Backlash against Jo Koy’s jokes
Comedian Jo Koy received backlash for his jokes at the 2024 Golden Globes, including a joke targeting Taylor Swift and multiple digs at the movie “Barbie.” Koy acknowledged the negative reception and admitted that some of his lines didn’t land.
Kevin Hart’s perspective
In an interview with Sky News, Kevin Hart praised his colleagues who have successfully hosted award shows in the past, such as Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Ricky Gervais. Hart acknowledged that hosting award shows has become a tough job, with too much pressure on comedians to deliver jokes that please everyone.
Hart’s own experience
In 2019, Kevin Hart was slated to host the Oscars but stepped down after controversial tweets from his past resurfaced. Despite having hosted other award shows like the BET Awards, the MTV Movie Awards, and the MTV Video Music Awards, Hart expressed that the landscape of hosting award shows has changed and puts a lot of pressure on comedians.
Che’s call to boycott
Michael Che, host of “Weekend Update” on SNL, recently argued that comedians should boycott hosting award shows due to the harsh treatment they receive for making jokes. Che believes that movie stars are too self-conscious to enjoy comedy and that they don’t actually want to be made fun of, despite claiming otherwise. He pointed out the hypocrisy of actors pretending to find jokes funny during the show but then looking unamused when they lose in their category.
Overall, the conversation surrounding hosting award shows has highlighted the difficulties faced by comedians and the changing expectations of audiences. Comedians like Kevin Hart and Michael Che are shedding light on the challenges and pressures that come with hosting these high-profile events.