Joy Koy is looking on the bright side at what many thought was a disastrous turn hosting Sunday night’s Golden Globes. Koy’s opening monologue in particular received a lackluster response from viewers on social media and attending celebrities. On social media, viewers noted nonplussed reactions from Harrison Ford, Taylor Swift, and the entire Barbie cast.
When questioned about his Golden Globes performance, Koy, who allegedly had only 10 days to prepare for the hosting job, showered himself with accolades. His grade for his performance? “A-plus just based on the courage (to do it),” he recently told the Los Angeles Times.
“We were still writing up until they said we’re live,” Koy explained to the outlet. “Absolute cold reads, never got a chance to work out anything. And this is not an excuse. I’m just trying to paint the picture because I don’t think people understand, in any situation, how is that geared towards winning?”
However, Koy isn’t questioning his decision to take the job on short notice. “I’m happy I did it because I did accept that challenge,” he said. The Filipino comic was proud to bring cultural representation to the Globes, which has faced past criticism for its lack of diversity. “I’m the first Asian to ever solo host. It’s 2024. I’m the first out of 81 years,” Koy pointed out. “Imagine if someone said yes before me. We’d still be at the 82nd Golden Globes and still no Asian as a solo host, so if I didn’t say yes, there still would never have been.”
Perhaps Jo Koy’s most scrutinized Golden Globes joke was one about the famous relationship between pop queen Taylor Swift and pro football player Travis Kelce. “As you know, we came on after a football doubleheader,” Koy said during his opening monologue. “The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL: On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift, I swear.”
Swift, who often attends Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs games, appeared unfazed by the joke. She sat stone-faced, sipping her drink.
However, Koy insists the barb wasn’t meant to offend the “Bad Blood” crooner. “The whole intention of that joke was to make fun of the NFL,” Koy explained. “It’s like, the cool thing about the Globes is we don’t need to do cutaways for ratings. What hurts the most is me just supporting Taylor. I support her; I love her work. I got nieces that I bought tickets for. There’s no ill intent in that joke”.