Steve Martin Defends Latest Golden Globes Host After Backlash Pours In

The 81st Golden Globe Awards wrapped up on Sunday evening, pitting several worthy contenders vying for the ultimate prizes. Tasked with hosting the event was Jo Koy, who has six comedy shows released by Comedy Central and Netflix. He’s also the first Asian to solo host the Golden Globes.

However, Koy’s performance as host has come under fire since the ceremony ended. Coming to his defense is five-time Grammy winner Steve Martin, who has hosted the Oscars three times. Martin, an EGOT winner, is praising Koy for managing the responsibility, reminding viewers, “It’s a very difficult job.”

Jo Koy faces criticism for his Golden Globe hosting performance

On multiple occasions, Koy received what can be considered a lukewarm response to his jokes. A clip of Taylor Swift looking unamused at his jab at her NFL coverage has now gone viral, for example. Other stars looked less than entertained.

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He also took a jab at Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and winner of the inaugural Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. Koy described the movie as being about “a plastic doll with big boobies.”

In response, Gerwig said, “Well, he’s not wrong,” elaborating, “She’s the first doll that was mass-produced with breasts, so he was right on. And you know, I think that so much of the project of the movie was unlikely because it is about a plastic doll. Barbie by her very construction has no character, no story, she’s there to be projected upon.”

Koy faced negative feedback the morning after his monologue and other jokes throughout the Golden Globes. In response, Koy said, “It’s a tough room. It was a hard job.”

Steve Martin defends Jo Koy in response to the backlash

At his side is Steve Martin. “I tip my hat to anyone who steps out on stage to host a live awards show,” said the Father of the Bride star. “It’s a very difficult job and not for the squeamish. I know because I’m still throwing up from the last time I did it in 2010.”

He went on, “So, Congratulations to Jo Koy, who took on the toughest gig in show business, hit, missed, was light on his feet, and now has twenty minutes of new material for his stand-up!”

Martin is joined by Whoopi Goldberg, who saw Swift’s unenthused reaction and said, “These hosting gigs are brutal. They’re just brutal. If you don’t know the room, if you’ve not been in these rooms before and you’re thrust out there, it’s hit or miss.”

Koy has also explained some of his choices behind that evening, saying he needed “five months, not nine days” to prepare. “We were still writing up until they said we’re live,” he explained. “Absolute cold reads, never got a chance to work out anything. And this is not an excuse. I’m just trying to paint the picture because I don’t think people understand, in any situation, how is that geared towards winning?”

Koy felt the weight of his responsibility as the first Asian to solo host in over eight decades, musing, “Imagine if someone said yes before me. We’d still be at the 82nd Golden Globes and still no Asian as a solo host, so if I didn’t say yes, there still would never have been.”

What did you think of the award ceremony?

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