Learn To Laugh More With Superstar Comedian Jo Koy
An Inside Look At Jo Koy’s New Book — Mixed Plate
“I’m half-white, half-Filipino. That’s what I am. Which means my dad was in the military. That’s not even a joke. That’s real shit. A lot of soldiers were fighting for this country. My dad was dating. I’m his Purple Heart.” — Jo Koy in Live From Seattle.
If you don’t know Jo Koy, what are you doing with your life? Just kidding… but really, Jo Koy is a superstar and one of the most hilarious comedians in the world.
According to his official website, “Jo has four highly rated and successful comedy specials on Comedy Central and Netflix, won “Stand-Up Comedian Of The Year” award at the 2018 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, & in 2019, the comedian reached #1 on the Billboard Charts for his stand-up comedy album, Live From Seattle.”
His latest successful endeavour is his new book called Mixed-Plate. Jo goes a lot deeper than just his rise to success as a stand up comedian, but what makes this story so special is his extreme vulnerability with his struggles finding his identity as a half-white, half-filipino growing up in Tacoma, Washington.
Not only does he discuss his struggles as a Filipino-American, but the comedian does an superb job highlighting the intricacies of Filipino traditions. In fact, in a very unique way I have never seen in an autobiography, before the chapter even begins, he places the recipe of a delicious Filipino dish and instructions how to cook it. If I could give him one critique, its that he should of provided pictures of the dish with the recipes! I bet it would of inspired a lot of readers to try and make the dishes themselves.
By reading Mixed Plate, it’s very likely you’ll learn a lot about the Filipino culture you’ve never knew before and by the end of the book you’ll find yourself celebrating their culture.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “This book doesn’t sound relatable at all.” In fact, I’d argue the exact opposite, Jo really stands out because he’s able connect Filipino culture and make it universal and extremely relatable to your own life, no matter who you are.
If Your Family Is Crazy, Let’s Celebrate Their Craziness
One of his many ways he’s able to successfully connect so deeply with the reader is through his family. If you have any kind of weird family drama, or raised by an immigrant parent, you’ll be laughing your ass off while he tells interesting but complex stories about his family.
He dives deep in a number of sensitive family topics such as his complex relationship with his Filipino mother, his schizophrenic brother and his father walking out on his family. There are a number of valuable lessons sprinkled in throughout the book.
He really shifted my perspective on my own family. I’ve held resentment towards my parents through my past. Jo leads by example and shows us how to forgive and to move on. Holding on to negative energy from the past is just toxic useless energy.
The Best Character In The Book Is By Far His Mom.
To give you backstory, his mom was a Filipino immigrant that moved to America. She divorced when Jo was about the age of 11 and had to take care of the whole family. She worked her ass off so they could make ends meet. According to Jo in Mixed Plate, “She was tough as shit.” Also according to Jo in Mixed Plate, “She shitted on my dreams.”
Jo’s mom was extremely loving in her own tough & unique ways, but she never supported Jo in his dream to be a stand up comedian. She wanted so desperately for Jo to get a good safe job with benefits.
Jo explains hilariously while imitating his mother with a Filipino accent in his #1 stand up special Jo Koy: Live From Seattle,
I told my mom I wanted to be a comedian. She cried. “Why? Why do you want to be a comedian, Joseph? All your aunties are nurses, your cousins are nurses. Do you see any clowns in this family? I don’t. Do you?” Shit on my dream right there. Just looked at me and went like this: “Joseph, who told you you were funny? It wasn’t me.”
Here is a clip of Jo in Jo Koy: Live From Seattle about his mom shitting on his dreams. Give it a watch, I guarantee you’ll laugh your ass off.
Most Valuable Lesson In The Book: Believe In Yourself and You Can Achieve Anything
I believe the most valuable lesson in Mixed Plate is that in the face of challenges and adversity, Jo always believed in himself when no one else would. There are countless of stories of Jo overcoming adversity, and if you read the book, you can really draw inspiration into your own life by observing how Jo overcomes challenges in his own life.
Jo was constantly working 3 jobs at the same time while doing stand up on the side. Some of his former jobs include a Footlocker employee, a speaker at a dolphin show (wtf?), and a CD store where he took home the “extra” CD’s and sold them on the side.
One particular amazing story full of courage is how Jo got his stand up to be on Netflix. Jo frustratingly explains the problem in Mixed Plate,
“Netflix was the new king of standup comedy. For me, it was Netflix or nothing else. There was just one small problem. Netflix didn’t want anything to do with me.”
So what did Jo do? He believed in himself and shot the special himself with his own money. He used his son’s college fund to pay for expert lighting, redecorating the floor to have a glossy black finish, and to install microphones through out the venue to hear the laughs.
Jo passionately described in Mixed Plate,
“I’d shoot my own special. I’d create something so awesome, so undeniably Jo Koy that Netflix would have to take it, promote it and distribute it. worldwide. I really would will my Netflix special into existence.”
Jo took his new special, produced by himself, and showed Netflix how great of show he put on. Netflix couldn’t refuse and said “Don’t take this anywhere. We’ll make an offer.” Once Netflix posted his special, Jo Koy became known worldwide.
The Hardest Hitting Story In Mixed Plate: His Older Brother Robert
The story about his older brother named Robert really broke my heart. Jo had an extremely close relationship with his brother growing up. Robert had a bright future ahead of him until one day in high school, Robert started hanging out with the wrong crowd. He brought a blunt home, laced with angel dust and smoked it one night while the family was asleep.
What happened was terrifying…
Jo woke up in the middle of the night to his brother screaming. After smoking the laced blunt, Robert became Schizophrenic. In the years to come, Robert began speaking gibberish, started conspiring Russian spy theories to over take the American government and became extremely violent.
So violent that fist fights & physical altercations with Robert became the new norm. The fighting started to wane on his father, and after a few years he couldn’t take it anymore. His father packed up and moved out of the house, leaving his family behind to start a new life.
In his interview with Chelsea Handler, he discusses that his story about his brother Robert is the one story in his life he can’t find a way to make funny.
Jo has forgiven his father and has accepted him back into his life. Jo has attempted numerous of times to help his brother Robert, but present day, Robert is often roaming the streets homeless, in a rehab center or in jail.
Would I Recommend Mixed Plate To You?
Jo Koy’s style of writing reads just like how he talks. I could hear him talking in my head as I read his story. Therefore, it made his book as one of the easiest reads I’ve ever had. Mixed-Plate is over 300 pages but his story flows seamlessly, similar to his stand up routine. It almost like you’re reading a script from his stand up show.
This was an amazing book to read at night time because it was such an easy light hearted book to read. While lying in bed, Jo’s outrageous stories have you laughing the whole time, taking you into sleep in a great mood.
So the answer to the questions is Yes, absolutely yes. I highly recommend. Like I mentioned, Jo’s story is very universal. You can apply valuable lessons to your life derived from his stories. His stories are incredible emotional and vulnerable, but he still finds a way to make it a funny story.
What makes Mixed Plate so great is Jo Koy’s ability to find comedy hidden deep inside painful stories. Jo Koy helped me realize comedy comes from truth and pain that I’ve experienced in life. That’s what connects us all.
Check out his podcast called The Koy Pond. Here is a hilarious episode with legendary comedian Gabriel Iglesias. My philosophy is, “Add some laughter into your life, especially when times are challenging.”
Jo reads his book Mixed Plate on Audible right here: I haven’t listened to his audible but I can only imagine having Jo Koy read you the book is even funnier than reading the book yourself.
Please check out this article I wrote about my grandma, and the selfless superpowers she taught me.
I love reading and writing book reviews so please give me a follow.
Please follow me on instagram at @habitfitnessclub. Check out my website www.habitfitnessclub.com.
