Jo Koy’s Net Worth: How Much Does the Stand-Up Comedian and Actor Make?

When it comes to stand-up comedy, Jo Koy is a big name in this industry and has been in the limelight for over a decade now. With witty humor, which blends his Filipino-American heritage with daily experiences, Jo has been able to captivate audiences throughout the world. But how much is the successful comedian worth, and how exactly does he make money? We’ll answer exactly these and many more questions in this article. So, let’s get started and learn everything about Jo Koy’s net worth, career, and more. 

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What is Jo Koy’s Net Worth?

Jo Koy has an estimated net worth of around $5 million as of 2023. This amount includes his income from his career as a Standup Comedian and as an Actor.

Who is Jo Koy?

Joseph Glenn Herbert or more popularly known as Jo Koy is an American-Filipino standup comedian. He is one of the most popular touring comedians today. On top of it, he has had a number of appearances on Comedy Central and Netflix Specials. Apart from his work as a comic, he has also been a panelist for multiple TV shows, including Chelsea Lately and Lights Out with David Spade.

Early Life

Joseph Glenn Herbert was born on June 2, 1971, in Tacoma, Washington. His mother was a manager for a Filipino rock band, whereas his father was stationed in the Philippines with the United States Air Force. Later, his mother and father divorced when Jo was only 13 years old, and his mother raised all of her children on her own. 

After a while, Jo’s family moved to Tacoma, Washington, and just after he finished high school, they again moved to Las Vegas. Apparently, Jo got his stage name from the nickname that his family gave him in his early days. That said, Jo has always credited his mother for his successful career many times in the past. He once stated that his mother used to encourage him to participate in school talent shows and to hold impromptu shows for family and friends. 

After finishing school, Jo got into the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for his graduation. It was at this time when he seemed to be interested in studying business and economics but later dropped out as he wanted to pursue a career in standup comedy.

Career

Jo Koy started performing as a standup comedian in the mid-90s in Las Vegas and started gaining popularity when he became a regular performer in the show called Catch a Rising Star at the MGM Grand Hotel and Resort. Later, he rented the Huntridge Theater to perform in his own show and went door to door to sell tickets for the show. 

It was at this point that he was noticed by a talent coordinator and was invited to appear on BET’s Comic View. It won’t be wrong to say that this was when his career really took off. He even went on to win many comedy awards and performed in a variety of tours and programs. Not only that, but he also went on to appear on other standup specials such as Jamie Foxx Presents Laffapalooza. Jo has also appeared in multiple episodes of VH1’s episodes of show I Love the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.

Koy was also a regular guest commentator on Chelsea Lately and appeared on more than 100 episodes as a regular roundtable guest. Not to mention, he has been noted as one of the only few comedians to receive a standing ovation after performing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. 

Even More

He also appeared on The Adam Carolla Show very frequently and had his own podcast, The Koy Pond, which streams on PodcastOne. Coming to his achievements, Koy was invited to the Montreal Comedy Festival called Just For Laughs, where he was given the Canadian Gemini Award. Koy even performed in front of 10,000 fans on Carlos Mencia’s Punisher Tour, which was a big deal for the entire stand-up industry. After his first podcast, Jo started another podcast with comedian and TV host Michael Yo on July 23, 2012, which was called The Michael Yo and Jo Koy Show. Lately, he still appears as a weekly guest on The Adam Carolla Show and tours around the US.

Koy has also done two successful comedy specials for Comedy Central and two for Netflix Original. His specials on Comedy Central are called Don’t Make Him Angry and Lights Out, and the Netflix special is called Jo Koy: Life from Seattle which was released on March 28, 2017. The other Netflix special of the successful comedian is called Joy Koy: Comin’ In Hot and was released in June 2019. 

Koy has not only performed as a Standup comedian but has also done some acting in some movies and shows. One of the popular acting roles of the comedian was playing the role of Vladimir Lenin in Anastasia: Once Upon a Time.

FAQs

How much is Jo Koy’s net worth?

Jo Koy has an estimated net worth of around $5 million as of 2023.

How did Jo Koy start his standup comedy career?

Koy started his career as a standup comedian in 1994 at a comedy club in Las Vegas. A bit later, he got a regular spot on the show Catch a Rising Star, which was held at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Soon after that, he rented the Huntridge Theater to perform his own comedy show, where he even went door to door to sell tickets for this show. And during this hustle, a talent coordinator saw the comedian and landed him a spot on BET’s ComicView, which was also his first television appearance. There is no doubt in saying that this was truly how he kick-started his career.

What are some of Jo Koy’s standup comedy specials?

Jo Koy has had many comedy specials in his career. Some of them include the following: 

• Jo Koy: Don’t Make Him Angry in 2009
• Jo Koy: Lights Out in 2012
• Jo Koy: Live From Seattle in 2017
• Jo Koy: Comin’ In Hot in 2019
• Jo Koy: In His Elements in the year 2020

How has Jo Koy’s standup comedy career evolved?

Jo Koy has come a long way since his days performing in random Las Vegas clubs or going door to door to sell tickets for his comedy show. He had become a regular on Chelsea Lately and even released two one-hour specials. Not just that, he was even one of the few comics who received a standing ovation on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Overall we can definitely say that his career as a comic has definitely evolved in the right direction. 

What is Jo Koy’s ethnicity?

Jo Koy’s ethnicity is Filipino-American. He was born Joseph Glenn Herbert on June 2, 1971, in Tacoma, Washington, to a Filipino mother and an American father of European descent. He often incorporates his Filipino heritage into his standup comedy performances.

What awards has Jo Koy won?

Jo Koy has won several awards throughout his career. Here are some of the major awards he has won:

• Comedian of the Year at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal (2018)
• Standup Comedian of the Year at the 2019 World Comedy Awards
• Best Comedy Album for “Live from Seattle” at the 2020 Grammy Awards
• Best Variety or Reality Show Host for “Eating Your Feed” at the 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards

On top of these awards, Jo Koy has also been nominated for several others, including the Streamy Awards and the American Comedy Awards.

How has Jo Koy’s acting career been?

Jo Koy’s career doesn’t just end as a standup. The comedian has also made appearances in some television shows and movies, including Wake, where he appeared as Peter Lewis, Anastasia: Once Upon a Time as Vladimir Lenin, and Easter Sunday as Joe Valencia. That said, Koy also gave a voice-over as Hawk in the hit animated movie Reindeer in Here.

What is Jo Koy’s nationality?

Jo Koy’s nationality is American. He was born and raised in the United States, and he is a citizen of the United States. However, he is also proud of his Filipino heritage and often incorporates it into his comedy and personal life.

What are Jo Koy’s philanthropic efforts?

Koy makes many philanthropic efforts towards multiple causes, which includes donating to many Charities and foundations, including the Lupus Foundation of America. He posted about this on Facebook, telling about the organization and how his sister suffered from the disease, which became his reason for raising funds. He even has his own foundation called the Jo Koy Foundation, which raises money for children with medical needs. 

What other media appearances has Jo Koy made?

Jo Koy has made many appearances in multiple television shows, which include, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Call with Carson Daly, World’s Funniest Fails, and many more.

Takeaway

Jo Koy is an inspiring figure for entrepreneurs, not only because of his comedic talent, but also because of his work ethic, resilience, and business savvy. Koy started his career in comedy by performing at open mic nights, often having to work other jobs during the day to make ends meet. He worked tirelessly to hone his craft, performing at countless shows and touring extensively to build his fanbase. Today, he is one of the most successful comedians in the world, selling out arenas and breaking records with his comedy specials.

If Jo’s story inspires you to become a famous comedian, we hope you’ll go for it! The world could use more laughter. We probably can’t help you much, but we’ll sure cheer you on.

But if his story inspires you to build your net worth, that’s where we can help a lot. 

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