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DVD Review: Don't Make Jo Koy Angry
Comedian Jo Koy has become an absolute staple in the mainstream stand up comedy circuit over the past five years. Fans really seem to appreciate Jo’s honesty and enthusiasm on stage; he’s like Dane Cook after you give him a horse tranquilizer and a joke book to calm him down. After touring with Carlos Mencia (for better or worse) on his Punisher Tour, Koy even got listed in Daily Variety as a top 10 comic to watch. He'll be at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach at the end of the month, and now he’s got a Comedy Central DVD to back it all up.
Titled ‘Don’t Make Him Angry’, those folks unfamiliar with Koy’s brand of humor might assume the well-built shaved-head asian with a love for BET might come across as angry or aggressive. In fact, to the delight of fans and to his credit on Don’t Make Him Angry, Jo pulls in those fringe stand up elements that can alienate an audience if not done properly. Indeed, Koy’s humor is found much more in his smile, his affability, and the kind words he has to say for his family, his wife, and the female gender as a whole.
Usually, male comics love to talk shit on the women that surround them, or get into the minutia of the male mind when surrounded by college-age coeds. Koy, on the other hand, spends a good portion his new DVD talking about the beauty of the female form, the love he has for his wonderful wife and child. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as skeptical as anyone that such things can actually come across as funny, but the truth is Koy nails it. These moments aren’t the strongest part of his set, but you won’t find many stand ups out there doing a tight 15 minutes on the positive features of women.
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Koy hits all the basic stops in his hour-long set on Don’t Make Him Angry, even falling into a bit of a rut early with mediocre material on the French that doesn’t really bring anything new to the table, or the tried-and-true 'how bad is traffic?!'. His topical humor is decent, but the meat of the show is his interaction with his mother, who comes across as very supportive of Koy and his career. Bits about his mother owning him at Wii and the strength of her accent absolutely kill, and you can see the energy change; Koy becomes more relaxed and really starts to own all of the things he’s saying. You start to get the smiles, the quiet chuckles to himself, and the sweat stains that let you know Koy’s ride to get here has been terrifying...and worth every second.
As a comic who lied his way on stage, rented theaters in order to headline his own shows, and received a standing ovation from the Tonight Show, Jo Koy is a comic who really seems to understand the path that got him to where he is today, and is absolutely thankful for it. His DVD ‘Don’t Make Him Angry’ plays as a bit of a misnomer, because of the kind words and genuine excitement he exudes throughout his entire time on stage. But the ultimate truth is that Koy is happy to be here, and stand up comedy fans sure seem happy to have him, too.
Don't Make Him Angry drops on May 19th, and Jo Koy can be seen in Hermosa Beach at the Comedy and Magic Club on May 28th, 29th, and 30th.
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