Starting his love for comedy at age 10 Jo Koy became a staple name on the comedy scene, leaving a lasting impression on the audience and garnering a devoted fan base and recognition for his wit, relatability, and unique storytelling. 

With his fantastic wit and energy on stage, Jo curated his world when standing in front of the crowd. However, it was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, hard work, challenges, and passion for his craft. Jo kept his head high and continued the thing he loved. 

Jo's journey has paid off through his humble beginnings as a standup comedian as he became the first Filipino-American to host the 2024 Golden Globes Awards last Jan. 7. 

Humble beginnings

Born on June 2, 1971, Jo's full name is Joseph Glenn Herbert. His parents met when his father served in the United States Air Force and got assigned to the Philippines. Growing up as a half-American, half-Filipino immigrant in the U.S., his diverse background became his inspiration when it comes to his comedy. 

Jo has a special bond with his mom, Josie Harrison, who's always part of his jokes. In a video uploaded by Onedown, Josie shared that his son has always shown an interest in comedy. 

"When Jo Koy was young, he loved to watch Eddie Murphy and Sinband, and then he loved Bill Cosby. So I can already see traces of Comedy act," Josie said in a video. 

Although she wasn't supportive at first, Josie saw the passion and dedication from his doing what he loves the most: comedy. 

Aside from his mother, Jo also has a special bond with his son Joseph Herbert Jr, whom he shared with his ex-partner Angie King. 

After dropping out of college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 1994, the young comedian joined the Las Vegas comic-drama club. Doing side gigs from different cafes, Jo joined the open mic night at Catch a Rising Star comedy club at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

According to interviews, becoming a comic was always his dream, and having his first gig and laugh in Buzzy's cafe in Las Vegas was the end game for him. 

"There was no plan B. I was going to be a comic, no matter what. So even just getting that one little laugh that night was everything to me," Jo said. 

Jo had his first television breakthrough on BET's Comic View for two seasons.

From then on, Jo's talent was recognized on various talk shows, including "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Jimmy Kimmel Live!" In 2007, Jo Koy released his first debut comedy special, "Don't Make Him Angry." 

In 2018, His exceptional talent was recognized with prestigious awards, including the "Standup Comedian of the Year" at Montreal's 2018 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival.

Jo appeared more on TV shows and even turned down the offer to become a full-time host on Chelsea Handler's show "Chelsea Lately." 

During his interview with Daily Beast, the comedian said he didn't want to be known as Chelsea Handler's sidekick but as Jo Koy. In 2021, Jo released his autobiography, "Mixed Plate: Chronicles of an All-American Combo."

In the book, he shared his most personal stories, including his favorite dish cooked by his mom and sister Gemma. 

Aside from sold-out shows across the country, Jo first appeared on the Philippine stage in January 2020 by bringing his "Just Kidding" tour to Manila and Cebu. It was followed by his "Funny is Funny" tour in August 2022, a sold-out show at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

To doing sold-out shows, Jo also starred in his first film called "Easter Sunday," which was produced by the one and only Steven Spielberg. In one of his interviews, he revealed that Steven saw his Netflix special and wanted to do a film with him. 

They were like, 'Steven wants to make a movie with you. Do you have any ideas?' I pitched the idea, and they bought it in the room. And here we are," he explained. "It's called Easter Sunday. It's basically a day in the life of me on Easter Sunday. Filipino family. Culture. Chaos. Everything. It all takes place on one day. So that's what we're doing right now. It's going to be all Filipinos, by the way," Jo added.