Intense backlash rose after Jo Koy kicked off the 81st Golden Globes with some tone-deaf host commentary earlier this month.
After a year filled with women’s accomplishments within the media, many were looking forward to seeing the well-deserved recognition that was yet to come, including myself.
Hosting the Golden Globes is an incredibly tough gig, that’s neither here nor there. On the other hand, Koy, a stand-up comedian and 2024 Golden Globes host, wasn’t doing himself any favors.
“‘Oppenheimer’ is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project,” Koy said. “‘Barbie’ is on a plastic doll with big boobies.”
I think what was more difficult about watching this part for the first time was having to hear the forced, hesitant laughter that followed in the background. Not even three minutes into the show, celebrities in the audience knew it was only going downhill from here.
“The key moment in ‘Barbie’ is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite, and flat feet,” Koy said. “Or, what casting directors call a character actor.”
Just like viewers at home, celebrities in the audience including Selena Gomez had no other choice but to bury their heads in their hands as Koy continued to dig himself deeper.
This shows that no matter how big or influential a project may be, it only takes a few minutes for people like Koy to completely bring this success to the ground.
Reactions from “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling resembled the true defeat not only felt by them but by fans of the movie as well.
What’s unique about this situation in itself, is that it’s not unique at all. We have seen this time and time again throughout history. A man’s snide remarks and distasteful banter are the prerequisite to becoming a successful woman.
Koy couldn’t even stop himself from mentioning Taylor Swift in his commentary either.
“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL – on the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift,” Koy said.
This joke led to an uproar on social media with many people describing Swift’s reaction as “angry” or “annoyed.” If you saw this reaction with no context, you would understand this is a girl just sipping her drink. A prime example of how women have to deal with what’s thrown at them. If you don’t put up with it, you’re overreacting. If you overreact, you care too much. Don’t show them that you care, this shows weakness. If you express weakness, you’re right where they want you. Women know this all too well.
What this means for women in general is to not let someone like a male stand-up comedian diminish a powerful message that clearly went over his head to begin with.
