Comedian Jo Koy will make a stop at the Alex Madonna Expo Center on Nov. 16.
Brenna Swanston
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Comedian Jo Koy will take the stage at the Alex Madonna Expo Center on Nov. 16, bringing laughs, anecdotes and brand-new material for his audience.
Koy, known for his role as a panelist on the E! show “Chelsea Lately,” constructs much of his material around his family life and role as a single father, he said.
His show at Madonna Inn will focus mainly on his experience watching his 10-year-old son grow up.
“My son’s older now,” Koy said, “So I’ll get to talk about that more.”
Madonna Inn banquet manager Nicole Altobello said Koy’s performance will mark the third comedy show Madonna Inn has hosted. Each comedian to perform at the venue so far has brought a unique crowd, she said.
“We find a different crowd depending on each comedian,” Altobello said. “It depends on their age range and the type of humor they have, as well as if it’s a male or female.”
As for Koy’s type of humor, he said his stand-up is primarily family-oriented. He attempts to connect with his audience as much as possible, he said.
“It’s a lot about me, parenting, my son, my mom,” Koy said. “Usually when you leave, you’re pretty much going, ‘Oh, I’ve got a brother who does that,’ or ‘My mom does that.’ I try to do stuff that’s more relatable.”
Koy, now 42, has wanted to go into comedy since he was 10.
“I saw Eddie Murphy in ‘Delirious,’ and I wanted to be him,” Koy said. “I told my mom, ‘That’s exactly who I want to be. I want to be a black guy in a red suit right now.’”
Koy now tours nationally, appears regularly on “Chelsea Lately” and has hosted two stand-up specials on Comedy Central. A third, hour-long special is on its way, he said.
Koy’s spot on “Chelsea Lately,” however, has roots in his friendship with the show’s host, Chelsea Handler. The two were friends before the show began, so when E! picked up “Chelsea Lately,” Handler asked Koy to get on board.
“Next thing you know, I’m on it with her,” Koy said.
Koy’s accomplishments are driven by both his love for comedy and his love of being a father, he said.
“Success, to me, is just that I’m living the dream,” he said. “I’m able to provide for my son by telling jokes. I’m living my passion and it’s not interfering with my son’s life. I’m bringing in enough money to support myself, and my son lives a good life.”
Koy’s desire to be a good father fuels him to be as successful as possible, he said.
“It’s one thing to pursue your dream and struggle when you’re by yourself,” he said. “But when you’re a dad, and it’s affecting others, it hurts.”
By the same token, his success comes at a price — traveling.
“Being in an airport every weekend gets to you,” he said. “Especially when you get to an airport in a different city and you already know all the restaurants in that airport.”
But overall, Koy said the difficulties are worth it.
“I love shaking hands and hearing people come up to me and compliment the show, and hearing their side of the story,” he said.
Despite Koy’s national travels, he has never visited San Luis Obispo. He looks forward to seeing the city.
“I got a lot of people asking me to come out to (San Luis Obispo); I haven’t hit it yet,” Koy said. “I’ve seen every other city. I’ve always wanted to hit it, so let’s do it.”
Tickets are available for $29 at Vallitix.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m.