Jo Koy, who made history as the first Asian American to host the Golden Globe Awards, is facing criticism for several jokes he made during the opening monologue that fell flat with the audience and viewers at home.
Jokes Draw Silence and Criticism
Multiple attempts at humor throughout Koy’s monologue were met with silence or boos from the star-studded crowd. His joke implying Taylor Swift dated a lot of NFL players went viral for Swift’s unamused reaction shot, while a joke about Meghan Markle allegedly manifesting Prince Harry drew groans (Source 1, Source 2).
Koy later addressed the criticism, saying “It’s a tough room. This is not easy…We’re going to have some jokes that don’t hit” (Source).
But for many viewers, the issue went deeper than just a few flat jokes, with some calling the monologue offensive. A writer for IndieWire said:
“There’s bombing, and then there’s whatever Jo Koy inflicted on the world…it’s not just that Jo Koy wasn’t funny; it’s that he resorted to dated Asian stereotypes for lame punchlines.” (Source)
Swift’s Reaction Goes Viral
Much of the social media discussion centered around Koy’s joke about Swift’s dating history:
“Taylor Swift, coming off her midterms, has a big announcement,” he said. “She’s not going to direct the 2024 NFL playoffs — she’s going to star in it.”
The camera then cut to Swift, who looked stone-faced as she slowly put down her glass of wine. Swift fans criticized Koy for making light of her past scrutiny around dating as a way to take an unrelated dig at Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs (Source 1, Source 2).
Memes and gifs of Swift’s expression instantly went viral, overshadowing Koy’s other jokes. On Twitter, Piers Morgan wrote: “Taylor Swift’s face speaks for all of us…” (Source).
| Public Figures’ Reactions | |
|---|---|
| Swift looking unamused during Koy’s joke (Source) | |
| Megyn Kelly criticizes Swift’s reaction (Source) |
Koy Defends Himself
In response to the criticism, Koy has gone on something of an “apology tour” to explain himself. He continues to defend the Swift joke as an innocent moment, saying:
“I love Taylor Swift…It was just a joke. None of those jokes were meant to hurt anybody” (Source).
He also absolved himself of blame for the more controversial jokes, claiming they were all written for him by a team of comedy writers (Source).
Still, Koy admits hosting awards shows can be very difficult:
”It’s not easy, this job…Hopefully the next time I host something it goes smoother” (Source).
What Happens Next?
It remains to be seen if this hosting controversy will have lasting effects on Koy’s career. Some believe that, as a pioneering Asian American host, the focus should remain on the historic nature of his selection (Source).
Others argue that his defensive response and refusal to take full ownership shows poor leadership and decision-making skills that bring his qualifications into question (Source).
As Koy himself worries this experience could make things “tougher the next time” he hosts, all eyes will be on whether he lands another prominent emcee gig in the near future. For now, the 2024 Golden Globes ceremony will likely be remembered more for controversy than any celebration of cinema.
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