Comedian and Golden Globes host Jo Koy appeared to strike the wrong chord with Taylor Swift, after he made a joke about her attendance at NFL games to watch her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Travis Kelce.
The pop star, 34, attended the awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday 7 January, where her concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour was among the nominated works.
Wearing a shimmering green gown, Swift posed for photos on the red carpet before taking a seat inside the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Koy, who already seemed nervous in his stint as host, attempted to lighten the mood by referencing Swift’s highly publicised displays of support for Kelce.
“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift… there’s just more to go to here.”
As the camera switched to a close-up of Swift, she could be seen pursing her lips before taking a sip from her drink, a decidedly icy expression on her face.
Her reaction did not go unnoticed by viewers, who took to social media to discuss the awkward moment.
“Taylor Swift being unamused by Jo Koy, she’s really just like us!” one fan joked, alluding to Koy’s rough start to the Golden Globes.
“If Taylor Swift death stares could actually kill, Jo Koy would now be deceased,” TV host Piers Morgan tweeted.
One viewer said: “Omg, Taylor Swift’s death stare before sipping champagne at the #GoldenGlobes perfectly embodies Jo Koy’s cringey hosting job.”
Another viewer referenced the infamous Will Smith Oscars slap of 2022, writing: “The one funny thing Jo Koy has done so far is mention Taylor Swift by name because it led to this cutaway shot where she’s extremely ‘keep my name out of your mouth’.”
Koy, born Joseph Glenn Herbert Sr, was only asked to host the Globes two weeks before the event took place.
“When they asked me, it was an immediate yes. I couldn’t believe this was happening – and then I woke up and went, ‘Wait a minute, I have two weeks to write jokes!’” he told Variety.
“Actually, I think I had less than two weeks because I didn’t get my writers until five days later.”
Koy called it a “crash course in hosting”, with his preparation time dramatically short when compared to that of previous hosts, such as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Ricky Gervais.
Before his Swift joke, Koy took a few swipes at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, even as he washed his hands of writing them himself.
“Harry and Meghan Markle got paid millions for doing absolutely nothing – and that’s just by Netflix,” he told the crowd, who laughed in response
The camera zoomed in on the streaming service’s CEO, Ted Sarandos, after he cracked the joke.
Price Harry and his wife, Meghan, did not attend the ceremony.
Joy was addressing the Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, in which the couple opened up about their relationship, their tumultuous relationship with The Firm, and their decision to step down as senior royals.
The series was released in December 2022, to mixed reviews.
Meanwhile comedian Jim Gaffigan left the audience wincing with a controversial quip addressing the unsealed Jeffrey Epsetin court records.
Oppenheimer was the evening’s big movie winner, with Succession and The Bear sweeping the TV categories. Find the full list of Golden Globes 2024 winners here.
