GUEST COLUMNIST
I know. So many words have been said already about Jo Koy's Golden Globe debacle. Poor guy because many thought his jokes weren't that funny and one audience in particular was the cherry to his bomb: Taylor Swift who gave him the iciest stare. And from there, Jo Koy just spiraled into the evening, often apologizing for his material.
Allow me to give my thoughts as well on what we could take from the experience. Funny how we were all rooting for him when his name was announced as this year's host at the 81st Golden Globe Awards. The comments were just overwhelming—a comedian with Filipino roots and whose material includes outrightly being Filipino will be hosting the prestigious awards! How cool could that be? That Golden Globe euphoria from last year's nomination for Filipina actor Dolly de Leon was still lingering in our collective minds. After all, De Leon was the first Filipino to be nominated for Film in the very prestigious awards.
But after the much-criticized performance of Jo Koy—yes, especially due to his displeasing Swifties with his NFL comment and Taylor Swift herself giving him dagger looks—many Filipinos just cancelled Jo Koy. Yes, we were all rooting for him in the beginning. And yes, some of us squirmed at some of his material.
But, personally, it wasn't that bad at all. Look, he made Meryl Streep and Robert de Niro laugh. They're two of the toughest and most respected people in the audience.
And so, let me say, Jo Koy bombed, but so what?
If you've been watching his gigs, you'll know that the American comedian has always talked about his Filipino roots, his love for the Philippines, and has collaborated with Fil-Ams and Filipino artists in his many shows. The guy brought the Philippines to the world in a good way, filled international halls with a satisfied audience, and made non-Filipinos understand the nuances of the culture as well.
Jo Koy has done more in promoting the country, his stature made many Filipinos proud. Yes, an American embracing his Filipino heritage is out there conquering the global stage. And he was successful doing it. Surely, one bad performance won't be the end of his championing the life his Filipino mother and many other migrant kababayans are going through around the world.
I believe there is another narrative that should be shared here beyond the Jo Koy fiasco. The bigger picture moves us to reflect on our inherent spirit of solidarity. As Filipinos, our collective experiences unites us and makes us understand each other even more. If we only have more compassion for each other rather than allowing our so-called crab mentality to win, then perhaps we can achieve more in uplifting each other's lives.
Let's remember this is showbiz where one disaster or controversy is quickly replaced by another. The more important thing—just like in life—is how one gets out of the iffy spot.
Who won't forget Steve Harvey's boo-boo when he announced the wrong winner at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant due to a misread teleprompter. Of course, the real winner was our Philippine bet Pia Wurtzbach after a correction made by Harvey himself.
"It was the most painful week of my life," Steve Harvey said in interviews. During that time, we Filipinos rejoiced as she became the first Filpina to win again after 40 years. Of course, on the other side of the globe, people were cursing Harvey for his mistake.
The following year, however, Harvey and Wurtzbach meet again—as host and reigning queen, respectively—to announce the next Miss Universe. The joke was on Harvey as the Filpina beauty queen teased him light-heartedly about his previous mistake and even handed him a pair of eyeglasses. The audience laughed and applauded. And Harvey's good-natured reactions endeared him to the world again after his comeback gig.
I guess the other lesson here for us who lead ordinary lives, away from the glamor and glitz of showbiz can also be gathered from last year's Golden Globe ceremony: People deserve second chances.
I remember watching the likes of our proudly Pinay actress Dolly de Leon, Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Brendan Fraser who were all acknowledged for their stellar acting but who all talked about the power of not giving up on having second chances especially when you feel lost and down.
And to Jo Koy, take the experience as great material for your next gigs. After all, this too shall pass.