Chelsea Handler pokes fun at ex Jo Koy at Critics Choice Awards
LOS ANGELES – Stand-up comedian Chelsea Handler is known for not holding back on jokes about fellow celebrities. No one is safe – not even her ex, Jo Koy.
Hosting the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Handler made fun of Koy’s widely criticized Golden Globes monologue.
“Thank you for laughing at that. My writers wrote it,” Handler said, referring to Koy’s defensive comments during his opening monologue at the Globes on Jan. 7.
Handler and Jo Koy turned their two-decade friendship into a romantic relationship in 2021. They broke up a year later but remain on good terms. Image: enews/IG
Koy said, “I got the gig 10 days ago!” when he struggled to generate laughs during his monologue. “You want a perfect monologue?”
He continued, “Some I wrote, some other people wrote. I wrote some of these and those are the ones you’re laughing at.”
Koy later apologized for throwing his writers under the bus, saying it was a “rookie move.”
“Those writers are dope and that was not my intention at all. They were amazing, they had my back and I need to make sure I fix that and I will, I always will,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
At the Critics Choice Awards, Handler joked about being attracted to older men and hitting on both 81-year-old Harrison Ford and 80-year-old Robert De Niro, who were in the audience at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport.
She then mentioned Martin Scorsese, who was absent: “Unfortunately, Martin Scorsese isn’t here tonight, but that’s not gonna stop me from letting everyone in this room know that I would toss him around like a little Italian meatball,” she said. “Thank you for laughing at that. My writers wrote it.”
Handler and Jo Koy turned their two-decade friendship into a romantic relationship in 2021. They broke up a year later but remain on good terms. Handler even thanked Koy for “renewing (her) faith in men” in an Instagram post announcing their split.
“This man blew my heart open with love and because of him, my life experience has changed forever,” she wrote. “To be loved and adored by @jokoy has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. “
‘Marshmallows’
Meanwhile, during his first stand-up show after his controversial Golden Globes hosting gig, Jo Koy slammed the Hollywood stars attending the Globes, calling them “marshmallows.”
“Lotta marshmallows, man — they’re delicious, but goddamn, they’re soft,” he told the audience at Stifel Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri Friday night, according to Variety.
“I just come from a different time. I see the changes that are happening. I get it, but goddamn, can we f—ing laugh at ourselves?”
He added, “I got a feeling none of you motherf—ers watched it, and I’m kind of happy. Oh, my God. It feels good to live in this country. We get to say what we want to say. Don’t be apologetic about it at all. Be able to … speak your mind.”
“Here in St. Louis, [you’ve got] people that listen to you, understand you and understand we’re not all out to attack each other — it’s stupid in L.A.,” he said.
At one point, he shared, “I haven’t laughed in four days. I’m so happy. You guys make me so happy. … This is therapy.”
He also shared his thoughts on failure and taking risks.
“You’re allowed to fail. Fail as much as you can. Just make sure you get the f— back up,” Koy said. “F— up. Risk. Take a risk. Without any risk, you’re never gonna know if anything’s possible.”
