The Unjustified Hate: Melissa Rivers Comes to the Defense of Jo Koy, Host of the 2024 Golden Globes (Exclusive)
Melissa Rivers passionately defends 2024 Golden Globes host Jo Koy, firmly denouncing the unjustified hate he has received In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Rivers sheds light on why Koy deserves support and admiration
Melissa Rivers came to the defense of Golden Globes host Jo Koy, stating that the criticism he received was unjustified. "That was not justified," Rivers, 55, told We exclusively on Monday, January 8. She explained, "Anyone who knows these shows knows that the hosts prep for months and they have a team of writers. He only got hired 10 days ago."
Koy was announced as the host on December 21 after a thorough search. Rivers believed that because Koy was relatively unknown to much of the audience, they chose not to laugh. She also mentioned that while some of the material may not have been his best, it should have still received laughs without offending anyone. She attributed the lack of laughter to the audience's decision not to have fun.
Rivers highlighted some humorous moments, such as a joke about Oppenheimer and another about the NFL's obsession with Taylor Swift since she began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
"It was definitely aimed at the NFL," Rivers explained. "It was a clever reference because football fans have been bombarded with Taylor Swift updates, even on the NFL's Instagram. It's just too much, but I'm glad she's happy."
Melissa Rivers, Jo Koy Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for MGM;Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moët & Chandon
After Koy's comment about Swift on Sunday, the camera showed the "Karma" singer with an unimpressed look on her face as she took a sip of her drink. Although Swift didn't seem to appreciate being the target of the joke, Rivers dismissed the comment as "innocuous."
"Especially coming from someone who tries to be funny... I don't consider myself a comedian, but coming from that background, I just want to tell people, 'Come on, just go along with it,'" said Rivers, defending the remark as "harmless."
Rivers criticized the ceremony as being "not enjoyable" and pointed out that the Golden Globes are meant to be a fun event. She mentioned that the timing of the awards show, just as people are returning to work after the holidays, contributes to the lack of enthusiasm. Following his hosting debut, Koy did not receive positive feedback from the audience and viewers at home. Many were unimpressed with Koy's excuses for his jokes not landing well and his attempts to shift the blame onto his writers. This criticism came in the wake of the WGA and SAG strikes.
"I landed the gig just 10 days ago! Looking for a flawless monologue? Well, hold on. Are you serious? Take it easy," he addressed the audience. "I penned some of these jokes, and those are the ones getting you all in stitches."
While Koy's hosting stint didn't garner much accolades, Rivers wasn't the lone voice defending the comedian. On a recent episode of The View, cohost Sara Haines criticized the reactions of celebrities during the ceremony.
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"I'm a huge fan of Jo Koy and I was constantly on edge because I find him incredibly funny. He's talented, kind, and just all-around amazing. What disturbs me the most is the lack of appreciation for comedy. Comedians are vital to our lives and we need to cherish and support them. Instead of constraining them, we should allow them the freedom to express themselves. In that room, Jo Koy is delivering top-notch comedy and no one is left feeling sorry. Let's just enjoy and smile."
Reported by Travis Cronin and Robyn Merrett
