The Nikki & Brie Show

Episode: Jo Koy: Big Stages, Bigger Stories

Date: November 10, 2025
Host: Nikki & Brie Garcia
Guest: Jo Koy

Episode Overview

This episode features comedian Jo Koy, who joins Nikki and Brie for a lively, heartfelt, and hilarious conversation. The trio dives into Jo’s journey from class clown to global stand-up icon, the power of embracing your cultural roots, the challenges and rituals that come with performing for massive audiences, and funny, candid stories from life on the road and at home. Throughout, they reflect on family, legacy, fame, and the everyday awkwardness—delivered with realness, warmth, and a lot of laughs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jo Koy’s Rise and Hustle

• Selling Out Arenas & The Tour Life

  • Jo updates the hosts about his current tour, including a major milestone: performing at Chicago’s United Center and soon, the first-ever comedy show at SoFi Stadium, selling nearly 50,000 tickets (25:10).
  • Quote:
    "When we went on sale the first week, we sold 30,000 tickets." – Jo Koy [25:20]

• How He Preps for Big Shows

  • Emphasizes the importance of keeping each show city-specific and fresh—honoring local fans and always pushing himself to write new material, especially after a special drops on Netflix (05:08).
  • Quote:
    "I have to stay engaged... That way the crowd goes, okay, this was for us. This wasn't just a routine." – Jo Koy [05:08]

2. The Art—and Nerve—of New Material

• Discusses the vulnerability and necessity of trying out new jokes, particularly after his routines become widely known (06:09).

  • Insight: Creating new material is “scary, but you have to do it” to stay true and evolve as an artist.

• Shares a personal story about admitting his family's struggles on stage, which became a moment of healing for him and resonated with countless fans (06:58).

  • Quote:
    "I was scared to do it...but the response was great...I felt alone saying it, but then after I said it, I felt like, okay, it's normal." – Jo Koy [07:02]

3. Comedy, Truth, and Storytelling

• Jo breaks down the different genres in comedy, and his preference for storytelling—using his own family history as material (08:40).

  • Favorites include Louie Anderson and Richard Pryor for storytelling, Chris Rock for political humor.

• The hosts and Jo bond over the importance of representation and authenticity in their respective fields.

4. Family, Filipino Culture, and Identity

• Deep reflection on raising a mixed-race child and ensuring that culture and heritage remain central (12:29).
• Jo contrasts the lack of Filipino role models and restaurants in his youth with his son's experience today: frequent trips to the Philippines, confidence in identity, and pride in cultural traditions.
  • Quote:
    "When you're a mixed kid, one thing we struggle with is identity...there was nothing [on TV]...Now we live in a time where I'm on stage, I talk about who I am, my son hears it, and he's proud." – Jo Koy [12:29]

5. Nostalgia: Growing Up Pre-Internet

• The group reminisces about 80s and 90s childhoods—building ramps, riding bikes, drinking from hoses, and feeling freedom social media can’t match (19:11).

• All agree today's children are “overstimulated” by technology, and discuss the societal need for social media responsibility and even "detoxes" (20:50).

  • Quote:
    "It's basically a drug now...maybe they should have some type of social media responsibility." – Jo Koy [21:21]

6. Overcoming Fame & Fortune’s Challenges

• Jo gets candid about some downsides of success:
  • Needing to protect himself financially and emotionally, even from those close to him
  • The exhaustion and pressure to constantly keep hustling (45:25).
  • The double-edged sword of fame—public scrutiny and the need for "thick skin" (44:21).
  • Quote:
    "You see the bad side of people and then you have to become this master at reading people...my brain is tired." – Jo Koy [45:29]

7. Joy and Rituals On the Road

• Sharing the stage and business with family (his son and sister on tour helps Jo stay grounded and secure) (11:16).
• Hilarious ritual: Jo’s need to pee before going on stage—traced back to nearly peeing himself during a show early in his career (31:37).
  • Quote:
    "Moments before they introduce me, I run to the bathroom...I'm literally just, I look at it, I'm like, you better let it out, man." – Jo Koy [32:05]

8. Rapid Fire Fun: “Koy-fessions” Game (36:43)

• Home life vs. tour life? (“Home life!”)
• Beach day or snow day? (Beach, especially in Hawaii)
• Coffee or tea? (Coffee all day)
• Sunrise or sunset? (Sunset)
• Night owl? (“My brain starts becoming creative at 10... a mile a minute at night.” [43:00])
• Fame vs. fortune? Jo finds both fraught but knows each comes at a cost.

9. Role Models & Representation in Media

• Memorable moment: Jo recalls being in awe of seeing Tia Carrere on screen, finally witnessing a Filipino role model in mainstream film, and later casting her in his own projects (16:49).
• Nikki and Brie reflect on Jennifer Lopez and Selena as Latina icons growing up, the importance of seeing themselves represented in media (37:11).

10. Closing Affirmation & Inspiration

• Jo’s dad’s life lesson: “Don’t say what if.”

  • Quote:
    "If you want to do it, just go get it. I used to say, what if? And now look at me. I'm still not a pilot." – Jo Koy [48:57]

• Encourages everyone to embrace failure as the route to growth:

  • Quote:
    "Fail as much as you can…The only time you truly fail is when you don’t get back up and try again." – Jo Koy [49:07]
  • “They knock us down hard. Wait till you get really knocked out emotionally, and to be able to pick it back up, suck it up, and get back out there and do it again—that's some warrior mentality shit.” [49:46]

Notable Quotes

On comedy and truth:
"It's okay to have a dysfunctional family...maybe it was healing for us to put it all out there." – Jo Koy [07:40]

On cultural pride:
"My son hears it, and he consumes it, and he’s proud of it...it’s beautiful to watch." – Jo Koy [13:16]

On performing at SoFi Stadium:
"I'm responsible for the time...We have to make sure our DJ doesn’t go on stage at all. We have to play house music. Because the minute my DJ gets on stage, the clock starts." – Jo Koy [27:34]

On the realities of fame and fortune:
"My brain is tired." – Jo Koy [46:32]

On resilience:
"Embrace the fact that you're gonna fail and just enjoy the success when you get back up." – Jo Koy [50:11]

Memorable and Funny Moments

• Brie’s confusion about “left side” being a mouse, not Tinder swipe (03:22)
• Jo’s confession to peeing his pants on stage, consoling himself in the bathroom beforehand, and the hosts’ mutual awkwardness with public bathroom rituals (31:37)
• The group’s burning question: Should you tell someone if they have a booger? (35:03)
• Nikki and Brie’s childhood fort-building adventures and stealing a restaurant booth for their Arizona fort (20:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Guest Welcome – 01:31
• Jo’s On-the-Road Stories & Preparation – 04:44
• Writing Material and Artistic Growth – 05:39
• Truth in Comedy & Family Stories – 06:45
• Raising Mixed Kids & Cultural Representation – 12:29
• Pre-Internet Childhood & Social Media Woes – 19:11
• SoFi Stadium Show & Production Logistics – 25:10
• Pre-Show Rituals and On-Stage Confessions – 31:37
• Game: "Koy-fessions" Rapid Fire – 36:43
• Talking Role Models & Media Representation – 37:11
• Closing Thoughts & Affirmations – 48:57

Closing Vibe

This episode blends deep reflections on cultural identity, hilarious behind-the-scenes comedy stories, and real conversation about handling fame, family, and personal growth. Jo Koy’s honesty, wit, and warmth shine—even daring to tackle awkward topics with candor and humor. Listeners will come away with greater respect for Jo’s artistry and hustle, a love for family and roots, and a healthy reminder not to let "what if" hold them back.

Tickets for Jo Koy’s tour—including the history-making SoFi Stadium show—are available at joekoy.com or Ticketmaster. [50:59]