Golden Globes Host Jo Koy Has “Never Written This Many Jokes Before in My Life”

Jo Koy was “literally sitting on 10 days’ notice.” With barely more than a week to prepare for his job hosting the Golden Globes on January 7, as opposed to the months he says hosts usually get, the comedian was under the gun for his first awards hosting gig.

“And I don’t care. I love it,” he promises. “I’m feeling overwhelmed, nervous, excited, pressure, and I’m not complaining. I’ve been granted a beautiful opportunity, I’m going to seize the moment and enjoy it.”

The comedian, best known for his four Netflix comedy specials and his many appearances on Chelsea Lately, as well as starring in last year’s studio comedy Easter Sunday, says the Globes hosting gig has presented him with several new challenges.

“I’ve never written this many jokes before in my life,” he admits. “I’ve got six specials under my belt right now, but this is the most joke-writing I’ve done, and it’s a style that I’ve never [done]. This is all new, doing a host-style monologue, yet still giving it my tone and my voice. It’s been challenging, but, man, we’re having a blast. And we’re knocking this monologue out.”

Since the news was announced December 21, Koy says, he’s received an outpouring of love and support from fans, friends, and unsolicited yet very welcome advice from fellow comedians.

“The most amazing thing is that I’m getting unsolicited help from people that I admire,” he says. “Like Seth Meyers getting on the phone with me and telling me certain things that he felt about the Golden Globes—that he had nervous energy going in, and that he didn’t go out during New Year’s Eve. I told him, ‘I’m not going out New Year’s Eve.’ He goes, ‘Neither did I.’ And to hear that from him made me feel good, like, Okay, then. This is a normal feeling. It’s not me. He had it too, and this guy’s got his own talk show.”

“And getting a call from Chris Rock, we were talking for, like, an hour,” Koy continues. Rock, who is also nominated at the Golden Globes in one of two new categories, best performance in a stand-up special, is a two-time Oscar host. “He’s telling me things like, ‘F–k the wardrobe change. Don’t worry about your outfit. Worry about the show. Watch the show. That way you’re prepared, if something happens, you’re ready. You don’t want to be in the back in the room changing your outfit, and you’re like, What happened? You want to be there.’”

Koy adds that another nominee, Ali Wong, reminded him of the importance of doing his own research.

“Ali Wong, when she talked to me on the phone, was like, ‘Be prepared. Just be prepared.’ And that’s why I’ve been hyperfocused, watching every [nominated] movie and TV show—because of Ali. This is my second time watching Beef. I already watched it, but she’s right. I’m going to be prepared, watching all these movies, writing down ideas, and writing out joke ideas. I’d rather be overprepared.”