Jo Koy is a very famous American stand-up comedian and actor. His real name is Joseph Glenn Herbert but is professionally known as Jo Koy. He was a frequent panelist on E!’s late-night show Chelsea Lately.
Since then, he has had numerous Comedy Central and Netflix specials. His popularity has also gained him a heavy bank balance.
Keep reading to know about his career and net worth.
Early life and career
Jo was born to an American father and a Filipino mother. His father is a white American who was in the United States Air Force stationed in the Philippines where he married Jo’s mother.
After completing high school in Tacoma, his family moved to Tacoma to be closer to his ailing grandmother. Jo enrolled himself at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Although, he later dropped out to pursue stand-up comedy.
His stage name Jo Koy came from a nickname that his family gave him growing up. He shared during his stand-up set in Phoenix in 2019. He was wondering what his stage name should be back in 1989.
Just then his aunt called him for dinner by calling out, “Jo Ko, eat!”. He misheard Ko (which means My) as Koy. Then he thought that maybe Jo Koy would be a great stage name.
Jo says his mother is the one responsible for his comedic and acting talents. His shows often have anecdotes of her and he keeps mentioning how she always encouraged him to participate in school talent shows and to hold impromptu performances for his family and friends.
This led to performances at a Las Vegas coffee house and inspired a move to Los Angeles. Jo started his career in 1994 in Vegas. Soon he got a regular spot on the show Catch a Rising Star at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
He was then spotted by a talent coordinator from LA. This earned him his first television appearance on BET’s ComicView. He has appeared in two seasons of the show.
Since then Jo has appeared in several shows. He has even performed at various events and shows. He also started a podcast along with Michael Yo on July 23, 2012, called The Michael Yo and Jo Koy Show.
Jo also is a part of various other podcasts. He even has a few comedy specials that are released worldwide. On June 12, 2020, Netflix released Jo Koy: In His Elements, a comedy special featuring Filipino American comedians, DJs, and B-boys. He has some other Netflix specials too.
Success and riches
With this bedazzling career and fame, Jo has certainly gathered quite a fortune. Today, his net worth is expected to be around $5 million. He made it big in life with his amazing humor and comedic timing.
Jo also has a charity foundation called The Jo Koy Foundation. The foundation often holds shows and events from which, the raised money is donated to hospitals and other places.
Conclusion
Jo has a wonderful career as a stand-up comedian. Along with that, he has a net worth of over $5 million. But, he still is humble and also has a foundation that raises funds for charity. Jo Koy is also one of the “75 Most Influential Filipino-Americans” of 2022.
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