Comedian Jo Koy took the stage as host of the 2024 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night. What was meant to be a monumental career achievement for Koy instead turned into a comedy nightmare filled with awkward silence and viral snubs.
Opening Monologue Flops Badly
Koy kicked off the ceremony with a nearly 10-minute opening monologue packed with edgy jokes targeting various celebs in attendance. However, his risky humor was not well received by the A-list audience.
Several of Koy’s jokes – including quips about Robert De Niro’s career and a crude metaphor comparing Taylor Swift to a Barbie doll – were met with crickets instead of laughter. At one point, Koy even shouted “Come on!” in an unsuccessful plea for larger reactions.
| Joke Topic | Audience Reaction |
|---|---|
| Robert De Niro | Silence |
| Taylor Swift/NFL | Unamused stare from Swift |
| Bradley Cooper | Mild applause |
As the bits continued to bomb, Koy blamed his writers and the alcohol being served at tables. But the brutal monologue simply never recovered, leaving viewers questioning if Koy had blown his big shot at proving himself on Hollywood’s biggest stage.
Swift Appears to Snub Koy
One moment from Koy’s monologue that quickly went viral was Taylor Swift’s visible displeasure with his NFL joke made at her expense.
When comparing Swift to a Barbie, Koy referenced her past relationships with celebrities and quipped that she should “relax” and date an NFL player next. The camera cut to Swift, who glared at Koy with pursed lips.
Swift appearing to snub Koy fueled memes and reactions across social media. Some fans applauded Swift for a “classy clapback” against what they deemed a misogynistic joke.
“Koy tried to slut shame Taylor Swift and she was not having it. You go girl,” tweeted user @SwiftyFan2024.
Others argued Koy meant no harm and was simply doing his job to entertain. Either way, the tense exchange gave the ceremony an early uncomfortable energy that persisted throughout the evening.
Early Departure Fuels Speculation of Deliberate Diss
In the hours following Koy’s NFL joke, Swift was spotted leaving the ceremony early after also losing the Best Original Song award to Rihanna.
Swift’s early exit sparked rumors that she had deliberately snubbed the rest of the ceremony in response to Koy’s monologue. Fans even claimed Swift had rolled her eyes when Koy appeared back on stage later to present an award.
“Taylor clearly couldn’t wait to get out of there after Jo Koy came for her like that…awkward!!!” tweeted gossip columnist Morgan Jenkins.
However, Swift has not made any public statement on whether Koy’s jokes prompted her exit. It is also possible she simply had a scheduling conflict or was upset over her award loss.
Koy Downplays Backlash
A day after the infamous monologue, Koy responded lightly to the intense criticism and backlash it received.
In an exclusive interview, Koy called Swift’s scowl “cute” and denied meaning to offend celebrities with his humor.
“I love Taylor Swift, I think she’s extremely talented. It was a Barbie joke. It was a joke. I didn’t mean to offend anybody,” he told ET Online.
Koy also passed blame to Ana Gasteyer and Amy Poehler, claiming the past Globes hosts had advised him to “go hard” with timely, topical jokes.
Still, despite his casual defense, Koy’s first Golden Globes gig as host will likely be remembered for the wrong reasons. The polarizing material has even sparked questions on whether Koy will receive another chance at Hollywood redemption or fade back into comedy obscurity.
What Happens Next?
It remains to be seen if this hosting debacle causes long term damage to the crossover appeal Koy has worked years to build.
While the comedian did achieve a career dream in getting to lead Hollywood’s bawdy awards bash, the brutal reviews and backlash could dim Koy’s rising star power. Up to this point, the Filipino-American stand up comic had built a fanbase through multiple Netflix comedy specials and sold out global tours.
Koy was also generating Oscar buzz for his dramatic turn in the indie film “Easter Sunday,” which scored a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes last year.
But now some PR experts expect Koy may need to issue a more formal apology for the Globes mess to regain good graces in celebrity circles. Dodgers like Swift have loyal legions of fans who may continue meme-ing Koy’s monologue for weeks.
At the same time, Koy maintains a diehard comedy fanbase who applaud him for unfiltered material. While the tense Swift moment went viral, other zingers targeting Cooper, Kevin Costner and Jeremy Renner failed to land but did not spark social media piles-on.
Koy’s fortunes may ultimately depend most on whether high profile figures like Swift eventually move past petty grudges. For now, no permanent boycotts of Koy have emerged. But the Golden Globes debacle showed the risk comedians take when jokes flop on immensely public stages.
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