To say that the past 24 hours had been nerve-racking for Jo Koy would be an understatement.
The Filipino-American stand-up comedian continues to earn backlash from his performance as host of the recently concluded Golden Globes on Sunday, January 7, 2024 (Monday, January 8, Philippine time).
Jo Koy's hosting was lambasted on social media, with viewers calling his stint "a disaster," "cringe-worthy," and "embarrassing."
Read: Netizens slam Jo Koy's hosting of Golden Globes 2024
During the ceremony, where irreverent humor targeting celebrities is customary, Jo Koy's jokes somehow fell flat, resulting in palpable awkwardness for both the live audience and those watching at home.
Jo Koy, clearly sensing the situation, deviated from the script, revealing to the audience that he had minimal time to prepare for the occasion.
He even dragged the scriptwriters into his off-the-cuff rant, saying that many of his lines were their idea — a remark that left a bad taste in the mouths of many observers.
"Yes, I got the gig 10 days ago! You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up," Jo Koy told guests.
"You’re kidding me, right? Slow down, I wrote some of these and they are the ones you are laughing at."
Read: Jo Koy call out Robi Domingo for word he dislikes
ADDRESSING THE CONTROVERSY
Jo Koy graced the American daytime news program What You Need To Know a day after the event to give his side on the issue.
In the interview, Jo Koy—a last-minute choice as host—reiterated that the short time for preparation played a role in the outcome of the performance.
"Yes, I’m a stand-up comic but that hosting position, it’s a different style," acknowledged Jo Koy.
"I kind of went in and did the writers’ thing. We had 10 days to write this monologue. It was a crash course. I feel bad, but I got to still say I loved what I did.”
He described hosting the Golden Globes as a "hard job" and he was affected by the negative reactions hurled towards him.
"I’d be lying if [I said] it doesn’t hurt … Hosting is just a tough gig."
TEASING TAYLOR SWIFT
One of the tense moments during the program came after Jo Koy poked fun at Taylor Swift and her high-profile romance with football star Travis Kelce.
Read: Taylor Swift’s breakup with Joe Alwyn “not dramatic,” says report
“We came on after a football doubleheader,” said Jo Koy in his monologue.
“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL [National Football League]… On the Golden Globes we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift."
Taylor's unamused reaction to Jo Koy's joke was captured by the camera, and the clip went viral online, attaining meme status in the world of social media.
Reflecting on the moment, Jo Koy said the jab was meant for the NFL rather than Taylor.
“I think it was when the Taylor [Swift] one was just a little flat … It was a weird joke, I guess. But it was more on the NFL," he remarked.
The dig, explained Jo Koy, pertained to how the NFL seemed to ride the Taylor-Travis gravy train by constantly focusing the camera on the singer-songwriter every time she was in attendance to watch the games.
"I was trying to make fun of the NFL using cutaways and how the Globes didn’t have to do that. So it was more of a jab toward the NFL. But it just didn’t come out that way.”
Jo Koy described the occasion as an "off night" for him as a performer.
Read: Gretchen Ho says Jo Koy's Golden Globes hosting stint "a wasted opportunity"
“I love the art of standup. It was cool the opportunity came to me, but hosting is just a beast. That’s about it," said Jo Koy.
Despite the blunder, hosting the Golden Globes was a memorable experience for the embattled stand-up comic.
“I had fun," stressed Jo Koy, who is the first Filipino-American to host the Golden Globes.
"You know, it was a moment that I’ll always remember."