Steve Martin Defends Jo Koy Golden Globe Performance: ‘It’s A Very Difficult Job’

Steve Martin is coming to the defense of Jo Koy after the mixed reviews from his Golden Globes hosting.

Martin, 78, shared the kind words for Koy, 52, on Threads Tuesday writing: “I tip my hat to anyone who steps out on stage to host a live awards show.”

Steve Martin attends the Los Angeles Premiere of "Only Murders In The Building" Season 2 at DGA Theater Complex on June 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. — LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 27: Steve Martin attends the Los Angeles Premiere of “Only Murders In The Building” Season 2 at DGA Theater Complex on June 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

He continued saying, “It’s a very difficult job and not for the squeamish,” Martin, who has hosted the Academy Awards by himself twice and once with Alec Baldwin, shared. “I know because I’m still throwing up from the last time I did it in 2010.”

“So, Congratulations to Jo Koy, who took on the toughest gig in show business, hit, missed, was light on his feet, and now has twenty minutes of new material for his stand up,” the comedian and actor added.

Jo Koy at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024. (Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) *** Jo Koy *** — LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 7: Jo Koy at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
(Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) *** Jo Koy ***

Koy was announced as the Golden Globes host on December 21, and attracted a lot of attention for his comments on jokes including about Taylor Swift and the ‘Barbie‘ movie at the Beverly Hilton.

Martin joins the likes of Whoopi Goldberg who has hosted the Academy Awards four times, and also expressed her opinion on the matter on The View Monday claiming that ‘these hosting gigs are brutal – just brutal.”

LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 7: Jo Koy at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
(Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) *** Jo Koy ***

“If you don’t know the room, if you’ve not been in these rooms before and you’re sort of thrust out there. It’s hit or miss,” she said.

“Now I love Jo Koy. He, to me, makes me just crazy because he’s funny. I don’t know whether it was the room. I don’t know whether it was the jokes. I didn’t get to see it,” Goldberg, 68, continued. “But I do know that he is as good as it gets when it comes to standups. That is not an easy game.”

Koy also received an empathetic response to his jokes on Barbie from Greta Gerwig during an appearance on BBC Radio 4 Today.

“Well, he’s not wrong,” Gerwig said. “She’s the first doll that was mass produced with breasts, so he was right on.”

The comedian himself told PEOPLE the day after the Globes that he would “love to” host the awards ceremony again, albeit ideally with more time to prepare material. The comedian said the highlight of his night was “just walking out there [on stage] for the first time.”

“I was like, let’s just do this. Let’s just have fun,” he shared.