Jo Koy
Encyclopedia
Jo Koy is an American stand-up comic
. He is currently touring the college circuit as a featured comedian and performs in clubs across the country. He is often a panelist on E!
's late night show Chelsea Lately
.
, but dropped out to do stand-up comedy.
Koy's stage name comes from a nickname his family gave him growing up. Jokoy is colloquial Filipino term for "joker".
at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. After performing at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Koy rented the Huntridge Theater
and went door to door to sell tickets to his comedy shows.
A talent coordinator from Los Angeles spotted Koy and landed him his first television appearance on BET
's Comic View. Koy has been on two seasons of Comic View.
Koy has gone on to star in other TV stand-up specials like "Jamie Foxx Presents: Laffapalooza!" Koy has won the "Showtime at the Apollo", performed in front of troops in the USO Tour, can be seen on various "VH1 I Love the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s", "Tru TV's World's Dumbest" and "New Milleniuim" episodes, AMP’D Mobile Phone commercials, and received a second invite to the Montreal comedy festival "Just For Laughs", the series for which he was awarded Canada’s prestigious Gemini Award. Koy is also a regular guest at Chelsea Handler’s roundtable discussion on "E!’s Chelsea Lately". But perhaps one of Koy’s biggest claims to fame was his appearance on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno Show in 2005 where he was one of a select few to ever receive a standing ovation on the show. Koy has also appeared on Carlos Mencia’s “Punisher Tour” performing stand-up comedy in front of fans filling 10,000-seat arenas across the country.
On August 4, 2009. The JO KOY FOUNDATION hosted its first huge philanthropic event in "Hilarity For Charity" a stand-up comedy show featuring Jo Koy, along with special surprise comedic guests. The show took place at The John Lovitz Comedy Club, located in the heart of Citywalk, Universal City, CA. Proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to The Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
Shortly after comedian Tracy Morgan
's 2011 anti-gay slur incident, the Chicago area gay newspaper Windy City Times
reported on Koy's stand-up performance at The Vic Theatre, opening the Just for Laughs
festival on June 15, 2011. At one point in his act he danced effeminately and said, "I made this dance extra gay since I am not gay." Later, when audience members found his zipper was open, one male voice commented, "I saw it", to which Koy replied, "What are you looking at, fucking faggot?" Koy later apologized on his web site.
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
. He is currently touring the college circuit as a featured comedian and performs in clubs across the country. He is often a panelist on E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
's late night show Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...
.
Early life
Koy is of Filipino and Caucasian heritage. His American father was in the Air Force when he married his Filipino mother. Koy's Filipino-American family moved from Tacoma, Washington to Las Vegas soon after he finished high school in Spanaway, Washington; a graduate from Spanaway Lake High School. He moved to Las Vegas to be near his ailing grandmother. Koy enrolled in UNLVUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
, but dropped out to do stand-up comedy.
Koy's stage name comes from a nickname his family gave him growing up. Jokoy is colloquial Filipino term for "joker".
Career
Koy began in 1994 at a comedy club in Las Vegas. Soon he moved from open mic night to a regular spot on the show Catch a Rising StarCatch a Rising Star
Catch a Rising Star is a chain of comedy clubs, founded in New York City in December 1972 and owned by Rick Newman. It has since spread to other areas, such as Las Vegas and New Jersey....
at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. After performing at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Koy rented the Huntridge Theater
Huntridge Theater
Huntridge Theater sometimes known as the Huntridge Performing Arts Theater is a Streamline Moderne building located in Las Vegas, Nevada that is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. The building was designed by S...
and went door to door to sell tickets to his comedy shows.
A talent coordinator from Los Angeles spotted Koy and landed him his first television appearance on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's Comic View. Koy has been on two seasons of Comic View.
Koy has gone on to star in other TV stand-up specials like "Jamie Foxx Presents: Laffapalooza!" Koy has won the "Showtime at the Apollo", performed in front of troops in the USO Tour, can be seen on various "VH1 I Love the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s", "Tru TV's World's Dumbest" and "New Milleniuim" episodes, AMP’D Mobile Phone commercials, and received a second invite to the Montreal comedy festival "Just For Laughs", the series for which he was awarded Canada’s prestigious Gemini Award. Koy is also a regular guest at Chelsea Handler’s roundtable discussion on "E!’s Chelsea Lately". But perhaps one of Koy’s biggest claims to fame was his appearance on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno Show in 2005 where he was one of a select few to ever receive a standing ovation on the show. Koy has also appeared on Carlos Mencia’s “Punisher Tour” performing stand-up comedy in front of fans filling 10,000-seat arenas across the country.
On August 4, 2009. The JO KOY FOUNDATION hosted its first huge philanthropic event in "Hilarity For Charity" a stand-up comedy show featuring Jo Koy, along with special surprise comedic guests. The show took place at The John Lovitz Comedy Club, located in the heart of Citywalk, Universal City, CA. Proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to The Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
Shortly after comedian Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
's 2011 anti-gay slur incident, the Chicago area gay newspaper Windy City Times
Windy City Times
Windy City Times is Chicago's oldest LGBT newspaper, and the only Chicago gay publication with an independent circulation audit current as of 2008....
reported on Koy's stand-up performance at The Vic Theatre, opening the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
festival on June 15, 2011. At one point in his act he danced effeminately and said, "I made this dance extra gay since I am not gay." Later, when audience members found his zipper was open, one male voice commented, "I saw it", to which Koy replied, "What are you looking at, fucking faggot?" Koy later apologized on his web site.
Television
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
- Comedy Central PresentsComedy Central PresentsComedy Central Presents is a half-hour long stand-up show that features various stand-up comedians in each episode.-DVDs:Starting in 2008, Comedy Central started releasing "Best of" compilation DVDs, with uncensored audio...
- Chelsea LatelyChelsea LatelyChelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...