The 2024 Golden Globes destroyed Jo Koy

The 2024 — 81st annual Golden Globes aimed to redeem itself from past controversies, but the host, comedian Jo Koy, faced an uphill battle. Written with just two weeks’ notice, Koy’s opening monologue was awkward, contentious, and uncomfortable, setting the tone for a lackluster night filled with awkward stares and grimaces.

Despite the tradition of poking fun at celebrities, Koy’s jokes, targeting everyone from Meryl Streep to Taylor Swift, largely fell flat. His attempts at humor often crossed into inappropriate territory, including a particularly cringe-worthy moment of misogyny when he made a joke about Barbie, inadvertently highlighting the underlying sexism in the film. “Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies”.

Jo Koy’s comment about Barbie having “big boobies” is particularly problematic in the context of what the Barbie movie represents. The Barbie film aimed to challenge stereotypes and address issues related to beauty standards and self-image as well as highlighting the struggles everyday women go through. By reducing Barbie to a physical aspect and making a crude joke about her appearance, Koy’s comment undermines the intended message of the movie and in a way proves the point behind the movie itself. It trivializes the broader cultural discussions about representation and inclusivity that the Barbie franchise may have been trying to contribute to, ultimately missing an opportunity to engage in a more thoughtful and constructive conversation.

The audience, both at the event and watching at home, responded with disapproval. Even Helen Mirren and Selena Gomez physically grimaced during his ‘jokes’, while the Barbie cast and crew, including Greta Gerwig, Ryan Gosling, and Issa Rae, appeared unamused with his sexist comments.

To worsen the situation, Koy became defensive after the poorly received joke, blaming his writers and the limited time he had to prepare as an excuse. In an unscripted moment, he brushed off criticism, defending his efforts despite the evident lack of comedic success. He also brushed off his insensitive jokes implying that he wasn’t the one who wrote them. “Some I wrote some other people wrote”. The question is, whether or not he did or did not write them, Jo Koy would have had to read the script and learn what to say before hand and wouldn’t have done so if he didn’t really agree with what he was saying.

In conclusion, the 2024 Golden Globes, intended as a redemption from previous controversies, faced disappointment due to comedian Jo Koy’s ill-prepared and uncomfortable hosting. Koy’s misguided attempts at humor, including inappropriate jokes targeting celebrities and a cringe-worthy comment about Barbie, not only fell flat but also demonstrated a lack of sensitivity and awareness.

The specific comment about Barbie’s physical attributes proved particularly problematic in light of the Barbie movie’s intended message. The film sought to challenge stereotypes and address issues related to beauty standards and self-image, making Koy’s reduction of Barbie to a crude joke a stark contradiction to its purpose.

The audience’s disapproval, evident in grimaces from notable figures like Helen Mirren and Selena Gomez, as well as the unamused reactions from the Barbie cast and crew, underscored the inappropriateness of Koy’s remarks. Furthermore, Koy’s defensive response after the poorly received joke, blaming his writers and time constraints, only added to the disappointment. Regardless of who wrote the jokes, Koy’s responsibility lies in choosing to deliver them, raising questions about his alignment with the offensive content. Overall, the 2024 Golden Globes, instead of reclaiming relevance, became a platform where insensitivity overshadowed the intended celebration of achievements in the entertainment industry.