Jo Koy. John Nacion/Getty Images
Jo Koy is making his way from the comedy scene to awards season.
Koy, 52, was announced as the host of the 2024 Golden Globe Awards on Thursday, December 21. The ceremony, which airs on Sunday, January 7, will mark Koy’s awards show hosting debut.
“I’ve stepped onto a lot of stages around the world in my career, but this one is going to be extra special. I’m so excited to be hosting the Golden Globes this year,” Koy said in a press release on Thursday. “This is that moment where I get to make my Filipino family proud. Mahal Kita (Google it)!”
Koy follows in the footsteps of fellow Golden Globes hosts such as Jerrod Carmichael, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Ricky Gervais, Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh. The 2024 ceremony will introduce two new categories: Best Performance in Stand-up Comedy on Television and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
The 2024 Golden Globes air live on CBS and Paramount+ Sunday, January 7, at 8 p.m. ET. Keep scrolling for five things to know about Jo Koy:
1. When Did Jo Koy Get Into Comedy?
Koy told Variety in October 2020 that he had wanted to be a comedian since he was 11 years old and was inspired by Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. He credited his mother with making him “fall in love with the stage and getting in front of people” by performing at large Filipino gatherings.
Despite a failed audition on a talent search show in his teens, Koy continued to pursue his passion at open mic nights and eventually started to open for other acts. Upon moving to Los Angeles, he became a regular at comedy clubs such as the Laugh Factory, where Tiffany Haddish would reportedly babysit his son during shows. His career took off when he joined Chelsea Handler’s talk show, Chelsea Lately, in 2009. He appeared on more than 130 episodes of the show until the end of its run in 2014.
His first Netflix special, Jo Koy: Live from Seattle, debuted in 2017, and he released three more before landing a two-special deal with the streaming platform in April. According to his website, Koy’s Live From Seattle special landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts in 2019.
2. What Other Projects Has Jo Koy Appeared In?
In addition to his comedy career, Koy has appeared in a number of TV shows and movies, including Mr. Iglesias, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Haunted Mansion, The Monkey King and Leo. He also starred in and executive produced the 2022 family comedy Easter Sunday.
3. Where Is Jo Koy From?
Koy was born in Tacoma, Washington, and often uses his Filipino family as inspiration for his comedy. “Filipino moms s–t on their kids’ dreams,” he joked during his Live from Seattle special. “I told my mom I wanted to be a comedian. She cried, ‘Why? Why do you want to be a comedian, Joseph? All your aunties are nurses, your cousins are nurses. Do you see any clowns in this family? I don’t. Do you?’ S–t on my dream, right there.”
Chelsea Handler and Jo Koy: The Way They Were
Comedians in love? Chelsea Handler knew Jo Koy for nearly 20 years before they started dating — but their romance happened right on time. During an October 2021 episode of her “Dear Chelsea” podcast, Handler admitted that she may have had feelings for Koy when he was a regular guest on her late-night talk show, Chelsea […]
4. Who Has Jo Koy Dated?
Koy is currently single, but he previously dated Handler, 48, from 2021 to 2022. “I love her, man. She’s amazing. She’s a boss. She’s incredible,” he told Good Morning Washington of his now-ex in October 2021. “Nothing better than to be in love with someone that you have been friends with for a long time. She’s got my back, and I’ve always had hers.”
Handler revealed in July 2022 that she and Koy had called it quits after less than one year of dating. “It is with a heavy heart to announce that we have decided together that it is best for us to take a break from our relationship right now,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “I know many of you were invested in our love, and I wanted to express to you how much that meant to both of us. How much it still means. And how much I now believe in love for each of us.”
5. Does Jo Koy Have Any Kids?
Koy welcomed his son, Joseph Herbert Jr., in 2003 with his ex-wife, Angie King, whom he was married to from 2003 to 2013. “My son is just a walking joke for me,” Koy quipped during a September 2019 interview on Larry King Now. “Run into something, bump into [something], whatever it is, I’m gonna go up on stage and talk about it. You’re not safe here. If it happens inside these walls that I pay for, I’m going to capitalize, and you’re going to enjoy what we make off of you together.”
