6 celebs who supported Jo Koy despite backlash over Golden Globes joke on Taylor Swift
Celebrities who defended comedian Jo Koy over Taylor Swift joke at Golden Globes
Comedian Jo Koy landed in hot waters earlier this month for cracking jokes on Taylor Swift and 'Barbie' movie while hosting the 2024 Golden Globe Awards. "A big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift. I swear, there’s more to go here. Sorry about that," Koy said during his onstage monologue, which left Swift and several other celebrities present at the venue visibly disappointed. The joke also sparked an immediate online backlash against the comedian, who himself admitted that his joke about Swift was "weird" and fell "a little flat." However, some celebrities defended Koy against the ongoing criticism following the awards show. Let us take a look at the six celebs who supported Koy despite the Golden Globes controversy.
Whoopi Goldberg
In the wake of the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, 'The View' host Whoopi Goldberg wanted people criticizing Koy to understand that hosting award shows can be "brutal" in nature. The moderator addressed the sharp backlash Koy faced after the Golden Globes and said, "If you don't know the room, if you’ve not been in these rooms before and you’re sort of thrust out there, it's hit or miss." Goldberg also added that Koy is "as good as it gets when it comes to stand-ups" and mentioned that hosting "is not an easy gig" before joking about how she received harsh reactions for her past hosting jobs as well.
Kevin Hart
Comedian and actor Kevin Hart also came out in support of Koy during a recent appearance on 'Watch What Happens Live!' with Andy Cohen. "Jo's fine," Hart said when Cohen asked him about Koy throwing his hands up mid-Golden Globes and telling the audience, "Hey, I just got this gig 10 days ago." "Jo Koy is a phenomenal comedian; he sells out arenas everywhere," Hart further insisted. "If I’m Jo, I don’t let it get to me," he stated. "Let it slide off your back. You’re fine. You’ll be fine. You’re a talented and successful comic," Hart stated, adding, "It’s a tough room where the expectation is one of consequence and everyone is on edge."
Seth Meyers
Late night host Seth Meyers was another celebrity to show his support towards Koy after the Golden Globes backlash. Speaking to Variety, Meyers said Koy did a "great job" at hosting the 2024 Golden Globe Awards. "When you do a show like these, it helps to have a staff of people you know and you trust well," he said, adding, "So, all things considered, I thought he did a great job considering how the deck was stacked against him." Meyers also complimented Koy, saying he has "had this incredible career" and "done it all on his own."
Steve Martin
Steve Martin, a three-time Academy Awards host, also showed his support towards Koy following the Golden Globes criticism. "I tip my hat to anyone who steps out on stage to host a live awards show," the 'Only Murders in the Building' star wrote on Threads. "It’s a very difficult job and not for the squeamish. I know because I’m still throwing up from the last time I did it in 2010," he added. "So, Congratulations to Jo Koy, who took on the toughest gig in show business, hit, missed, was light on his feet, and now has twenty minutes of new material for his stand up!" Martin concluded.
Bethenny Frankel
'The Real Housewives of New York' alum Bethenny Frankel defended Koy by making a video about his Golden Globes backlash with a caption that read, "Just because comedians make hosting look easy doesn’t mean it is… Props to @jokoy for showing up and finishing the race." "He got hired to host the Golden Globes 10 days before. You can't now start whining about that... you only had 10 days to prepare because like if you enter the Olympics you can't do it," Frankel said in the clip.
"The joke he told about the NFL and Taylor is like a joke. It's just like a joke," she quipped, adding, "Some writer wrote it or helped him with it. He went with it." The reality star also shaded Swift's reaction to the joke, saying, "She didn't think it's funny. Who gives a sh*t like it wasn't that funny? But it wasn't that like salacious and like horrible." She further stated, "I mean you know he didn't throw in a dub dumpster with duct tape on her mouth. So like why is everyone so crazy about the whole thing? He was a host. He survived and he didn't get slapped."
Megyn Kelly
Journalist and political commentator Megyn Kelly also showed her support towards Koy by putting Swift on a blast for her reaction to the comedian's Golden Globes joke. "Can’t she just like show that she’s a good sport? I think she made the wrong move," Kelly said on her SiriusXM show, adding that his joke was a "gentle swipe." "By the way, she’s not in charge with the number of times the NFL chooses to put her on cam. That’s not her fault," Kelly stated before saying, "It is annoying, and if she were smart, she would laugh like she was in on the joke." Kelly said if she was Swift's "adviser," she would have suggested the pop star to go along with the joke to show she was aware the NFL's focus on her had "been a bit much" amid her romance with Travis Kelce. "[Her facial expression] looked like 'How dare you question me and my popularity,'" Kelly said in reference to Swift blankly sipping on a drink in response to Koy's joke.
More from MEAWW
