S2E14 | Comedian Jo Koy Gets Us Laughing About "Jo Koy: Blue in the Face" Now on Netflix

Comedian Jo Koy joins Ben and Junko on "United By Rice" for a candid, funny, and surprisingly emotional conversation about the stories that shaped his career, the challenges of representing his community, and his latest Netflix special, "Jo Koy: Blue in the Face." Jo takes us behind the scenes of "Blue in the Face," revealing how nearly two hours of material became four deeply personal stories about his childhood, his mother, his rescue dogs, and his late stepfather, Sergeant Fred Harrison. He opens up about the painful experiences behind his dental work, his mother's fierce defense of him after getting fired from McDonald's, and why honoring his stepfather was so important. The conversation also turns to Hollywood, from the significance of bringing Filipino talent to the screen in "Easter Sunday" and "In His Elements" to the intense scrutiny surrounding his Golden Globes hosting gig, which he accepted with just 10 days to prepare. Along the way, Jo shares why he refuses to make his live shows predictable, how his escape-artist dog Kingston became comedy material, and why celebrating other people's successes matters more than ever. And, of course, we couldn't let him leave without asking the most important question on "United By Rice": What's his favorite rice dish? Spoiler: It's garlic fried rice. Join us for a conversation about comedy, family, resilience, and the importance of lifting up the next generation of Asian and Filipino storytellers.