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Chelsea Handler defended mocking her ex-boyfriend Jo Koy’s controversial hosting gig at the 81st Golden Globes last year.
The Filipino-American comedian faced significant backlash after his opening monologue was widely criticized as “awkward,” “distasteful,” and “unfunny.”
One of the most contentious moments in Koy’s performance involved a joke about the film Barbie, which many found sexist. Additionally, comments directed at celebrities like Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro, and Meryl Streep drew groans and boos from the audience.
During the Critics Choice Awards that year, Chelsea Handler took a playful jab at Koy’s performance. Referring to his controversial decision to blame his writers for a failed joke during his monologue, Handler quipped while delivering her own well-received joke, “I have to give credit to my writers — because unlike some people, I know how valuable they are.”
In a new interview with Parade, Handler elaborated on her comment, saying, “Listen, I would’ve done that had anybody thrown their writers under a bus. I know more than anybody how valuable writers are. My whole life and my whole career is because I have great writers.”
Handler also reflected on her relationship with Koy and confirmed they are not on speaking terms.
“No. I haven’t spoken to him,” she revealed. “I don’t think I’ve spoken to Jo Koy since we broke up. No, I haven’t.”
Handler also emphasized her commitment to handling the breakup with grace and discretion, a departure from her previous approach to relationships. “It’s not nice to him to give away the details. I loved him at one point in my life, and I don’t want to hurt him,” she explained.
“And also, I’m at a different place in my life where I don’t have to give away the dish. My breakup with Jo Koy was the first mature ending to a relationship that I was in. My behavior was mature and graceful. I honored the relationship by never actually divulging what happened, and I liked that version of myself.”
Mutual friend Jon Lovitz introduced Handler and Koy in the early 2000s. Their professional relationship began when Koy became a frequent guest on Handler’s E! late-night show, Chelsea Lately, which aired from 2007 to 2014. During this period, Koy appeared on more than 100 episodes, contributing to the show’s roundtable discussions.
Their relationship didn’t turn romantic until 2021. Handler later revealed that she initiated the change, telling Koy, “I think you have a crush on me, and if you do, you should do something about it and see what happens.” Koy confirmed, “She basically asked me to kiss her.”
Handler often spoke about how Koy had renewed her faith in relationships, stating, “This man blew my heart open with love and because of him, my life experience has changed forever.”
In July 2022, Handler announced their decision to take a break from the relationship via Instagram. She expressed gratitude for their time together, writing, “To be loved and adored by @jokoy has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.” Handler emphasized that the split was amicable and that Koy had positively impacted her life.
