Golden Globes Host Jo Koy Criticized by Viewers for His 'Cringe' and 'Unbearable' Jokes

Jo Koy, the host of the Golden Globes, faced a challenging reception as his jokes failed to resonate with both the stars in attendance and the audience tuning in from home. Marking his inaugural stint as a major awards show host at the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards, viewers dubbed his opening monologue as "cringe-worthy" and "unbearable to watch," according to insights from the Mirror. Koy encountered difficulties in igniting laughter during the introduction to the 2024 awards ceremony. The American stand-up comedian ventured into hosting the awards following a successful three-decade career in stand-up comedy, headlining comedy specials on platforms like Netflix and Comedy Central.

On the red carpet before the show, Koy was questioned about his approach to the opening monologue. He responded by stating his intention to bring "his own thing" to the stage. Reports surfaced indicating that before Koy accepted the hosting role, a total of five other comedians had declined the offer to lead the event. Despite stepping in to rescue the situation, Koy faced a barrage of criticism after his initial presentation at the esteemed awards ceremony. Moreover, it appeared evident that the struggling host was aware of the faded reception as he attempted to defend himself while on stage.

He said, “Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago. you want a perfect monologue? Shut up. You’re kidding me, right?” During a moment when one of his jokes didn't land well, he went so far as to shift the blame onto his fellow writers. He said, “Some I wrote, some other people wrote.” As the Golden Globes segment concluded, numerous viewers longed for more amusing times. Koy's outset appeared shaky, repeatedly emphasizing in the initial moments of the ceremony that it was his inaugural hosting experience. Simultaneously, on X, the monologue gained traction for all the less favorable reasons, becoming a trending topic.

Los Angeles Magazine reported numerous comments indicating that the monologue's duration was excessive and that it was generally perceived as unfunny. One user tweeted, "Right, please do not let Jo Koy back on that stage, or this is going to be unbearable. Take out a restraining order if necessary. Another one stated, "Not a very strong monologue by Jo Koy—actually the worst I’ve ever seen—maybe the Golden Globes should pick a host more than 2 weeks before the awards air next time?" Amid the criticism, a faction of Koy's dedicated supporters remained in his support, expressing delight in witnessing him host a significant awards show.

According to the Hollywood Reporter sources, in one of his jokes, he said, “I loved Oppenheimer; it just needed another hour... My New Year’s resolution in 2024 is to finish Oppenheimer by 2025.… I love Oppenheimer, especially the first season.” Another joke was, “Saltburn, you know what I loved about Saltburn? Satanic families have feelings too. [Barry Keoghan’s penis] was the real star of the show.… Oh, there it is, on Bradley Cooper’s face.” Meanwhile, Koy has delivered several comedy specials and recently concluded his Funny is Funny World Tour. However, the Golden Globes mark what could be considered his most prominent endeavor to date.