By Gay Ace Domingo
WHEN it was announced last month that comedian Jo Koy was going to host the 81st Golden Globes, many Filipinos were happy for the Filipino-American. Joseph Glenn Herbert or Jo Koy, who was born in the Philippines to a Filipina mother and American father, had become the toast of the stand-up comedy scene in the US. So good that Steven Spielberg (a fan of Jo Koy’s special, “Comin’ In Hot”) supported Jo Koy’s 2022 debut film “Easter Sunday.” Jo Koy had also gained a following in his home country of the Philippines, as evidenced by the fans who warmly welcomed him when he promoted “Easter Sunday” two years ago.
Hosting the Golden Globes is a big deal. The presentation spearheaded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) ushers in the awards season in the US.
Excitement was high for Jo Koy. But by now almost everyone knows he didn’t meet the expectations. Among the reasons cited was that his monolog was flat. There was even a joke about “Barbie” that was misogynistic.
JB Capino, professor of English at University of Illinois and a scholar of cinema and media studies, believes the controversial quips were intentional. He cites the case of comedian-actor Ricky Gervais who hosted the Golden Globes in 2020. “Ricky Gervais also famously offended the attendees and viewers with his edgy humor. Perhaps the show’s producers favor that sort of comedy to distinguish their program from the wholesome Oscars.”
Yet it didn’t help that midway through the monolog, Jo Koy fumbled and blamed his writers, saying, “Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago. You want a perfect monolog? Yo, shut up. You’re kidding me, right? Slow down. I wrote some of these [jokes], and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”
For Drag Race Philippines senior story producer/headwriter Josel Garlitos that ad lib of Jo Koy was a big no-no. “Sobrang nakakainis,” says Josel. “Iniyabang niya ang sarili niya na yung mga nakakatawang bits daw ay siya ang sumulat. Plus sinabi pa niya na may 10 days lang siya since nakuha ang gig. Parang biglang may yabang at hugas kamay. Super nakaka-off.”
Communications specialist Nilo Yacat, who teaches communication planning at Miriam College, has a similar view. “He (Jo Koy) lost his credibility when he began blaming others for jokes that bombed. When you host one of the biggest shows on earth, own it. Do not make excuses.
“This reminds me of a favorite communication theory called source credibility. In a gist, the theory says you have to be competent and dynamic for your audience to believe in you. When Jo Koy quipped that he just got the gig 10 days ago and the audience should not expect a perfect monolog, his credibility just went kapoot.”
And for Taylor Swift fans, Jo’s biggest faux pas was when he uttered, “As you know, we came on after a football double header… The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL (National Football League): On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor, I swear.”
At the Golden Globes, the camera panned to an unsmiling Taylor who simply sipped her drink. The conclusion then was that she was not amused.
Book publisher Monette Quiogue disagrees. “Why is it okay for Taylor Swift to write all these songs about the men in her life and not okay to make jokes about her?” Monette argues. “I thought Jo Koy’s joke was hilarious and so on point. So now all her fans are going to go after Jo Koy for telling the truth?”
Comedian-writer Alex Calleja thinks the situation – and maybe, the entire show, for that matter – could have been salvaged had the director chosen to show more shots of people laughing. “Mali rin ang prod,” Alex tells Malaya Business Insight, referring to the team behind the scenes of the Golden Globe show. “‘Yung production hindi nag-support (kay Jo Koy). Reaction ni Taylor ‘yung ipinakita. Dapat naghanap sila ng tumatawa.”
Alex then adds in seemingly deadpan humor, “N’ung kumalat ‘yung video, umalma ang Swifties. Marami sila. Trial by publicity ang nangyari kay Jo Koy. Mass hysteria!”
Perhaps Jo was at a disadvantage even before he stepped on the Golden Globes stage. “He had a tough job because he is not as well-known as the previous hosts,” says Professor JB.
Drag Race Philippines Josel headwriter points out, “For me, Jo Koy is still an outsider. He still doesn’t have the clout of a Ricky Gervais, or Will Ferrel, or Kristin Wiig na sobrang inembrace ng Golden Globes crowd because of their self-deprecation.”
News sites had to come up with articles to introduce Jo Koy to the public, and hence, to the Hollywood community. Alex shares the comment of a Malaysian comedian who likened Jo Koy to a gardener vis-í -vis the Hollywood A-listers. Likewise, Jo Koy’s opening statement about being there “as a dream come true” just reiterated that he was not part of the scene. “Fan-boying, eh… Na-overwhelm,” Alex says of Jo Koy. “Akala natin dito sa Pilipinas na sikat na sikat si Jo Koy. Mas malaki ang mundo.”
Well-known personalities such as Whoopi Goldberg, Howard Stern, and Steve Martin, have come to Jo Koy’s defense. And, as of this writing, Jo has not stopped giving interviews to apologize for the unfunny remarks, and, more importantly for throwing his “writers under the bus.” Website Daily Beast called the effort an “apology tour.”
Damage control? Maybe. “The Golden Globes was a fatal attempt for Jo Koy to get into the big leagues, though, and the issue will set him back for several years,” says JB.
But a week since the fateful awards night, Jo Koy is still a hot topic. Arguably, the comic has become a more interesting conversation piece compared to the actual Golden Globe winners.
As some sort of vindication, the ratings for the 2024 Golden Globes awards night, which was broadcast live on US network CBS, averaged 9.4 million viewers — according to an article published on Billboard.com. The figure is said to be a 50 % increase from 2023.
How all this will impact on Jo’s future remains to be seen. “Ang pinakapangit ay kung walang reaction,” says Alex. “Ngayon, trending si Jo Koy. Kung hindi siya kilala noon ng Hollywood, ngayon kilalang-kilala na siya. What he did at the Golden Globes was not a bad performance. It’s not the end of his career.”
