$14 Million
What Is Jo Koy’s Net Worth?
Jo Koy is an American-Filipino stand-up comedian and podcaster who has a net worth of $15 million. In November 2022, Jo Koy sold out the 14,000-seat T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas. He is the first comedian to sell out the stadium.
Jo Koy’s career began in Las Vegas during the early 1990s, when he performed at local comedy clubs and gradually built a following. He gained national recognition in 2005 when he made his first appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” This led to multiple appearances on “Chelsea Lately,” cementing his status as a top-tier comedic talent. Koy’s honest and hilariously relatable storytelling often centers around his family, specifically his Filipino mother and growing up in a mixed-race household. Jo Koy’s comedy specials have been successful both critically and popularly. His first Netflix special, 2017’s “Jo Koy: Live from Seattle,” was a hit and was followed by “Jo Koy: Comin’ In Hot” in 2019, “Jo Koy: In His Elements” in 2020, and “Live from the LA Forum” in 2022. These specials have broadened his international appeal, especially within the Filipino community.
Beyond his comedy specials, Jo also hosts the podcast “The Koy Pond.” He was honored as Stand-Up Comedian of the Year at the 2018 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.
Early Life
Jo Koy was born Joseph Glenn Herbert on June 2, 1971, in Tacoma, Washington. His American father was stationed in the United States Air Force in the Philippines when he married Koy’s Filipino mother, who worked as a manager for a Filipino rock band. The couple got divorced when Jo was 13, and after that, his mother raised all her children on her own. The family moved to Tacoma, Washington, and then to Los Vegas soon after Jo finished high school in Tacoma. The family moved to Los Vegas to be near Jo’s ailing grandmother. His stage name comes from a nickname that his family gave him growing up. Koy credits his mother for his acting and comedic talents, frequently telling stories about her during his comedy shows. His mother encouraged him to participate in school talent shows and to hold impromptu shows for his family and friends.
Jo began college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. However, he chose to leave the school in order to focus on a career in comedy full-time.