Chelsea Handler is known for her unapologetic humor that spares no one, not even her ex-boyfriends.
She recently took to the stage at the Critics Choice Awards 2024 and delivered a punchline that seemed to be directed at her ex-boyfriend, Jo Koy.
Chelsea’s Opening Line: A Salute to the Hot Old Men
Chelsea started her opening monologue by complimenting the good-looking older men in the room.
She gave a shout-out to Harrison Ford and Robert De Niro, calling them “smoke shows.”
Chelsea then mentioned Martin Scorsese, who was absent from the event, and joked about how she would “toss him around like a little Italian meatball.”
Chelsea’s Jab at Jo Koy
After delivering her meatball joke, Chelsea thanked the audience for their laughter, saying, “My writers wrote it.”
This line drew massive applause from the crowd, many of whom were attendees of the Golden Globes.
The joke seemed to be a direct reference to Jo Koy’s monologue at the Golden Globes.
During his stint, several of his jokes had fallen flat, leading him to blame his writers and the short notice he was given to prepare.
Jo Koy’s Controversial Golden Globe Monologue
During the Golden Globes, Jo Koy had made a few controversial remarks that sparked backlash.
One of them was his comment about the NFL’s frequent camera cuts to Taylor Swift during her boyfriend’s games.
Many of his fans criticized his joke about Taylor Swift.
Following the backlash, Koy defended himself in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
He clarified that his joke about Swift had no ill intent, and it was just a casual observation.
Jo Koy: The Golden Globes Host Under Fire
Following his controversial stint as the Golden Globes host, Jo Koy faced significant backlash.
He was accused of throwing his writers under the bus and making insensitive remarks.
However, he clarified in an interview that his comments were not meant to target his writers and that he had complete respect for their work.
Returning to the Stand-up Comedy Stage
Despite the controversy, Jo Koy returned to his roots: the stand-up comedy stage.
He performed at St. Louis’ Stifel Theatre, where he addressed the backlash over his Golden Globes monologue.
He jokingly referred to his critics as “marshmallows” for their soft reactions to his jokes.
Support From Other Award Show Hosts
Following the backlash against Jo Koy, a few previous award show hosts came forward to support him.
Steve Martin, who had cohosted the Oscars alongside Alec Baldwin in 2010, wrote on Threads, “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.
Whoopi Goldberg echoed this sentiment on The View, stating that hosting gigs were brutal and could be hit or miss for those new to the scene.
Chelsea Handler and Jo Koy: The Story of Their Relationship
Chelsea Handler and Jo Koy were in a relationship from August 2021 to July 2022.
They were introduced to each other by their mutual friend Jon Lovitz and eventually started dating.
The couple went on to become quite the sensation in the comedy world, making public appearances at the Grammys and on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
The Breakup
Their relationship, however, came to an end in July 2022. In an Instagram post, Chelsea announced that they had decided to take a break from their relationship.
Despite the breakup, Jo Koy directed Chelsea’s Netflix special, Chelsea Handler: Revolution, which premiered in December 2022.
Chelsea’s Stand on Discussing Their Breakup
In January 2023, Chelsea stated on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she would no longer comment on their split. She said, “I’m not promoting a breakup from six months ago.”