Renowned radio personality urges comedians to steer clear of emceeing award ceremonies at any cost; Koy shares his experience in a challenging setting.
After the initial consensus that Jo Koy’s hosting performance at the Golden Globes was a total failure, opinions have begun to diverge as time has passed. Interestingly, some celebrities and comedians have stepped up to defend him, adding a new perspective to the conversation.
One such personality who voiced his support for Jo Koy was Howard Stern. During his popular Sirius XM show, Stern expressed sympathy for the comedian, primarily because he had only ten days to prepare for the event. Stern revealed that other renowned comedians, such as Chris Rock, had turned down the hosting duties, a fact Koy himself shared when acknowledging Rock’s advice prior to accepting the role.
On his show, Stern expressed his relief that nobody wanted to host a particular event, highlighting the difficulty of such shows. He specifically mentioned Jimmy Kimmel, the host of the Academy Awards in several years, who receives six months of preparation for the task. Stern emphasized the challenge of telling jokes to an audience that doesn’t appreciate being laughed at, explaining why comedians need cynicism to be funny. He questioned the appeal of attending an event where cynicism is not allowed, claiming that Hollywood lacks a sense of humor about itself. Celebrities present at the event seemed to support Stern’s viewpoint with serious responses on social media. Selena Gomez, who has faced heavy scrutiny similar to Koy, commented under a video of the controversial Swift joke, expressing discomfort with it.
However, similar to Stern, many individuals from the realm of comedy empathized with Koy’s struggles. Comedian Kevin Hart stood alongside Stern in showing his support for Koy. “[Koy is] an incredible comedian. He has always been phenomenal and consistently sells out arenas,” Hart expressed. “Navigating through that particular environment can be challenging. Although people may focus on the negative aspects, there is an abundance of positivity behind it all. Jo is talented and has always been. Personally, I admire Jo. I have no issues with him. He has come a long way, and he will undoubtedly continue to thrive.”
As for Koy himself, how does he feel about his performance and the ensuing reactions on social media? During an interview with Good Morning America, he shared, “I had a great time. It was a memorable experience that I will always cherish. Admittedly, it was a tough gig. I won’t sugarcoat it…it does sting a little.”
“I had a moment where I was like, ‘Oh,’ he continued. “Being a host is really tough. Yes, I’m a stand-up comedian, but hosting requires a different skill set. I approached it from a writer’s perspective. We had a short amount of time to write the monologue – it was intense. I do feel a bit guilty, but I still have to say, I absolutely enjoyed the experience.”
Source: lamag.com
