Steve Martin salutes Jo Koy after Golden Globes hosting stint

Steve Martin and Jo Koy. Image: Getty Images/ Slaven Vlasic via AFP; Instagram/@goldenglobes

Despite the flak over Jo Koy’s hosting stint at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, Steve Martin congratulated the Filipino-American comedian and admired him for taking on “the toughest gig in show business.”

Actor-comedian Martin has nothing but kind words for Jo Koy, as per the former’s Threads page on Tuesday, Jan. 9

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

Martin was referring to his Oscars hosting stint with American actor Alec Baldwin in 2010. Martin was also given the hosting gig in the prestigious awarding ceremony in 2001 and 2003.

“So, congratulations to Jo Koy, who took on the toughest gig in show business, hit, missed, was light on his feet, and now has [20] minutes of new material for his stand up!” he added on his post. 

Post by @stevemartinreally View on Threads

Jo Koy earned criticisms after he blurted jokes that were apparently not well received by the celebrities they were pertaining to.

Days after the awarding event, Jo Koy admitted that it was a “tough room” and that he was hurt by the negative reactions toward his performance.

“It was a hard job. I’m not gonna lie, getting that gig, having the kind of amount we had to prepare, that was a crash course,” said the comedian, who only had 10 days to prepare his Golden Globes monologue.

Aside from Martin, other Hollywood and local celebrities who came to Jo Koy’s defense were Whoopi Goldberg, Howard Stern, John Arcilla and Ogie Diaz.