Comedian Jo Koy recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and shared some interesting tidbits about his life. From living in Las Vegas to working as a dolphin tour guide, Koy’s stories kept the audience entertained.
Koy, who grew up in Seattle, moved to Las Vegas right after Kimmel left the city. He spent several years in Vegas, from 1987 to 2001, and during this time, he experienced all that the city had to offer. Koy revealed that he even worked at a Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage on the Strip, where dolphins were captured and placed inside a casino. While he admitted to not knowing much about dolphins, he humorously mentioned that the dolphins also seemed clueless. As a tour guide, Koy would often make up answers to visitors’ questions, and his lack of knowledge didn’t seem to deter anyone’s enjoyment.
In addition to his gig as a tour guide, Koy was also pursuing his passion for stand-up comedy. However, breaking into the comedy scene in Las Vegas wasn’t easy at the time, as there were no comedy clubs and limited opportunities for open mics. Undeterred, Koy rented out theaters, including the iconic Huntridge Theater, where he performed alongside great comedians like JB Smoove and Michael Blackson.
Koy also reminisced about performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live for the first time in 2006. Back then, Koy was just a young comedian, and his son was just a child. Now, his son is 21 years old, which prompted Koy to joke about how time flies when you have kids.
During the talk show, Kimmel congratulated Koy on his new comedy special, “Live From Brooklyn,” which is currently streaming on Netflix. Koy revealed that he chose Brooklyn as the location for his special because he had always been in love with the energy of the city. He explained that even though he had performed at prestigious venues like Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, the energy of Brooklyn stood out. Koy described the special as his favorite so far and expressed his excitement about its recent success, reaching number four on Netflix’s charts.
As the interview wrapped up, Kimmel playfully suggested that Koy should consider doing a comedy special in Las Vegas, perhaps at the old Huntridge Theater. Koy enthusiastically agreed, jokingly offering to bring his paintbrush to decorate the place.
Fans of Jo Koy can catch his special, “Live From Brooklyn,” on Netflix, and can look forward to future performances, including one potentially in Las Vegas. With his unique comedic style and relatable stories, Jo Koy continues to captivate audiences and solidify his place in the world of comedy.
