.”
“Oppenheimer is based on a 724-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is based on a plastic doll with big boobies,” he said.
The last part elicited jeers and some boos from the audience.
Some Filipinos also had similar reactions online as they watched Jo Koy host the event.
“As a Filipino, I wanted to root for Jo Koy. But outside of the Filipino Mom [or] culture jokes which he’s known for, I don’t think he has the range to host this. Sorry… just saying. #GoldenGlobes2024,” Fil-Am content creator Otakoyakisoba (Oliver) wrote.
Another online user mentioned Jo Koy’s quip about Grammy-winning artist Taylor Swift, who was one of the attendees.
“Difference between Golden Globes and then NFL is on the Globes, they have less camera shots of Taylor Swift,” the online user quoted the comic.
“Oh, Jo Koy, I’m not a proud Filipino anymore. #GoldenGlobes,” another online user commented in response to the quip.
Other online users thought his comment about Taylor was “misogynistic.”
Another social media user brought up a GIF of Mariah Carey saying “I don’t know her” with the caption: “Being Filipino [and] watching Jo Koy bomb joke after joke at the #goldenglobes.”
“Please stop texting me about Jo Koy, he’s only half Filipino, we are not responsible for the other half. Philippines innocent,” Fil-Am culture writer Alex Abad-Santos commented.
“Yesterday, I felt even more inspired as a Filipino upon leaving the theater for ‘Gomburza.’ Today, I feel embarrassed as a Filipino that Jo Koy is even hosting the Golden Globes at all. We don’t claim you, sir,” another online user wrote.
Apart from the “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” jokes, Jo Koy in his opening spiel also “threw his writers under the bus” when he blamed them for his monologue which elicited a lukewarm response.
“Some I wrote, some other people wrote,” he said, referring to his lines.
“Yo, I got the gig ten days ago! You want a perfect monologue? Shut up! You’re kidding me, right? I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at,” Jo Koy added.
Other social media users also echoed a similar sentiment in defense of the comedian.
“#GoldenGlobes Poor Jo Koy. It’s hard being an unknown comedian because people are less forgiving. He only had 10 [ten] days to prepare! Give him a break!!” an X user wrote.
“I feel sorry for Jo Koy. Grabe ‘yung racism against him. He only had 8 [eight] days to prepare for hosting #GoldenGlobes, unlike other hosts in the past where [they] had few months to prepare. Mas nakakaloka pa dito is I see a lot of Filipinos and other Asians bashing him. Grabe lang,” another user wrote.
“Poor Jo Koy… What [do] you expect, though? 10 [Ten] days to prepare for a monologue and in an era nobody can take a joke anymore #GoldenGlobes,” commented a different user.
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) also pointed out that in comparison, host Jimmy Kimmel had five months to prepare for hosting the Oscars.
Jo Koy, on the other hand, only had less than two weeks to prepare for the Golden Globes, another major awards show.
The comic previously said that hosting the Golden Globes was “extra special” for him since it was the moment when he got to make his Filipino family “proud.”
ALSO READ: Where to watch 81st Golden Globes live from the Philippines
Jo Koy admitted, though, that he has not slept” and he’s “never watched this many movies and TV shows in my life.”
“We’re looking at, like, nine days. This has definitely been a crash course in how to emcee a major event,” the comedian said to THR before.
READ: More Golden Globes stories here