The 52 year-old comedian quickly learned that Barbie’s “big boobies” and throwing his writers under the bus were probably not the best ways to do one’s opening monologue at the Golden Globes — even if he got the gig “just 10 days ago.”
Filipinos rode on yet another of wave of “Pinoy Pride,” when Jo Koy made history as the first Filipino-American to host the Golden Globes ceremony, after Chris Rock, Ali Wong and a slew of other comedians reportedly turned down the offer.
Just the same, Jo Koy braved the storm, even if he had a little over a couple of weeks to prepare for one of Hollywood’s biggest nights. The result: a handsome, cleaned-up Jo Koy who waltzed into the Beverly Hilton, carrying with him the promise of comedy gold for the once beleaguered awards night, which debuted its more inclusive and racially diverse stage in the post-pandemic world.
Jo Koy started the show with the same mix of patronizing, self-effacing humor that he is known for, as he played his regular-guy-before-the-Hollywood-greats card to a somewhat quiet gallery. From there, to paraphrase F Scott. Fitzgerald, the comedian slipped briskly into a series of missteps from which he never recovered.
The Oppenheimer jokes didn’t quite land. Even throwing in names of the greats – Kevin Costner, Meryl Streep, etc. – proved less than stellar. However, it was Barbie and her “big boobies” that ultimately sunk Jo Koy’s ship. Jo Koy might have missed it but the Golden Globes and breasts are a recipe for disaster. Just ask Jeremy Renner who almost got cancelled after incorporating Jennifer Lopez’ pair of “golden globes” into his off-script joke.
He later went on to talk about Saltburn actor Barry Keoghan’s penis, Killers of the Flower Moon where “white people stole everything,” the dysfunctional families in Succession – and The Crown – and many more. A bit with well-beloved actress Meryl Streep, who gamely played along near the end of his monologue, also received somewhat lukewarm response.
Were they the corniest jokes ever? Far from.
Were they the meanest and most offensive? We’ve all seen Ricky Gervais on that stage, so, no.
But unlike Gervais, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and more, Jo Koy didn’t seem to fully commit to his jokes. Just a couple of dry spells into his monologue and he seemed more than willing to pin the blame on his writers. “Shut up. You’re kidding me, right. Slow down. I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at,” he said during his skit.
“I got the gig ten days ago! You want a perfect monologue?” he even asked.
Well, frankly, I think no one was expecting a perfect monologue. Just something the viewers could laugh at — and the host could own up to. — By Jose Paolo S. dela Cruz
