Jo Koy is a Filipino-American stand-up comedian. He is known for his hilarious jokes. He has starred in several comedy specials on Comedy Central and Netflix, such as Comin’ In Hot and His Elements.
He is also the creator and star of the upcoming feature film Easter Sunday, a celebration of Filipino-American culture and comedy.
File
- Full name: Joseph Glenn Herbert
- Nickname: Jo Koy
- Date of birth: June 2, 1971
- Age: 52 years old
- male
- Place of birth: Tacoma, Washington, United States
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Stand-up comedian and actor
- Height: 6 feet 4 inches
- Parents: Jack Herbert (father) and Josie Harrison (mother)
- Siblings: Robert Herbert, Rowena Hazel Cook and Gemma Herbert Simmons
- Spouse: Angie King (divorced 2013)
- Children: Joseph Herbert Jr.
- Relationship status: single
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Joseph Glenn Herbert, commonly known as Jo Koy, is 52 years old as of 2023. He was born on June 2, 1971 in Tacoma, Washington, United States.
His father was a white American who served in the United States Air Force and met his mother, a Filipina, in the Philippines. His parents divorced when he was 13, and his mother raised him and his three siblings independently.
He grew up in Spanaway and Tacoma, where he attended Spanaway Lake High School and Foss High School. He moved to Las Vegas with his family after graduating from high school to be closer to his ailing grandmother.
He attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but dropped out to pursue stand-up comedy. His stage name, Jo Koy, comes from the nickname his family gave him, which means “my jo” in Tagalog.
Personal life
Jo Koy has a son, Joseph Herbert Jr., born on April 21, 2003, from his previous relationship with Angie King, a Filipino-American singer.
He and King were married for several years but divorced in 2013. They remain close friends and are co-parents of their son, who lives with Jo Koy in Los Angeles. Jo Koy is proud of his Filipino heritage and often incorporates it into his comedy.
He also supports various charities and humanitarian causes, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Lupus Foundation of America, and the Philippine Veterans Education and Recognition Project.
In 2021, he confirmed his relationship with actress, singer and former model Tia Carrere, but they broke up in 2022.
Career
Jo Koy began his stand-up comedy career in 1994 at a comedy club in Las Vegas. He then moved from open mic nights to a regular spot on Catch a Rising Star at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
He rented the Huntridge Theatre and sold tickets to his comedy shows door to door.
He was discovered by a talent agent in Los Angeles and made his television debut on BET’s ComicView.
He appeared on two seasons of ComicView and continued to appear in other stand-up comedy specials, such as Jamie Foxx Presents Laffapalooza!
He has also won Showtime at the Apollo, performed for troops on a USO tour, and appeared on numerous shows on VH1, Tru TV, and E!.
He received a second invitation to the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal, where he won the prestigious Gemini Award for his performance.
Jo Koy became a regular cast member on E!’s late-night show Chelsea Lately, where he appeared in over 140 episodes.
He also has four successful and critically acclaimed comedy specials on Comedy Central and Netflix: Don’t Make Him Angry, Lights Out, Comin’ In Hot and His Elements.
In 2017, he broke the record for the most sold-out shows by a single artist at The Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu, with 11 sold-out shows and over 23,000 tickets sold. The Honolulu mayor’s office declared November 24 “Jo Koy Day” in his honor.
He continued to break records and sell out shows at various venues around the world, such as The Warfield in San Francisco, Club Regent Events Center in Winnipeg, San Diego Civic Theatre and Brea Improv.
He is known as “Stand-up comedian of the year” at Montreal’s 2018 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival.
In 2019, Jo Koy hit #1 on the Billboard charts for his stand-up comedy album, Live From Seattle. He also launched his weekly podcast, The Koy Pond with Jo Koy, where he invites friends and fellow comedians to share their insights on life.
He’s currently touring the world with the Just Kidding World Tour, featuring all new material. He’s also the creator and star of the upcoming major motion picture Easter Sunday, produced by Amblin Partners and Dan Lin’s Rideback.
The film is based on Jo Koy’s life experiences and showcases Filipino-American culture and comedy. It also features an all-star cast of Asian and Asian-American actors, including Tia Carrere, Brandon Wardell, Jimmy O. Yang, and Eugene Cordero.
Net asset value
Jo Koy has a net worth of $5 million.
He earns income from stand-up comedy shows, TV and film appearances, comedy specials, podcasts, and merchandise.
Argumentative
Jo Koy caused some controversy in Cebu City, Philippines, in 2020 when he posted a video of police escorting him to his event.
The video shows two police officers on motorbikes clearing a path for Jo Koy’s car in the middle of the busy Marcelo Fernan Bridge.
Some netizens criticized the comedian for using his privilege and influence to get special treatment, while others defended him and praised the police for their service.
Social Media
- Instagram Name: @jokoy
- Twitter Username: @Jokoy
- YouTube Channel: Jo Koy
Filming
- View comics
- Jamie Foxx presents Laffapalooza!
- Chelsea recently
- The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- The Late Late Show with James Corden
- Jo Koy: Don’t make him angry
- Jo Koy: Lights Out
- Jo Koy: Live from Seattle
- Jo Koy: It’s Coming Hot
- Jo Koy: In His Elements
- Easter Sunday
Book
- Jo Koy wrote a book like this:
- Mixed Plate: Chronicles of an All-American Mix
