Jo Koy, selected as the host for a prestigious awards show just a month ago, expressed immense excitement about the opportunity but found himself hurriedly crafting a speech to acknowledge the year’s significant films and stars.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Koy confessed to never having watched as many movies and TV shows before, setting the stage for a monologue that touched on diverse topics, including Barbie, Saltburn, and Taylor Swift.
While many of Koy’s jokes resonated with the audience, some failed to land, prompting the comedian to navigate through the awkward moments. A particular joke about the Barbie movie, taking a dig at the acting industry, fell flat, with Koy humorously stating, “The key moment in Barbie is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite, and flat feet… or what casting directors call ‘character actor.'”
The aftermath of this joke saw an almost palpable silence in the room, with a delayed response of chuckles, leaving uncertainty about whether they were genuine or born out of awkwardness.
Recognizing the misstep, Koy took it upon himself to defend the situation, explaining the collaborative nature of the jokes and emphasizing the limited time he had to prepare for the gig.
In a seemingly unscripted moment, Koy responded assertively to the audience’s reaction, stating, “Yo, shut up. You’re kidding me right? Slow down. I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”
This unanticipated outburst led one viewer to dub Koy’s speech as ‘probably one of the worst opening monologues ever,’ while others criticized him for seemingly ‘blaming the writers’ for the lack of laughs.
Despite the mixed reception, Koy reiterated his commitment to a celebratory approach, intending to have a good time while also poking fun at some of the stars present in the crowd. Ahead of taking the stage, Koy shared that he had undergone a ‘crash course in how to emcee a major event,’ underscoring his determination to roast some of the stars at the show.
“I want to do it in a celebratory way, and I want to have a good time, but I am still going to make fun of a lot of people,” he affirmed.