Golden Globes Viewers Slam Host Jo Koy After ‘Brutal’ Monologue Featuring Multiple Royals Jokes

Some Golden Globes viewers were not smiling through host Jo Koy’s opening monologue at the ceremony on January 7. The comedian took a shot at the royal family with “brutal” jokes before the first award of the night was handed out.

“It turns out Harry and Meghan Markle were still getting paid millions of dollars for doing absolutely nothing — and that’s just by Netflix,” Jo, 52, said at the start of the show as the camera panned to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos in the crowd.

During another bit, the Easter Sunday actor once again brought up the couple’s finances after signing a deal with Netflix in 2020.

“How great was Imelda Staunton in The Crown, wasn’t she amazing?” Jo asked the audience. “The portrayal of the queen was so good, Prince Harry called her and asked her for money.”

The comment drew some laughs and shocked faces from the crowd. His commentary about the royal family didn’t end there.

“I love this year’s nominated TV shows, like Succession. Coming to an end after four beautiful seasons. I loved everything about it. The one thing this show taught me is, if you are a billionaire, pull out. None of them are going to be like you. They’re going to be a bad version of you,’” he remarked. “Succession has nine nominations. Just a great series about a rich, white, dysfunctional family, all scheming — oh, wait, that’s The Crown. I’m sorry.”

Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, were not in attendance at the 2024 Golden Globes. The Spare author’s younger self was portrayed by Luther Ford during season 6 of The Crown.

Viewers took to social media to express their honest opinions about Jo’s monologue and call out his “shade” to the royals. “This is so brutal,” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, while another echoed, “That was a brutal opening.”

Another comment defended Harry and Meghan, saying, “They are the ongoing joke, so boring and old that is not even funny anymore, more like pathetic.”

“Jo Koy just absolutely bombed in that monologue … that was brutal,” another reflected, as several clips of Joy’s royal digs went viral online.

The Crown’s Elizabeth Debicki ended up taking home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Princess Diana later on in the night. In her acceptance speech, she thanked those closest to her after the final season of the drama aired on Netflix late last year.

“Thank you so much! Thank you to the creatives of this show for trusting me with this part,” she said on stage. “To cast and crew, to my beautiful pretend children who I just adore, to my mom and my dad … My partner, Kristian, who said don’t thank me so that I’m not on television but I’m going to thank you anyway. Who else? Goodness, maybe that’s it.”