As I lined up to get into Jo Koy’s latest Manila show, All-New Jo Koy: Just Being Koy, it was clear that his homecoming had sparked a genuine sense of pride among his Filipino fans. Koy loyalists did their best impressions of the comedian’s skit of his very Filipino mother. Gen Z teens around me were quoting his classic Vicks VapoRub bit, while their parents reminisced about his last Manila show back in 2022. The arena quickly filled with a sea of fans, each one eager to bear witness to Koy’s return to the stage where his Pinoy roots shine brightest.
Koy, as of late, has become a bit of a polarizing figure in the comedy world. Over the last 30 years, he’s used his Filipino-ness to build a career as one of the most sought-after comedians on the global stage. His jokes about his relationship with his immigrant mother and living in a Filipino household have granted him comedic success time and time again. But after releasing multiple stand-up specials on major streaming platforms and selling out massive venues like New York’s Madison Square Garden, Koy found himself the subject of sharp criticism after his controversial stint as the host of the 2024 Golden Globes.
But on that night in the MOA Arena, none of Koy’s past successes or stumbles seemed to matter. After a string of openers warmed the audience up (from comedian Joey Guila giving us his tight five to breakdancers Bboy Ronnie and the Philippine All-Stars taking over the stage), Koy strutted onto the scene wearing nothing but a dark utility jumpsuit and a cocked baseball cap bearing his custom-made logo. “What is up, Manila?” Koy screamed into the mic, and the crowd roared to life.
Fame and Fortune
In true Koy fashion, the comedian opened with jokes about his mother. Although he made familiar callbacks to his VapoRub sketch and how he usually pokes fun at his mother’s accent, it seemed that Koy was refreshingly self-aware this time around. “I know I make jokes about my mom a lot,” he said at one point, “but now my mom gets to look back at all my comedy specials and see herself in them.”
Throughout his show, Koy seemed to create a persona that I can only describe as “Rich Motivational Speaker.” Employing a level of braggadocio worthy of a 90s rapper, Koy listed all the amazing things he’d done since becoming rich and famous. “It’s fucking insane how talented I am,” Koy said.
After playing 53 shows in the United States alone this year, Koy was ranked by Billboard as the fourth most successful comedian of the year (a fact he returned to many times during the show). His foundation, the Jo Koy Foundation, has been funding the improvement of infrastructure and public schools in Bacolod over the past few years. He has put his newfound wealth to use by funding the college and graduate education of his nieces and nephews, a fact which he drove home to the audience by calling his niece Jaimie mid-show and asking her to tell us how he’d paid for her nursing school. But again, Koy seemed conscious of just how much he was tooting his own horn. “Sorry this is turning into a TED talk,” he joked.
Jo Koy Just Being Jo Koy
Koy was strongest when he dropped the boasting and let his more flawed self shine through. One bit saw him trying (but failing) not to freak out when his Philippine Airlines flight to the United States in April unexpectedly caught fire, resulting in a tense emergency landing in Tokyo. Another segment saw him bored out of his mind when accompanying his lola to a Las Vegas casino, only to have his lola remind him time and time again, “Joseph, I have cancer.” One crowd-pleaser saw Koy recounting how, as a teenager, he’d practiced “chair-fucking” to the song “I’ll Make Love To You” by the hip-hop group Boyz II Men.” Jo Koy just being Jo Koy is always a joy to watch, and it was endearing to see his less polished, more human side come to the forefront.
As the show drew to a close, the crowd grew more vocal about showing their support for the comedian. After turning his final act into an impromptu karaoke session, including surprise guest appearances from musicians like Journey’s Arnel Pineda, Freestyle’s Top Suzara, and Morobeats’ Fateeha, Koy invited everyone to sing along with the R&B songs playing. Thousands of bright phone lights blinked across the arena, turning the space into a glowing sea of fans belting out “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Before I Let You Go.” Attendees from the farthest nosebleed seats screamed, making their presence known to Koy, while others scattered around the venue screamed, “JOSEP!,” turning the accented version of Koy’s name into a term of endearment. “I love you, Manila!” Koy cheered, shedding a few tears as the crowd’s applause reached a loud, final crescendo.
