Jo Koy Finally Walks Back Taylor Swift Dig After Golden Globes Backlash

Jo Koy, Taylor Swift

Jo Koy, a comedian and first-time host at the 2024 Golden Globes, reflected on his performance and the backlash he received, particularly when it came to an early joke about Taylor Swift.

The 52-year-old got the hosting gig last minute, commenting on a variety of celebrities in his opening monologue, such as Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep.

But when it came to his quip about Swift, saying, "The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? We have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift," neither Swift nor her fans were laughing.

While Koy defended his joke later in the night on Jan. 7, telling a reporter, "It was cute. I was just saying it's less cutaways," he appeared to change his tune a little the next morning.

The comedian sat down with Good Morning America to talk about the Golden Globes and the backlash from both viewers and industry professionals, and admitted that his Swift-centric bit fell "a little flat."

“It was a weird joke, I guess. But it was more on the NFL," he added. "I was trying to make fun of the NFL using cutaways and how the Globes didn’t have to do that. So it was more of a jab toward the NFL. But it just didn’t come out that way.”

As for the general criticism surrounding his performance, he acknowledged that hosting is "a hard job," adding, "I’d be lying if [I said] it doesn’t hurt."

"I hit a moment there where I was like, ‘Ah.’ Hosting is just a tough gig," he added. "Yes, I’m a stand-up comic but that hosting position it’s a different style...It was a crash course. I feel bad, but I got to still say I loved what I did."

While his first major award show hosting gig maybe didn't go as smoothly as one might hope, Koy has an impressive comedy career that continues to flourish. With four successful Netflix comedy specials already under his belt, as well as a few on Comedy Central, Koy just filmed the next of two more Netflix specials last November in Brooklyn, as reported by Variety.

No details about the title or release date for the two upcoming specials have been announced yet.

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